Dietitian Picks: Top 11 Healthy Snack Ideas When You Have No Time

By Ann Lokuta, MS, RD, LDN

For most individuals (I hesitate to say “all”, because everyone is unique), snacks are a crucial component of a healthy and sustainable diet. Eating every 3-4 hours can help maintain controlled blood sugars throughout the day, improve energy levels, and prevent overeating at meals. To achieve these benefits of snacking, it’s important to aim for pairing a food source of carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, or whole grain based products) with either a food source of fat or protein. Try out some of these dietitian favorites (exchange information provided):

1 Larabar Fruits + Greens Bars: 1 Fruit + 1 Fat

5 Pieces Melissa’s Clean Snacks Pumpkin Seed w/ Chia & Flaxseed: 1 Starch + 1 Fat

1 Cup Mini Peppers + 1 Sabra Hummus Singles: 1 Vegetable + 1 Protein

1 Flatout Foldit Wrap + 2 thin slices No Salt Added Boar’s Head Roasted Turkey + 1 tsp Mustard: 1 Starch + 1 Protein

1 Starkist Low Sodium Tuna Packet + 4 Hint of Salt Triscuits + 1 tsp Mustard + 1 tsp relish: 1 Starch + 1 Protein

1 Low-fat Breakstone’s Cottage Cheese Cup + 1 Pineapple fruit cup in water or 100% juice: 1 Fruit + 1 Protein

1 Babybel Cheese Wheel or 1 Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge + 1 Cup Sliced Cucumber: 1 Veg + 1 Protein

1 Pouch Plum Organics Mighty 4 Blends + 6 Almonds or Cashews: 1 Fruit + 1 Fat

1 Boiled Egg + 3/4 Cup Berries: 1 Fruit + 1 Protein

1 Rice Cake + 1 ½ tsp peanut butter + 3-4 Banana slices: 1 Starch/Fruit + 1 Fat

3 Halo’s/Clementines + 1 square (10 g) Lindt 70-85% Cacao Dark Chocolate: 1 Fruit + 1 Fat

Ask your LMC dietitian what his or her favorite go-to snacks are. We tend to have a lot of quick, tasty, creative, and always nutritious solutions up our sleeves!