Healthy Snacks

If you are looking for healthful snacks which are kind to your waistline, and keep you satisfied between main meals, there are two simple rules to follow:

1. Look for foods that contain fibre (fruit, vegetables, wholegrains) or protein (dairy, nuts/seeds, meat/fish, legumes). Fibre and protein are difficult to digest, which means they stay in your digestive system for longer, keeping hunger at bay.

2. Aim for snacks that provide around 600 kilojoules (150 calories).If you are particularly active, or male, you may need more, but otherwise - this is a good figure to stick to.

The following are a few snack ideas that contain fibre and/or protein, and are around 600kJ:

Savoury Snacks

• 2 thin rice cakes or wholegrain crackers (Ryvita etc.), 2 tablespoons hommus, sliced tomato

• 40g air-popped popcorn (or low-oil home popped corn)

• 1 cup vegetables (snow peas, capsicum, carrot, celery, green beans) cut into sticks with ¼ cup hommus (or try the Chris’ dip range available at major supermarkets)

• 30g of nuts or seeds (raw almonds or walnuts are great choices)

• 30g nut paste on celery sticks

• 140g baked beans on 2 corn thins/wholegrain crackers

• ½ cup cottage cheese (chive and onion flavour is tasty) on rice crackers

• 95g tin tuna/salmon (no oil varieties) on 2 wholegrain crackers with tomato slices

Sweeter Snacks

• 1 medium-large piece of fruit (banana, apple)

• 2 small pieces of fruit (apricot, kiwifruit)

• 1 cup of bite sized fruit (diced melons, grapes, berries)

• ¾ cup of canned fruit (no added sugar) with 1 large spoonful of yoghurt

• 200g tub low fat yoghurt

• 2 thinrice cakes with 50g Philadelphia Cream Cheese Extra Light, 1tsp honey, 2 dried apricot halves (diced)

For more information on healthy snacks, eating right, or weight loss you can talk to our in-house Personal Trainer and qualified nutritionist/dietitian, Tracey Hawke.

Tracey attended the University of Canberra where she completed a bachelor science degree majoring in human biology in 2010. This was followed by a graduate certificate in Human Nutrition in 2011, and a Master degree in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2014. Having experienced multiple, restrictive or extreme weight loss diets as a child, Tracey is passionate about guiding and motivating clients to find sustainable, healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

To book an appointment with her today, please contact jen@ahernfitness.com.au

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