The Importance of Quick Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Ever get ravenous at 4pm and eat everything in your cabinets while you try to cook dinner? It’s probably because you ate lunch at noontime, worked the afternoon away and didn’t have a snack, right? I’ve created a quick healthy snacks for weight loss list to get on top of this common problem.
Including quick healthy snacks for weight loss as part of your overall plan keep hunger in check so you can consistently hit your calorie and nutrition targets to lose weight over time. Bonus points for snacks that need zero prep. Just grab and go.
Choose snacks that offer the filling capacity of two hunger-curbing powerhouses:
Protein: a complex food molecule that takes a good deal of time for the digestive system to break down. This means you get a steady release of a protein’s energy over a few hours, instead of feeling hungry again immediately.
Fiber: an undigestible molecule, but the digestive system still has to sort through it to find nutrients within. In addition to long-term satiety, fiber also helps activate stretch receptors in the stomach that switch off hunger hormones for a few hours.
Choose snacks that have a combination of both protein and fiber for most filling results!
Top 10 Quick Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Ratio Pro:Fiber
This is my new favorite yogurt! In addition to being a traditional Greek yogurt packed with filling protein, it does double the hunger-control duty with a whopping 10 grams of fiber per cup! This is a great stand-alone snack, but can also be paired with fruit for a bulkier snack.
Check out Ratio here. Note: Ratio makes other yogurt options without fiber, check labels!
Archer Meat Sticks
I love these for a savory, convenient snack in a pinch. This is why it makes my top 10 quick healthy snacks for weight loss list.
To be perfectly clear, beef sticks and jerky provide a good deal of protein, but can be loaded with sodium, MSG and preservatives. Archer Farms recipe is pretty straight forward, however, I do eat these in moderation.
Check out Archer here.
Apple and Cheese Stick
A classic combination that’s equally convenient. I love Polly-O string cheese, but your favorite brand is just as good. Paired with a high-fiber apple for a filling snack that will tide you over until dinner.
Biena Roasted Chickpeas
Did you know that a crunchy snack can relieve stress because it releases tension from the jaw? Cool! And roasted chickpeas (or edamame!) can do that, plus is loaded with plant protein and fiber for a satisfying snack.
Check out Biena here.
Breakstone Cottage Cheese Cups
I know, “fruit on the bottom stuff has excess sugar”. But listen, if you’re going to add fruit for a sweet and savory snack, but you need something convenient? These cottage cheese cups only have 4 grams of added sugar. Good deal.
Check out Breakstone here.
Sabra Hummus Cup with Pretzels
This a grab-and-go snack at its finest! The hummus has both protein and fiber, plus the pretzels offer up a satisfying crunch.
Sabra also makes single-serve hummus cups to pair with veggies or your favorite dipper (mine’s pita chips!)
This makes a fine addition to my quick healthy snacks for weight loss list.
Check out Sabra here
High Fiber Cereal with Milk
I love a good bowl of cereal! Choose a high-fiber option like Raisin Bran, Frosted Mini Wheats or Kashi Go and pair with either low fat cow’s milk or unsweetened soy milk for protein. Another idea: Sprinkle into Greek yogurt for a high-fiber crunch.
What about the added sugar? Live a little! Track how products like this fit into the recommended 25 grams of ADDED sugar per day target.
Check out Raisin Bran here.
Orgain Mixed Cartons
Orgain is a great brand because it has options for just about any diet conditions you can throw. Use whey protein for optimal recovery after workouts, plant-based protein if you’re dairy sensitive.
There are options for sweeteners including a reasonable amount of real sugar or Stevia.
I love the pre-mixed cartons vs powder for a quick grab-and-go option.
Check out Orgain here.
Yumi Fiber + Protein
While delicious, I generally don’t recommend granola bars or soft-baked bars because there just isn’t enough filling protein or fiber.
Yumi has an ok amount of protein, but 8 whole grams of fiber and a laundry list of vitamins and minerals.
While the ingredient list is rather long, it’s mostly good stuff!
Check out Yumi here.
Go Raw Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
Regular pumpkin seeds are fine too, but word on the street is that sprouted grains make digestion easier, which means you’re able to absorb more of the protein, iron and other essential nutrients inside.
About 1/4 cup isn’t much, so if you like to EAT, combine with fruit or veggies for a bulkier snack.
Check out Go Raw Organic here.
Tips for Incorporating Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss into Your Diet
I always get asked, “Should I snack at all?”. Yes, there are occasions when snacks are necessary, although you should try and get the bulk of your nutritional needs from meals.
If you go long stretches between meals, having a snack to tide you over is perfectly appropriate, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Waiting too long to eat can compound hunger hormones until a monstrous, ravenous hunger develops. Skipping the snack will make it all to easy to overeat later, blowing your calorie deficit for the day. Snack now, save later.
Conclusion: Making Quick Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
The goal for making quick healthy snacks for weight loss is balancing convenience and nutrition. What can you grab quickly on the go that will also feel filling? Try out some of the options listed to find an ideal snack combination for you.
Know that depending on your overall calorie and nutrition needs, you may need to pair some of these options together for a filling snack that fits in your weight loss goals. For example, if you are highly active, you will need to eat MORE to support a healthy, fast metabolism to burn body fat.
For help setting your weight loss nutrition goals with a Weight Loss Nutrition Blueprint, get in touch with me at JD Nutrition LLC!