Elevate Your Snacks

Do you often find yourself unsatisfied and hungry shortly after your snacks? This is a common experience! But, the good news is that there are simple ways to make your meals and snacks more filling and satiating. 

By incorporating healthy fats, protein-rich foods, and fibre-rich foods into meals and snacks, you can keep hunger at bay and maintain your energy levels and focus throughout the day. 

The Power of Balanced Meals 

Before we delve into snack strategies, it’s important to touch on the importance of balanced meals. When planning your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, aim for a combination of quality carbohydrate foods such as potato, grainy bread, rice, pasta, or legumes like chickpeas or lentils plus protein such as chicken, fish, eggs, or tofu. Loading up the remainder of your meal with non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomato will boost the volume of your meal and contribute to better satiation. Read our blog on building a balanced plate here for more information. 

Now, let's move on to elevating your snacks for maximum satisfaction!

How to Make Snacks More Filling 

Incorporate Healthy Fats, and/or Protein and Fibre-rich Foods

What do you usually have for a snack? Common examples we hear include a piece of fruit, a cake or cookie from the morning tea room, or some crackers. How full and satisfied do you feel after your snacks? If you’re left feeling hungry soon after, some of these tips may help to elevate your snacks. 

Healthy fats, protein, and fibre help to slow the digestion of these foods, stabilising blood sugar levels and increasing satiation. A way to incorporate more of these foods at snack times is to pair two things together. For example pairing fresh fruit with a handful of nuts, grainy crackers with canned tuna and low-sodium hummus, or a high protein yoghurt with seeds or granola mix. By pairing things together, you can create a more flavourful snack, eat a wider variety of foods, and get more vitamins and minerals! 

With a few adjustments, snacks can be transformed into satisfying and nourishing mini-meals that keep hunger pangs at bay. By incorporating healthy fats, protein, and fibre-rich foods into your snacks, you’ll enjoy sustained energy levels, avoid that mid-arvo slump, and feel more satisfied between meals!

Remember to complement your snacks with balanced meals to create a well-rounded eating pattern. 

Next time you reach for a snack, think about how you can make it more filling and nutritious! Let us know what snacks you make.