We love snacking here at Guiding Stars. Food fuels our bodies and gives us energy to do our best. Whether you need a bridge between meals or a mini-meal approach to eating, snacks rock. The trick is to choose foods that will give you energy, keep you fill, and support your overall nutrition goals for the day. Here are some of the healthful snack advice highlights from our experts: dietitians Allison Stowell and Kitty Broihier.
Snack Healthy: The Rise of Mini-Meals
If you’re looking for a fantastic guide to building your day around nutritious mini-meals, watch Kitty and Allison’s webinar.
Snack Healthy: Mini-Meal Chart
Designed to accompany our webinar on snacking and mini-meals, this post is a solid guide to building a fantastic snack. It’s also got a fantastic selection of recipes to get you started on smarter snacking.
The ABCs of Summer Snacking
Allison recommends guiding snacking choices while the kids are at home with three easy principles:
- Are you hungry?
- Be sure of the timing.
- Choose a nutritious snack.
Pack Your Own Snack Ideas
Kitty reminds us that convenient prepackaged snacks can be nutrition pitfalls. While choosing prepackaged foods that earn Guiding Stars can help, you can improve nutrition and save money with a little prep work.
- Buy in bulk and package your own snack portions.
- Stock up on small reusable containers to minimize waste.
- Use the weekend to stock the cupboard with portioned snacks.
Get more snack ideas from Kitty »
Snacks Worth Snacking On
Allison offers a series of smart ideas for snacks that will make your tongue happy and fuel your body well. The key is to balance fiber with protein and heart-healthy fats to give you energy and keep you full. Look for opportunities too to get another serving of vegetables or fruit in your day.