Healthy Snacks

The month of February is National Snack Food month.  It’s a great opportunity to look at the snacks you eat and compare them to recommended healthy snacks.

The grocery store is full of snack food.  You’ll see items labeled organic or a healthy choice.  You really need to check labels but also head into a store with items in mind too. 

One way for you to make healthy choices is to think about fresh foods.  Fruits and vegetables are a great way to get nutrients. Pair them with peanut butter, hummus or tzatziki for variety.

The bigger the variety of fruits the more varied healthy vitamins and minerals you’ll add to your diet.

You’ll hear a lot of discussions about having too many carbohydrates.  While you do need to be careful, the types of carbs can change the equation. Fruits, whole grains and beans have carbohydrates but their nutrients compensate for that.

Do you like yogurt?  Try having yogurt with a bit of honey or stevia with some fruit for a delicious protein packed snack.  Add some granola if you like a crunch.

Cucumbers have the benefit of being low calorie and are delicious on their own or paired with hummus.  Peppers and hummus are a great duo too.

Eating nuts like almonds is a great way to have a healthy and filling snack.  For those with pre-diabetes adding some almonds after you’ve eaten fruit is a great way to balance your sugar.

Eggs are a good source of protein. You can boil an egg and pack that for a quick and yummy snack.  

Additionally, protein shakes or fruit smoothies are easy to make and are good if you are on the go.  Be careful of a high sugar in your protein if you are watching your sugar intake.

Private Home Health Care loves fruits and vegetables and we love pairing them with hummus and peanut butter.  

We also know that there are times we all need to splurge on our food.  If we can have a diet of healthy snacks with occasional “treats” we can stay on the road to be our healthiest selves. 

#NationalSnackFoodMonth

Photo by Jane Doan