A lot of my thoughts – and posts – at the moment are centred on healthy mealtimes (with the odd treat!). I love finding and creating delicious recipes to keep me on track and motivated to eat well, but what about when hunger strikes between mealtimes? I don’t know about you, but by about 10:30, breakfast seems like it was yesterday, and my stomach is already counting down the minutes to lunchtime. Out loud. Not a thing in a quiet office… And then there’s the mid-afternoon slump everyone talks about. For me, it hits a little later, usually around 4. I am suddenly starving hungry, and dinner does not feel close at hand, especially if I’m going to the gym first too. I’m practically aching with the need to eat something to ‘keep me going’.
So, with the best will in the world not snacking just isn’t going to work for me. I have tried (and failed) many a time to train myself not to eat, in the hopes that my body will get used to it, but it just isn’t having any of it. I like to think I must have a fast metabolism, even if my jeans and skirts, protest otherwise…
The best thing I can do, is to make sure that I always have a supply of healthy options on hand to fill a little spot when I need to, without binging on chocolate bars and crisps, only to regret it later when MyFitnessPal brightly informs me that I have used all my calories for the day – and basically, if I want dinner, I’ll have to work for it. Literally. So I have pulled together my top 3 snacks to keep in my drawer at work for when hunger strikes, and also 3 delicious looking recipes from fellow bloggers, for healthy snacks I can make in a batch to keep me going. I will beat the urge to snack!
My 3 easy staples that I always have at work are bananas, popcorn and rice cakes. Hardly ground-breaking, I know, but the popcorn and rice cakes are perfect for stocking up on, and they come in so many flavours that it’s difficult to get bored! I like Propercorn, and Kallo milk chocolate rice cakes (a girl’s gotta have some treats!) Bananas take a bit more planning as (probably like most people) the window of ripeness where I’m prepared to eat bananas is very slim. I absolutely cannot eat a crunchy banana – not a spot of green on mine please! And yet too much brown, and it’s more likely to end up in a cake than as a healthy snack (I tried…). But on the positive side, they come in their own handy peelable packaging, and do taste delicious!
Standard snacking aside, there’s the bit I’m really excited about. Firstly, because this is my first post with guest recipes from other bloggers – thank you so much for letting me include you all! – and secondly, because these recipes look far more exciting than my usual corn, rice and banana based choices. Hurrah for variety, and lunchboxes at the ready!
The Fussy Feeder – Hummus Recipe
Insta – @thefussyfeeder
To start off savoury, Faye’s hummus recipe is fuss-free, vegan and super easy to whizz up ready to dunk. It’s perfect for packing in a small Tupperware with some veggies or crackers as an easy and tasty snack. I love hummus and have been thinking about making my own for a while, so I’m really glad to have found this recipe! I also love that in Faye’s version, there is a bit less oil, making it healthier – and meaning you can have more of it guilt free – right?! I’m also a big fan of the paprika sprinkled on at the end – it adds another level of flavour to your dunk!
Why Food Works Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut & Chickpea Energy Bites
Insta – @whyfoodworks
On to the sweet stuff – and the first of 2 bites recipes. Sarah’s recipe has Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Coconut – what more could you want? They look and sound utterly indulgent (who could resist a sweet, chewy bite-sized snack?!), and yet they are actually healthy! The recipe is super easy – just whizz them up, chill, and roll, and they’re ready to eat! Yum! They’re also perfectly sized to fit a couple in my lunchbox too! (Just don’t eat them all at once, you’ll regret it when there’s none left…)
Elaina Inspired Raspberry Power Bites
Insta – @elainafoodie
Another sweet treat, taken from a brand new blog that only launched this week! These Raspberry Power Bites appeal to me on every level – energy, convenient bite sized mouthfuls, and my favourite berries too! They’re also super easy to make, with beautiful pictures showing you the whole process. I LOVE raspberries and dark chocolate, and any excuse to use them in recipes is fine by me! (Probably in a one for the bites one for my face kind of arrangement…)
So these are my favourites, and top of my list to make, but what are your favourite snack ideas to nibble and much on? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
