Healthy Snacks - Suggestions

[Bluelines]

I'm a snacky kind of guy, I'd rather snack all day on smaller meals than each a few big ones.

What I struggle with the most is most snacks are garbage, cookies, cakes, chips.

What do you substitute for the garbage snack foods?

I find that I can eat celery and carrots, green peppers for about 2 weeks then I get sick of them. Problem for me is keeping it easy to grab and varied so not to make eating monotonous.

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[KapG]

Almonds and sunflower seeds are two I like

 

[Crease]

Banana with almond butter is super filling. Hard boiled eggs. Raw veggies with hummus. Bake your own sweet potato fries. Tasty protein shakes with chocolate whey, frozen berries, and some almond butter.

 

[keppel146]

I'd eat some yogurt, that's not bad.

 

[Mrb1p]

Yogourt, protein balls/bars (there's a billion recipes on the internet, try a few.), nuts, trail mix (If you don't mind the added sugar), jerky, healthier chip options, healthier cracker options, veggies, fruits, protein shakes, peanut butter on EVERYTHING...

But having a full meal is the greatest thing ever.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

I have a problem with "healthy" snacks. I can binge on 1000 calories worth of nuts or trail mix like it's nothing. I just like crunchy snacks so I substitute chips with almonds or something like that but it's not the best thing calorie wise. Celery/carrots are naaasty lol.

Popcorn could be good. You can buy a giant bag and it's like 600 calories in the whole thing.

 

[ColePens]

I have a problem with "healthy" snacks. I can binge on 1000 calories worth of nuts or trail mix like it's nothing. I just like crunchy snacks so I substitute chips with almonds or something like that but it's not the best thing calorie wise. Celery/carrots are naaasty lol.

Popcorn could be good. You can buy a giant bag and it's like 600 calories in the whole thing.

I'm right with you with crunchy. I found nature valley made protein granola and oats, and the stats aren't bad. They have peanut butter and honey. Lower in fat, decent fiber, decent protein. But like you said, I can eat the whole bag like its nothing. Insatiable hunger from working out and being active. When I'm in the office, Ihave to be mega disciplined.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Dude, granola is death for me. I cannot stop once I start. IDK why I like crunchy foods so much. The office life is always hard - chips, trail mix, all that crunchy deliciousness everywhere, it's rough.

I also noticed how much crazier my appetite is when lifting vs cardio. I can have a smoothie after boxing/sparring and feel just fine but with lifting, the appetite jut doesn't stop. I just keep eating and don't actually feel full or bloated, no matter how much I eat.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

I'm not sure how healthy granola really is.

I eat a lot of healthy fats as snacks in combo with some fruit. I probably eat about a handful of almonds, walnuts, and/or pumpkin seeds throughout day and eat them at the same time that I'll eat some type of fruit (usually an apple or an orange.)
I also eat a small piece of 90% dark chocolate at some point in the day (usually right before i'll eat a baked sweet potato as eating healthy fats at the same time is supposed to help your body absorb the nutrients.)

I try to eat a good portion of veggies, but I'm not a huge fan of eating them raw so I don't really snack on them. They're obviously a great option though. Maybe throwing some peanut butter on your celery will make it better for you? If you like salad that'd be another great option (although if you use a lot of salad dressing than the healthy part suddenly comes into question at some point in time.)


I'm taking a break on dairy of late, but plain yogurt sprinkled with some cinnamon and eaten with frozen berries used to be a favorite of mine. Frozen berries and fruit are very convenient and delicious. Just a heads up though, blueberries will turn your lips blue/purple.

Another pretty filling, fairly healthy snack that i'll eat once in a while is a peanut butter, banana sandwich. I'll lightly toast 2 slices of 100% whole grain bread, spread some peanut butter (the ones that you have to stir because it's just peanuts and salt), sprinkle some cinnamon, and then cut up a banana in slices and make a sandwich out of it.

Hard boiled eggs are great for you and easy to make a work week worth of them at a time. I usually eat 1-2 per day.

Snackpop or whatever popcorn is my snack item that i'm not quite sure how healthy it is.

 

[Bluelines]

Why does eating healthy have to be so bland? Nuts? Carrots? Celery? Rice? Baked Potato?

I need to invent a line healthy flavor packed seasonings that can go on anything...

 

[RayP]

Why does eating healthy have to be so bland? Nuts? Carrots? Celery? Rice? Baked Potato?

I need to invent a line healthy flavor packed seasonings that can go on anything...

These don't have salt, and might be good enough for some. I've used a some to season chicken with, and they were decent enough.


edit: pic is a bit small, but no sodium in those.

