We all need to recognize when we are truly hungry versus just eating for the sake of eating. Sometimes we eat just because others are doing so, or because there is food in front of us, or even because we can’t bear to leave food on our plates, but in order to be successful at maintaining our goals – we need to say no. And avoiding the urge to eat when you are bored, stressed or even depressed can be difficult some days but it is also a must!
Snacking is something that can easily destroy the best intentions when it comes to keeping on top of your calories and fat. Having said that, healthy snacking can also help to curb overindulging at your next meal because you are starving. The best thing you can do is snack healthy. I have put together a few suggestions for those who are craving somethin somethin.
- 3 cups of organic air-popped popcorn – you can top with spices to bump up the flavor.
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of roasted garlic hummus with 10 baby carrots for dipping.
- 10 baked organic tortilla chips with 1/4 cup of salsa.
- 1/2 cup of kale (remove stems) sprinkled with a teaspoon of olive oil and lightly salted, baked at 400 degrees until crisp.
- 10 olives – black or green.
- 1/2 cup of vegan cottage cheese with 1/4 cup of salsa.
- 10 mini pretzels with 1/2 teaspoon of mustard for dipping.
- 1/4 cup of dry roasted pumpkin seeds.
- 1/2 cup frozen organic grapes
- 3/4 cup of chocolate almond or soy milk
- 1 cup of organic blueberries or raspberries
- 2 medium kiwi fruits
- 1 oz of dark chocolate – make sure it is vegan – Most are, but some sneak in ingredients like whey or casein.
- 2 cups of watermelon
- 1/2 cup of vegan yogurt with 1/4 cup of sliced fruit
- Almonds and goji berries – about 20 of each
- 2 celery sticks with almond butter
- 2 dates stuffed with almond butter – add a slice of banana
- 1cup of kale, beet or sweet potato chips – check the ingredients to make sure they are vega