Snack Attack STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATALIE FINDLAY
30 Balanced Snack Ideas
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ou hear your stomach rumbling. Those around you can hear your stomach rumbling. Your regularly scheduled meal is hours away. It’s time for a snack to tide you over. Not too big so you’re not hungry come mealtime, and not too small so that you’re hungry again in half an hour. What to do? To build a balanced snack, you need at least two of the following: Carbohydrates - for energy Protein - for a sense of fullness Fat - for richness and boosting satiety The combination of carbs + protein and/or healthy fat is the perfect balance for sustained energy, fullness and stabilizing blood sugar. The size of snack should match the size of the person. A six-year old is not the same as a 16-year old or a 36-year old. Each person has their own individual needs when it comes to satisfying their hunger. Plan accordingly. Having the right size containers (to avoid over- or under-eating) is helpful when planning snacks for you and/or 18 Culinaire | September 2023
your family. Put snacks in small plastic containers or bags so they are easy to carry in a pocket, purse, or backpack. The best way to keep from eating junk food or other unhealthy snacks is to not have these foods in your house. And the best way to not have those foods in the house and still enjoy snacks is to make your own snack mixes each week. Here are two examples of easy to prepare and easy to eat meat and cheese wraps: 1. Take a slice of ham and place a slice of apple and a slice of cheese and then roll the ham around the filling (see photo). 2. The same for the turkey wrap. Take a slice of turkey, a slice of brie cheese, and a teaspoon of cranberry sauce and wrap the turkey around the filling. These are great for all ages. They are delicious, filling, and a great balance of carbs, fat and protein, with far less additives and preservatives than prepackaged meat and cheese products. There are many ways to have healthy snacks on hand. Here’s a list of ideas to get you started.
1. Apple + spicy roasted chickpeas 2. Mixed nuts + chocolate 3. Carrot and celery sticks + hummus 4. Crackers + guacamole 5. Nut butter cup + raspberries 6. Peaches + cottage cheese 7. Popcorn + mixed nuts + dark chocolate 8. Gluten-free pumpkin muffin + nut butter (*recipe opposite page) 9. Berries + yogurt + granola 10. Tortilla chips + bean dip 11. Dried fruit + mixed nuts 12. Celery sticks + peanut butter 13. Rice cakes + tomatoes + hummus 14. Veggies + Greek yogurt pesto dip 15. Boiled egg + pepperoni sticks 16. Banana + nut butter + chocolate 17. Anytime cookies (*recipe below) 18. Quinoa chocolate crisp bars 19. Baked oatmeal cups 20. Pear + walnuts 21. Turkey + cranberry jam + brie wraps (*see photo) 22. Tomatoes + chicken cubes 23. Homemade trail mix 24. Chia pudding 25. Tuna or salmon salad + crackers 26. Chocolate black bean muffins 27. Ham + apple + cheese wrap (*see photo) 28. Peanut butter + jelly sandwich cookies 29. Chocolate zucchini bread 30. Smoothie with veg, fruit, nut butter + yogurt
