The mid-afternoon hunger strikes again, and you find yourself wandering to the vending machine – eyes glazing over the sugar-laden snacks. The exact cause of food cravings is difficult to pinpoint, but experts believe physiological mechanisms, environmental factors, and hormones cause them. Acting on these cravings can easily squash your macros—derailing your fitness goals. Studies have shown that snacking on the right foods such as high-protein and fiber-rich foods can keep you feeling fuller for longer and give you that energy boost you need. So when hunger and cravings make an appearance, chose snacks around 100-200 calories and are rich in protein and fiber.
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Apple Slices and Nut Butter
Switch up the classic combo of apple slices and peanut butter by pairing the fruit with a tablespoon of your second favorite nut butter! Although peanut butter and other nut butters alike are all rich sources of protein, more sophisticated nut butters, like almond butter, have a more nutrient-dense and diverse nutritional profile than peanut butter. They also contain greater amounts of healthy fats. On average, a tablespoon of nut butter contributes three grams of protein to this nutrient-dense, 170-calorie snack combo, with four grams of fiber coming from the apple (small-sized).
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Ricotta Stuffed Pears
Sounds sophisticated, but it’s simple. Start off by halving and coring a small pear, and filling it with a quarter cup of part-skim ricotta mixed with a quarter of teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Try warming the pear in the oven or microwave before filling it for a dessert-like treat. The stuffed pear contains 150 calories, seven grams of protein coming from the ricotta, five grams of fiber coming from the pear, and the cinnamon offers its blood sugar stabilizing-power.
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Trail Mix
The base of any good trail mix contains nuts, seeds, some type of grain, and something sweet. However, be wary of store-bought trail mix, which often contains extra salty nuts, sugar-packed dried fruits, and empty-calorie ingredients like candy pieces. Instead, do it yourself! For a fiber- and protein-packed trail mix, mix a half-cup of a high-fiber cereal, like Kashi GOLEAN Original cereal, with a quarter cup of lightly-salted, dry-roasted cashews, two tablespoons of roasted pumpkin seeds, and two tablespoons of reduced-sugar, dried cranberries. It yields two servings and one serving has 200 calories, seven grams of protein, and five grams of fiber.
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Egg White English Muffin
Top half of a light, multi-grain English muffin with two scrambled egg whites (or one-forth cup of scrambled liquid egg whites) and a slice of Sargento Ultra Thin cheese. This snack will help crush your morning cravings. This open-faced breakfast snack clocks in at 130 calories, with about six grams of protein and four grams of fiber. If you don’t have the means to fry up some egg whites during the mid-morning hours, locate a microwave and cook them in a mug for a minute and a half. Another solution: buy some Eggland’s Best hard-cooked peeled eggs and slice one up to top your English muffin half for only an additional 25 calories.
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Tuna Salad Pita Pocket
Who’s to say you can’t enjoy a sandwich as a snack? For this afternoon pick-me-up sandwich, fill a low-calorie pita pocket, like Arnold Pocket Thins flatbread or Joseph’s Bakery low-cal varieties, with half of a pouch of StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad. This pita snack is only 150 calories, depending on which bread you choose, and has five gram of fiber and a whopping 11 grams of protein.You could even make the tuna salad yourself by mixing a light spreadable cheese wedge — The Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges — with half of a can of albacore tuna and some chopped celery for only 30 extra calories.
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Quinoa Bites
Prepare baked snacks in a mini muffin tin and you’ve automatically exercised a key component of healthy snacking — portion control. Now, this doesn’t mean you can eat the whole batch at once; you still have to ration the mini bites out among snack-sized plastic bags. Practicing portion control is a must when attempting to squash cravings. Overindulging in foods – especially those that contribute to a high spike in blood sugar – will result in a crash, leaving you lethargic and craving another pick-me-up snack shortly after. Give portioning a try with these super simple pizza quinoa bites. Quinoa is considered a super grain, mainly because of its high protein and fiber content. Combine an egg, a cup of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, and a quarter cup of tomato paste with a cup of cooked quinoa. Then divide them into the 16 mini-muffin tin slots, and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. For quinoa bites will give you 170 calories, 12 grams of protein, and two grams of fiber.
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Greek Yogurt Parfait
For just 150 calories, simply layer a single-serve container of non-fat Greek yogurt with a half-cup of berries and a quarter cup of granola substitute — Fiber One Original bran cereal. This will top your protein macross off at 15 grams and you’ll get seven grams of fiber from the cereal. Added tip: choose fiber-rich berries like raspberries or blackberries for an extra four grams of fiber.
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Chia Pudding
The word “pudding” often refers to the rich and creamy, not-so-healthy treat served for dessert. But don’t let this chia seed pudding frighten you. Chia seeds are packed with appetite-suppressing omega-3 fatty acids, and when they’re added to liquid they will expand and gelatinize to create a pudding-like consistency. Simply combine half a cup of protein-fortified almond milk, two tablespoons of chia seeds, a half tablespoon of honey or maple syrup, and a quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour or until it has thickened. You can add other flavorings and toppings to your liking, but keep in mind these may contribute extra calories. One serving has about 160 calories, six grams of protein, and seven grams of fiber.
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Roasted Chickpea Poppers
Looking for a healthy, crunchy snack that can satisfy your chip cravings? EnterL roasted chickpea poppers that are full of flavor, easy to prepare, and are 120 calories per serving. Simply drain and rinse a can of low-sodium chickpeas, toss in a tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and Italian herbs to your liking, and roast at 400°F for 30 – 35 minutes. Like other legumes such as beans and peas, chickpeas are praised for their high protein and fiber content. This recipe provides five grams of both protein and fiber per serving (yields 4 servings).
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Protein Smoothie
You don’t have to invest in a protein powder for a tasty, protein-rich beverage that will keep your hunger at bay. Instead, add two tablespoons of powdered peanut butter, a half-cup of raspberries, and half of a small banana to a cup of protein-fortified almond milk and blend until smooth. For just 160 calories, you’ll get 11 grams of protein and seven grams of fiber. Powdered peanut butter is a delicious, high-protein, low-calorie, and low-fat alternative to regular peanut butter, and pairs well with fiber-rich fruits.
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Tuna Avocado Boats
Tired of the painful process of slicing and dicing your avocados? Why not skip the hassle and turn your avocado into a vehicle for something delicious and nutritious! Slice an avocado in half, remove the pit, and spoon in a mixture of half a can of albacore tuna, a tablespoon of non-fat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and salt and seasonings to your liking. Avocados are an excellent source of fiber, and provide 14 grams per average-sized fruit. For each avocado boat (yields 2 avocado boats), you’ll get 185 calories, eight grams of protein, and seven grams of fiber.
