Tips on how to make snacking as healthy as possible

My elder son who is quite a picky eater used to always return from school with his snack box half-full. These days, he is ravenous by 11.30 am and demands everything under the sun to munch. To be honest, it is not just him. I also start feeling hunger pangs at the same time. It would again occur like clockwork at 4.30 too. Once we realised that our home-bound situation wasn’t going to change anytime soon, I decided that we better figure something out. Here are my top five tips on how to make snacking as healthy as possible 

Plan your grocery list. Make sure to pick up some nuts, seeds and different types of fruit during your next store visit so that you have ‘healthier’ options available to you whenever required 

Prepare in advance. Chop some vegetables at the beginning of the day so that you have some cold veggie sticks in the fridge which you can dip in some yoghurt instead of going for the murukku when you are most vulnerable to your growling tummy 

Practise mindful snacking. Take your time and eat your snacks slowly. Serve yourself a small portion at first so that you have to think twice before serving yourself a second round. Also, you should avoid eating while watching TV 

Don’t skip meals. This is the biggest mistake that most people make. One of the biggest causes of overeating is undereating 

Protein keeps you full! Make sure that you have enough protein during your meals or drink a protein shake instead of your snack 

Mindful eating is the conscious effort we put to make sure we eat with purpose. We, at the Leanbean kitchen, started healthy snacking options with the sole purpose of getting people to eat healthily. Here are some tips for you to get started on your mindful eating journeys 

A great rule to practice mindful eating is the 80/20 rule. Keep a food journal or a calendar and mark the days where you eat with purpose and intent. At the end of each month, at least 25 days should be as per plan 

Empty your fridge and cupboard of all the junk foods. Even if you’re craving something you’ll end up reaching for something healthy 

Always stock up on healthy snacks. Our energy bites are great options to have on the go and Greek yoghurts and cakes for when you’re working at home 

Play around with your food! Make dressings for boring salads, make fruit smoothie bowls, roast nuts with some spices, homemade chocolate milk, etc. They’re healthy, low calories, delicious and interesting 

Don’t skip your meals. Chances are you’ll end up binge eating. So stick to high protein meals with lots of veggies and carbs 

Don’t confuse hunger and thirst. If you feel like you are hungry just after a meal, drink a glass of water first and see how you fee 

Start small. Don’t jump into a 1500 calorie diet plan all of a sudden. Take baby steps. Practise portion control, eliminate junk foods, drink more water, start eating more fruits, veggies, etc 

Don’t avoid your favourite foods altogether. Include small portions as part of your meals once or twice a week 

Make one mindful practise a habit. For eg, drinking eight glasses of water a day no matter what, having one fruit every day, sleep early, stay active, etc 

Stay hydrated. Flavoured teas, fruit infused water, tender coconut are some ways to stay hydrated