Back to School, Back to Work - Healthy Snacking

This post is part 3 of a 3 part series on back to back to school, back to work and healthy eating. 

Got the Munchies?

Snacking can be part of a healthy diet and is meant to help us for many different reasons.   Snacks ensure our bodies are getting the required nutrients and fuel from Canada’s Food Guide.  It is also used to help control our hunger and tie us over to the next meal.  Healthy snacking does take into account the foods we choose, the amount we choose and how often we are snacking.

1) Snacks should be made up of foods that are found on Canada’s Food Guide.  Most people are not meeting their daily dose of fruits and vegetables (7-10 servings a day).  Snacks are a great time to get them in!
2) Snacks can help prevent overeating at the next meal if done properly.  Eating 4-5 times a day (3 main meals plus 2 snacks) are part of a healthy diet.  Eating 3 or fewer or 6 or more times per day has been linked with increased obesity risk.  Remember snacks are not meant to full you up they are just to tie you over so you don’t overeat at the next meal. Being hungry is ok!  Grazing and snacking all day does not allow our body to experience hunger and fullness.
3) Aim for 2 snacks that are less than 150 calories for each. Read the label and pay attention to the calories!  An extra 100 calories a day could lead to a 10 pound weight gain in one year! Here are some examples of healthy snacks under 100 calories:

a. 1 whole fruit
b. ¾ cup (low fat yogurt)
c. 1 cup vegetables
d. 2 cups un-salted, un-buttered, air popped popcorn
e. 1/2 cup cottage cheese (to cut the salt in cottage cheese try a dry cottage cheese)
f. 4 melba toasts
g. ¼ cup granola

(These foods are approximately 100 calories.  Refer to the Nutrition Facts Table on the label for an accurate calorie amount)

4) Young kids often need snacks to help them get through the day.  Snacks for kids should also follow guidelines from Canada’s Food Guide.

a. Make sure to offer the snacks at least 2 hours before meals so your child will be hungry come meal time
b. Be a role model for your children by offering healthy snack choices
c. Turn off tv, phones and computer during snack time
d. Listen to your children when they say “I am full” or “no hungry”.  As a parent, it is your role to provide healthy snack but your child is responsible for how much they eat!

Why are we eating?

This is often a question that is missed when that morning, afternoon or evening craving comes around.  Most of the time we are not snacking out of “hunger , but using food as a way to comfort us and to change the way we are feeling in that moment ( boredom, stress, habit, tired, because someone else is doing it, peer pressure), therefore causing us to eat when we are not truly hungry.

Try to identify what is causing that craving and try to satisfy with it without food! Here are some suggestions to get through the moments of craving:

o Read a book
o Listen to music
o Get up and walk away from your desk
o Call a friend
o Go for a walk
o Avoid eating in front of computer, tv or while driving – a commercial or billboard about food might just cause you to become hungry
o Drink water with lemon
o Drink unsweetened herbal teas
o Brush your teeth after your meal or even when you are having a food craving

Does late night snacking cause weight gain?

Many people suggest not eating past 7, 8, or 9pm to help with weight loss.  Weight gain is not linked to the exact time you are eating but is more focused on the extra calories that are being added to the day.  This goes back to figuring out “why are we eating” and why that extra 100 calories a day might be something to reconsider!

The best way to determine how much you are eating and what food groups you need to focus on is by using a lifestyle journal.  Write down what you eat or even how you are feeling in that moment. This can really help you become aware of why you are eating!

If you nibble, scribble!
If you bite it, write it!

Resources:

How to Keep a Food Diary
Healthy Snacks for Adults
Smart Snacks for Children
Packing Healthy School Lunches and Snacks
Canada's Food Guide

Andrea Lewis is a Registered Dietitian at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.