Snack ideas???

wey1983

I am really struggling with my diet lately. I do so well while I'm at work; healthy meals mostly. Then I get home, work my *kitten* off at the gym and come home STARVING!!! And if I'm not starving, I eat out of boredom! So I eat everything in site and ruin everything I worked on during the day. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to avoid this? Should I eat more during the day? Any good healthy snack ideas?

Thanks everyone!

mmsilvia

I carry Trident gum with me. When I get the boredom hunger I pop a piece in my mouth. After I work out I always drink lots of water...usually helps.

Heathly snack ideas:
Hummus & Veggies
PB & Celery
Fresh fruit

HopeytheHopester

Healthy snacks could be: pretzels, granola bar, vegetables, fruit, a few crackers, etc. :smooched:

Wingnut51

I find rice cakes to be a good snack and they come in a bunch of different flavors and are usually 100 calories or less. Cucumbers are very low in calories, so is jello. Those all are good snack ideas :]

I drink a lot of hot tea too. It hot and mentally makes me feel like Im drinking soup xD. Plus Herbal Teas have like no calories and are good for you :]

maddymama

1) try to eat more during the day so you never hit that starving eat everything in site mode.
2) Get the bad stuff out of the house. If it isn't there, you can't eat it.
3)I love Larabars, airpopped popcorn, dried fruit, and an apple with peanut butter for snacks.

Madelinepowe8443

Thank you for the ideas

MargaretYakoda

Hey @Madelinepowe8443 I see you’re new here! Welcome to MFP!

I’ll share some of my snack favorites:

#1 Single serve packs are wonderful.
If you can’t find a favorite in single serve packs it might be worth the trouble, at least when you’re still new to all this, to portion out things ahead of time and store in ziplock bags or similar.

Things I rely on that come in single serving packs (I find all this on Amazon)

Peanut butter. Skippy and Jiff have 1.15 oz pouches (enough for a sandwich) or 3/4 oz pods. I love peanut butter and find a controlled serving size really helps me stay on track.

Crackers, pretzels, etc
There are a wide range of options.
I’m gluten sensitive so I really enjoy Simple Mills Almond Flour crackers. I also like Snyders of Hanover gluten free pretzels.
If you’re not gluten sensitive you will find a much wider selection, often a lot less expensive too.
Key search words on Amazon are “single serve”

Single serving peanuts, cashews, or nut mixes are also available in bulk on Amazon. The protein makes them worth the calories in my opinion.

Treats: Similar to the crackers. Admittedly not “healthy” but weight loss is a long process and an occasional treat helps me stay on track overall.
Oreo has single serve packages with just two cookies each. Saves me from eating an entire sleeve of cookies. 40 gluten free single packs for about $12
Nabisco also has a variety pack of single serve cookies for those who are able to tolerate wheat. 56 serving packs for about $25
All these cookies are about 110 calories per pack except for the double stuff Oreos which are 140 calories.

For the gluten free folks, I recommend Goodie Girl single serve cookies. Their animal crackers are so cute, and really really tasty.

Dairy:
Cheese sticks! A true hero in the single serving protein department.
I don’t get these on Amazon.
If you really love single serve cheese?
Pro tip: You can get one ounce cheddar in bulk at a restaurant supply store if you have one near you that will let you shop there.
But imo worth the price if you have to buy retail.

Yoghurt. Don’t forget yoghurt. So many choices!

Fruit: Oranges. Bananas. Clementines. Apples. All excellent choices in the grab and go category.

Recently I have discovered freeze dried fruit.
Available from a variety of suppliers in single serve packs on Amazon. Some packs are half the size of others so read descriptions carefully.
*relatively expensive* but a real treat.
My favorite are the mangos. My husband loves the pineapple.

I’m also a huge fan of That’s It Crunchables
Apples or apple and bananas.
They’re meant for kids so the serving size is tiny. BUT they’re a very satisfying crunch, and if nibbled slowly provide 20 (apples) or 25 (apple and banana) really satisfying and healthy calories. So if what you’re wanting is something crunchy to nibble while bored? An excellent choice!


And don’t forget about protein powder, bars or shakes. There’s a huge variety. Most include extra vitamins. If you’re not feeling well, or struggle to get your minimum calories in for the day? These are a great option.

Knowing exactly how much you’re eating is very helpful. And in the early days weighing everything out might be overwhelming.
Or maybe you’re a busy mom or dad trying to juggle a job, family, and a healthy lifestyle.
Single serving options can be very valuable in these circumstances.

springlering62

I space protein heavy meals and snacks throughout the day.

If I come home from the gym and am really snackish, it seems to mean I’m both dehydrated and need to replenish salt. I’m going to start keeping dill pickle spears in the fridge.

I’ve also started keeping a small candy (chimes Ginger Chew 15/calories) in my bag. I stick it under my tongue and let it melt slowly. It lasts until I get home. That little ole peice of candy seems to help take the edge off, too.

FibroHiker

I struggle with being hungry often and it's really hard to not just nosh all day. I have found that having an overall plan each day relieves some stress because I have my meals and snacks already figured out. I know that there won't be a long period of time between meals with the preplanned snacks. Because I am eating more frequently throughout the day I do't feel overwhelming hungry because I have been eating regularly.

I typically plan out my dinners for a while week. Then I plan my meals and snacks for the day at least 1 day ahead. While I do this, I check my percentages for nutritional goals and adjust accordingly. I can swap in and out snacks while I'm planning according to my calorie goal for the day. Then the next day, I don't have to think about it anymore. Just follow the plan.