Desktop Snacking

What has the power to keep you energized, focused and productive from morning to night?  SMART SNACKING!

Fueling your body every 3 hours keeps your metabolism charged and your energy level high.  To maximize the benefits of healthy snacking without packing on extra pounds, choose a good mix of complex carbohydrates (for quick energy) and lean protein or healthy fat (to keep you feeling full longer).  Limit your snack calories to 100-200 calories per snack.  Aim for mid-morning, mid-afternoon and even a planned bedtime snack to keep your blood sugar stable.  The goal is to keep your level of satisfaction between 4 & 6 on the hunger scale so that you are never really hungry and never really full – allowing you to manually control your blood sugar and energy.

Keep a few of your favorite easy snacks at your desk or in the office fridge so you are always prepared with a quick bite to fuel you throughout your busy day!

Here are a few healthy snack combos to get you started!

  • Like salty crunch? Try one of these. . .
    • 10 peanuts with a 100 calorie bag of light popcorn
    • 5 Triscuits with 2 Light Babybel cheeses
    • Celery sticks with 1/3 cup of your favorite hummus
  • Looking for something sweet – these tasty treats will tickle your fancy!
    • 3 graham cracker squares with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
    • 100 calorie bag of cocoa-dusted almonds
    • KIND + Protein Bar
  • Want something warm & wonderful?
    • Instant steel cut oatmeal with 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
    • Whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon almond butter
    • A skinny latte with 6 almonds and 1 cup light popcorn
  • Need something cool & refreshing?
    • 6 oz. Greek yogurt (counts as both carb & protein!)
    • ¼ cup cottage cheese with ½ cup lite peaches
    • 1 small apple with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

If you’ve never been a ‘snacker’, I challenge you to try adding one of these snacks every day – morning, afternoon and evening for one week.  You will be amazed at how good “fueled” feels!

Today’s recipe for Blackened Fish Tacos is a quick, spicy solution for “What’s for dinner?”  It is ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!