NUTRITION: Smart Snacking

Smart Snacking

By Summer C. McNeill | B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics

Why are snacks important?

Snacks are a great opportunity to add more nutrients to your diet. You can easily increase your intake of vitamins and minerals, fiber, carbs, proteins, and fats. Snacks between meals can help provide a steady supply of glucose to the body which helps prevent your blood sugar from crashing or spiking. Snacks keep you satisfied between meals, preventing you from becoming fatigued and helping prevent overeating at meal time. Snacks are a great way to add extra calories for athletes who are trying to gain weight and support overall training and recovery for all athletes. Lastly, snacks can be fun! Snacking is a great way to experiment with new foods and have something tasty throughout the day.

When should you snack?

Snacking really depends on your individual needs. As an athlete, you should be having a snack or a meal before and after exercise to optimize your training. You should also be snacking if you have long periods of time between meals. Aside from snacking around exercise, snack when you are hungry! Listen to and trust your body. It knows when you need to eat. Even on days that you don’t exercise/practice, your body is still recovering and needs calories to support your active lifestyle. Keep snacks with you when you leave the house so you don’t have to worry about being hungry between meals.

Building a Healthy Snack

When building a healthy snack, the goal is to combine at least two foods from the following three groups: carbs, proteins, and fats. Carbs, as we know, are the preferred source of energy for the body. Simple carbs are quick to digest and will give you an immediate energy boost. For longer lasting energy, focus on whole grains. Whole grains digest slower than simple carbs and add fiber to your diet. Fiber will keep you feeling full longer and support healthy digestion. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle, which makes it great for recovery. Protein is also slow to digest so it will keep you feeling satisfied between meals. Fat is the most calorically dense macronutrient. Adding a source of fat to snacks is a great way to consume extra calories throughout the day and stay satisfied between meals.

I’ve provided a few examples in the table of various carb, protein, and fat foods. Try combining a food from at least two of the columns to build a balanced snack.

CARBS

Crackers, bread, fresh fruit, dried fruit, oats, cereal, popcorn, rice cakes, granola bar, and pretzels

PROTEINS

Eggs jerky, cheese, yogurt, milk, deli meat, tuna, protein shake, cottage cheese, and beans.

FATS

Nut butter, nuts, seeds, hummus, avocado, cheese, and cream cheese

The size of your snack will depend on your individual needs and hunger level. If you are feeling really hungry, your snack may resemble more of a small meal, and that’s ok. When hunger level is high, consider eating a sandwich, having a protein shake, eating a bowl of cereal, or even eating nachos as a snack.

Some of my personal favorite snacks: - PB&J - Cheese + crackers - Pretzels + cream cheese - Strawberry + peanut butter smoothie (add oats or protein powder for more calories) - Trail Mix (nuts have so many awesome nutrients) - Bowl of cereal - Greek yogurt + granola + fruit - Apple + peanut butter - Grapes + cheese - Sweet peppers + cream cheese - Nachos (tortilla chips, beans, cheese, guacamole, salsa, etc.)

Remember, not every snack has to be perfectly nutritionally balanced. You’re allowed to eat a donut or a bag of chips every once in a while. If you pay attention to what your body is telling you and you are aware of your training and health goals, you can’t go wrong.

Happy snacking!

Want a personalized nutrition plan? Find a dietitian here:

https://www.eatright.org/find-a-nutrition-expert?rdType=url_edit&rdProj=fane_update&rdInfo=fae

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder please seek help:

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline