Afternoon hunger pangs can hit you when you least expect them. Your greatest ally in the battle against hunger is a healthy snack. You can opt for a savoury snack dish or a sweet alternative that can be prepared well ahead of time.
No-cook snacks can also be chosen when you need something in a pinch, albeit preparing a fresh snack is usually the better choice for your health. Here, we will discuss some of the most popular nutritious and delicious snacks and recipes of 2022.
Why are healthy snacks important?
Snacking serves as an easy, and dare we say fun way, to get some extra vitamins and minerals into your body. Snacking may also help promote satiety, reducing the risk of overeating during lunch or dinner.
Snacking may help provide you with some sustained energy to help you get through a tough workday. It may also be used to give you an energy boost when you exercise.
However, junk food should be avoided. Junk food has many harmful ingredients that may increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer. Many junk food items are high in sugar, sodium, and harmful saturated and trans fats.
They also have very little to no nutritional value and tend to be high in starch and carbohydrates. Perhaps worst of all, junk food is designed to increase your hunger thanks to addictive ingredients, increasing the probability that you will consume even more of it.
Conversely, healthy snacks are designed to reduce your hunger, which will reduce the risk that you will overeat when it is time to eat your main course.
Healthy snacks can be combined with a healthy diet and exercise regime to help lose weight and reduce the risk of developing many preventable diseases.
Top Rated Healthy Snacks
Apple Slices With Almond Butter
Barney’s almond butter is quite a decadent treat. It can turn a seemingly mundane apple into a regal snack for the ages. Barney’s blanches their almonds before they are ground, ensuring that they will be creamy and smooth.
Maximum spreadability and incredible flavour are all but assured with Barney’s almond butter. To make your apple slice and almond butter snack, you will need a medium-sized apple and about two tablespoons of almond butter.
The snack only packs about 250 calories and 19 grams of sugar and provides 6 grams of protein for when you need a good workout snack in under a minute. We should also note that this snack is dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and also gluten-free.
Avocado and Salsa on Ezekiel Toast
Ezekiel sprouted bread is truly special, as it is made with a unique blend of six legumes and grains that are easily digestible. Also, please note that this tasty snack is nut-free, vegan, and also dairy-free.
Augment mineral absorption and enjoy antioxidants that help fight the cancerous effects of free radicals with this amazing bread. As for the salsa and avocado, they pack a lot of energy as well as healthy fats that will help you plough through another tough day of school or work.
To prepare this snack, you will need two tablespoons of salsa, a slice of Ezekial sprouted bread and ¼ medium avocado. Toast your slice of bread and then top it with your mashed or sliced salsa and avocado to complete your snack.
This snack only packs about 140 calories and contains only three grams of sugar. It also contains 5 grams of beneficial protein to help your body repair itself while sleeping or after a vigorous workout.
A Green Smoothie
Smoothies provide a quick, easy, and affordable way to transform your body from the inside out. They provide energy, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to help you live a longer, healthier, and happier life.
However, before we get into our recipe, we thought we should provide you with a few smoothie-making tips before you start experimenting. First, follow the 60/40 rule. That is, use 60% fruits and 40% leafy greens instead of just throwing a bunch of random ingredients into your blender.
For example, you can add two cups of spinach, bok choy, kale, collards, and romaine and three cups of grapes, pineapples, oranges, bananas, and mangos. Don’t forget your two cups of liquid base, including some water, coconut milk, coconut water, or almond milk.
You can also boost your smoothie if you wish by adding acai powder, cinnamon, flax seeds, cacao, almond butter, protein powder, chia seeds, or hemp seeds to the mix.
Leafy chunks should also be avoided, so you should try and blend in stages instead. You should also freeze your fruits instead of relying on ice to make a frosty smoothie, and try to use fruits that are naturally sweet, such as mangoes, bananas, and apples.
Using raw and natural sweeteners will help you avoid the temptation to add processed sugars or artificial sweeteners to your smoothie blend.
You can also blend your smoothie the night before and keep it in your refrigerator for up to two days. Then, when you are ready to consume it, simply give it a good shake before you open the container.
Now that we have got some general smoothie-making tips out of the way, let’s get into our smoothie du jour. Today we will be showing you how to make a Beginner’s Luck Green Smoothie.
To make your special smoothie, you will need two bananas, two cups of spinach, one cup of pineapples, two cups of water, and one cup of mangos. At least one of your fruits should be frozen to chill your beverage.
Begin by packing your two cups of spinach in your measuring cup until they are very tight. Toss your leafy greens into your blender, and then add some water. Hit ‘blend’ until all the chunks have disappeared.
Next, toss in your mangos, bananas, and pineapples and blend everything until you are left with a smooth concoction. Finally, pour your delicious smoothie into a cup of choice or a mason jar if you plan to consume it at a later date.
Vanilla Chia Pudding
To make your vanilla chia pudding, you will require some whole chia seeds. Using whole chia seeds will avoid the unpleasant texture and bitter taste of ground chia seeds.
You will also need some milk. We would recommend plant-based milk such as hemp, almond, oat, soy, rice, or coconut milk from a carton. You will also need a liquid sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup.
We would recommend maple syrup over honey, as it dissolves better. You will also need some vanilla extract to complete your list of ingredients.
To make your vanilla chia pudding without making a mess or wasting too much time, you should add your items in the following order: Milk, syrup, extract, and seeds. Doing so will reduce the amount of time that you will need to spend mixing.
Place everything in a glass container, such as a large Mason jar. You can also go with a plastic container, although we recommend glass for taste and health reasons. Proceed to stir everything together with a whisk or fork before letting your blend sit for 60 seconds.
After a minute has passed, stir the blend two more times. Doing so will prevent lumps from forming. Finally, refrigerate your mix overnight for it to transform into some decadent vanilla chia pudding.
Typically, it will take about six hours to form, although we suggest you wait twelve hours to enjoy an even smoother consistency.
Get New Fresh and Delicious Recipes Wherever You Are
If you want to enjoy delicious and healthy snacks on-demand, then HelloFresh can help. You no longer have to wait for your takeout to arrive, nor do you have to travel to the grocery store to buy your ingredients or visit your local smoothie bar to enjoy a healthy smoothie.
Instead, Hellofresh will deliver everything that you need to enjoy your low-calorie and delicious meals and snacks. You will also be provided with fresh recipes to expand your horizons and your palette by trying out new and delicious treats.
Everything you need to prepare your fresh meals and snacks is delivered quickly to your door, ready to go.
Health Matters
Healthy snacks serve as slow-burning energy that will allow you to work hard at school or work without feeling lethargic. If you consume too many calories in one meal, then you may end up suffering from post-meal fatigue that leaves you feeling sick and bloated.
Instead, eating many healthy snacks throughout the day will help promote satiety and provide you with bursts of energy that can help you focus.
We would suggest that you stock your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator with nutritious and tasty snacks that you can quickly access while on the go.
Sources:
https://ifoodreal.com/vanilla-chia-pudding/
How to Make a Perfect Green Smoothie ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food
