Snacks are often seen as something only growing children need or as an unnecessary indulgence. However, they can be beneficial at any age and stage of life.
Balancing food intake throughout the day can have a positive impact on energy levels and overall well-being. In practice, this means eating three regular meals and, if needed, incorporating one to three balanced snacks between meals, depending on hunger and physical activity levels.
Roles of balanced snacks:
Maintain steady energy levels and concentration throughout the day;
Satisfy hunger to help you wait until your next meal;
Regulate hunger and satiety signals (and avoid extremes);
Properly distribute nutrient intake throughout the day to optimize digestion, absorption, and metabolism;
Reduce gastrointestinal discomfort (e.g., acid reflux, bloating, stomach pain) and post-meal fatigue related to consuming large meals and/or eating too quickly.
Did you know?
Adding snacks to our day can sometimes help us eat more slowly and manage our portions better during meals while reducing late-night snacking. Arriving at meals overly hungry increases the risk of eating too quickly, which can lead to larger portions than we actually need since it becomes harder to pay attention to our satiety signals. On the other hand, when we start a meal with moderate hunger, it’s easier to eat at a steady pace and tune into our internal cues, helping us naturally adjust our portions.
However, snacks aren’t essential for a balanced diet. The key is to recognize our hunger signals, whether they’re obvious (like stomach growling or an empty feeling) or more subtle (such as low energy, trouble concentrating, irritability, mild stomach cramps, or nausea).
Snacks should be structured and planned, unlike mindless snacking. A balanced snack generally consists of:
A source of carbohydrates for energy,
A source of protein to satisfy hunger and keep us going until the next meal.
You can create multiple combinations based on your preferences:
Carbohydrate sources | Protein sources |
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You can simply combine one food from each category, or prepare some "recipes" to add variety to your snacks:
Smoothies (fruits, milk, yogurt, or silken tofu)
Homemade muffins, patties, energy balls, or granola bars
Chia pudding or overnight oats made with milk or soy beverage
Roasted chickpeas or edamame
Tuna, egg, or mashed chickpea salad (served with crackers)
🍽️ A few extra tips
For a more satisfying snack:
Choose whole grain/high-fiber cereal products, such as:
Whole wheat/multigrain bread and crackers
Granola bars with at least 4-5g of fiber
Muffins made with whole wheat flour
Oats
And more
Increase the portion of fruits or vegetables for more fiber
Choose Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt
Opt for high-protein milk (18g of protein per cup)
To make snack preparation easier:
Prepare a large batch of muffins, patties, energy balls, or granola bars and freeze them. Then, you can take out a portion at a time the night before to let it thaw overnight.
Frozen fruits (like berries, mangoes, peaches, etc.) are also a great backup. Just transfer a portion to a small container, let it thaw overnight, and enjoy it on its own or add it to some yogurt.