Back
Lets face it, when faced with an energy stump in the afternoon it can be tempting to head out for a sugary or salty snack fix. Lunch has been and gone but dinner is still so far away. The most important thing when you do is snack is focusing on whole and real foods and having healthy snacks on hand no matter where you are. Here are some healthy snacking options to keep you feeling full and fabulous all afternoon long.
Go Natural Australia Almond Cashew Bars
Go Natural Bars are one of my convenience store go-to's. If you faced with endless shelves of confectionary and don’t know what to aim for, Go Natural is a really nice healthy option and the perfect afternoon snack. If you want something a bit sweeter than raw natural nuts too, this is a great choice. As mentioned above, nuts make a really good snack to keep that sense of feeling full. Not only that, they are a really good source of vitamins and minerals too and contain nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and vitamin B3.
Raw Nuts
One of the handiest snacks to keep in your drawer at work, handbag, in the car or even in your pocket, nuts are great for when you’re on the go. Nuts can come in lots of different forms and raw natural are a great option or dry roasted without any added oils (because it's not really necessary to add oil to nuts!). Nuts naturally contain all of the key macronutrients protein, fibre and fats and the combination of nutrients really helps to slow the digestive process. This is important because it’ll help to keep blood sugar levels balanced and therefore avoid that peak and crash which can lead to sugar cravings.
Fresh Fruit
Fruit is an amazing source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and yes, it is absolutely OK to eat fruit in the afternoon! There are usually two ways that I recommend eating fruit. If you are heading to the gym for a workout a banana on its own is the perfect way to provide a quick hit of energy. If, however, you want something that will keep you feeling fuller for that bit longer, adding a nut butter (think almond, peanut, cashew etc) adds a nice component of fats and protein to slow the digestive process and make fruit a well-balanced snack. Some good combinations are banana and 1 tbsp peanut butter or apple/pear and 1 tbsp almond butter.
Krumbled Foods Beauty Bites
For healthy snacks on the go, Beauty Bites are perfect to satisfy that 3 pm energy hit. They come in three different flavours and are nutrient-dense. They contain 8g fibre which is more than 25% of the recommended daily intake. Fibre is not only great for the gut by regulating bowel movements, but it is also a key component to feeling full. The fibrous components to food helps to slow the digestive process, which therefore helps you stay feeling fuller for longer! They also contain collagen and importantly include also the recommended daily intake of vitamin C which nicely supports collagen production and immune health.
Coyo Coconut Yoghurt
Coconut yoghurts are the perfect alternative for anyone that doesn’t consume dairy and they taste pretty good too! One thing to be aware of with coconut yoghurt compared to a dairy-based yoghurt is that is it much lower protein and protein, like the other macronutrients mentioned above, is key to that feeling of lasting fullness. A couple of recommendations to enjoy Coyo as a balanced snack is to sprinkle some nuts and ½ tsp cinnamon, or alternatively some sliced fruit and sunflower, pepita or hemp seeds.