 

[Mad Brills*]

Peanuts.

 

[Bluelines]

These don't have salt, and might be good enough for some. I've used a some to season chicken with, and they were decent enough.


edit: pic is a bit small, but no sodium in those.

Can't eat Mrs Dash, it has MSG in it, gives me horrible headaches

 

[RayP]

Can't eat Mrs Dash, it has MSG in it, gives me horrible headaches

Does it? Did not realize that. Good to know.

 

[Mrb1p]

Why does eating healthy have to be so bland? Nuts? Carrots? Celery? Rice? Baked Potato?

I need to invent a line healthy flavor packed seasonings that can go on anything...

If that's bland for you, maybe it's because you're way too used to junk food ?

 

[ColePens]

If that's bland for you, maybe it's because you're way too used to junk food ?

There is no way to cut it. Healthy food snacks absolutely suck. I understand we all chose the healthy lifestyle, but it's ok to admit. If calories and nutrition didn't matter, I'd eat cool ranch Doritos for days.

 

[Mrb1p]

There is no way to cut it. Healthy food snacks absolutely suck. I understand we all chose the healthy lifestyle, but it's ok to admit. If calories and nutrition didn't matter, I'd eat cool ranch Doritos for days.

I don't know.

I'm a huge, and I mean, HUGE candy fan and I can enjoy almonds, Jerky, PB and other thing just as much.

 

[Bluelines]

Does it? Did not realize that. Good to know.

It may have changed in recent years but I haven't had the desire to check cause its on my no shop list, it's been 15 years since I've tried the stuff.

 

[Bluelines]

If that's bland for you, maybe it's because you're way too used to junk food ?

That could be very true, I mostly crave flavor and not so much texture or a specific food.

Things like chicken tikka masala, meat pies, pizza, all jammed packed with flavor, I crave them because in every bite there is a boat load of flavor.

 

[Bluelines]

There is no way to cut it. Healthy food snacks absolutely suck. I understand we all chose the healthy lifestyle, but it's ok to admit. If calories and nutrition didn't matter, I'd eat cool ranch Doritos for days.

If someone could figure out how to make healthy snack food that is not jammed packed with either salt, fat or sugar, and price it so it does not cost significantly more than the unhealthy snack food, they would be billionaires.

 

[Mrb1p]

That could be very true, I mostly crave flavor and not so much texture or a specific food.

Things like chicken tikka masala, meat pies, pizza, all jammed packed with flavor, I crave them because in every bite there is a boat load of flavor.

All of those can be cooked.

Just cook smart. There's like way too much recipes out there to not eat what you crave.

Also, I know you've been told all your life that fat is bad... But it's not as bad as you think.

Just learn the difference between saturated, unsaturated and trans fat. One is good in moderation, the other is good and the latter is just no good.

Assuming a Tikka masala...

chicken, really no issue.
Greek-style yogurt/Skyr ... No issue.
peanut oil No issue
Fresh lime, No issue
Garlic, Coriander, cumin, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, Onions, pureed tomato's, cardamon, nutmeg, Cilantro, paprika no issue
Butter and cream... are fatty and rich in saturated fat, yes... but there's still good ways to fit this in a healthy diet.
There's salt, and there's always ways to add less and salt is another gray area concerning health.

I really see no issue with that, and I'm quite happy you actually brought this up, because a lot of people feel like they can't eat their favorite foods, but ****... They actually can.


Sure, you can't have that Oreo ice cream bowl, or the whole bag of doritos... But you sure can eat healthy and delicious. I've pretty much made a living out of this. (Oh and also out of killing people stomach with greasy food, or fine dining food that kills you if you eat too much.)

 

[ColePens]

If someone could figure out how to make healthy snack food that is not jammed packed with either salt, fat or sugar, and price it so it does not cost significantly more than the unhealthy snack food, they would be billionaires.

I would say #1 issue is price. Bag of chips - $1. Quest's Protein Chips - $3.49 at my local store (Vitamin Shoppe). Cheaper online. The chips are pretty dry, but at least have flavor. I don't see anything terribly bad.

 

[Mrb1p]

I would say #1 issue is price. Bag of chips - $1. Quest's Protein Chips - $3.49 at my local store (Vitamin Shoppe). Cheaper online. The chips are pretty dry, but at least have flavor. I don't see anything terribly bad.

That seems too good to be true.

Hows the taste ?

 

[ColePens]

That seems too good to be true.

Hows the taste ?

The sour cream and onion taste is good. The chip is like a standard baked lay. Pretty meh. It does the trick, but isn't a potato chip.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

They're also not filling at all. There are like 5 chips in there.