11am and 3pm are the danger zones for most of us. 11am is after breakfast and before lunch when you tend to want to graze on something and 3pm is too early for dinner but when again you might get that craving for a snack. If you come unprepared, then it’s likely you’ll choose something quick and possibly quite unhealthy to tide you over. However it’s not doing you much good nutritionally and chances are the feeling will be short lived and you’ll be back in the snack cupboard before you know it. Also messing up your timings for your main meals.
So why not put a bit of thought into it and have your snacks prepped just like you would a breakfast, lunch or dinner. When thinking about snacks you want nutrient-dense, high protein options that will keep you full and satisfied until you go in for your next bigger meal.
Here’s some options to try:
Apple or rice cakes with peanut butter
A good choice if you have a sweet tooth, and can be prepared beforehand and eaten whenever you’re ready.
Boiled eggs
If the idea of chomping down on a boiled egg doesn’t fill you with excitement, try adding some smoked salmon, or just dipping in salt, pepper or even hot sauce to jazz it up a bit.
Smoothies
You can pretty much chuck in whatever you want and is a great way to use up unused fruit and veg.
Veg and pitta bread
Try carrots or celery and high-protein hummus to pack in as much as you can to this filling snack.
Yogurt and berries
Go for greek yogurt for high levels of protein and avoid the flavoured options (they contain a lot of sugar), if you want it sweeter add your own honey.
