Leading dietitian and Mayver’s ambassador, Susie Burrell, shares her tips on avoiding over snacking.
When the 3pm hunger strikes and if you haven’t had time to prepare a nutritious snack to keep you tied over until dinner, it can be hard to pull yourself away from the biscuit jar or reach for a packet of chips. However, these processed options aren’t going to keep you full for long and you’re more likely to find yourself back in the kitchen looking for something else shortly afterwards.
The trick with snacking is that whatever snack you choose to eat should be designed to keep you full for 2-3 hours, meaning your snack choice needs the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Susie’s five snack recommendations to keep you full until dinner time:
Cheese and wholegrain crackers
Cheese is often considered a treat, but cheese is full of nutrients including protein, calcium and magnesium. When paired with a wholegrain cracker, you’re providing your body with a snack that has the perfect balance of good quality carbs, protein and good type of fats to keep you full for a long time. The great thing about this snack is that it takes next to no time to prepare and is easy for eating at work or at home.
Greek yoghurt and berries
Protein rich thanks to the Greek yoghurt and full of antioxidants from the berries, this snack is a nutritional match made in heaven. Whether the berries are fresh or frozen, they’ll be low in sugar and packed full of fibre and Greek yoghurt also has a lot less sugar than other types of yoghurts – but enough to keep your blood glucose levels stable for several hours after eating.
Crackers with peanut butter and banana
This snack is perfect for keeping in your drawer at work and you just need to remember to bring a banana with you! Similar to cheese and wholegrain crackers, this snack option is another perfect mix of carbohydrates, protein and good fats and will keep you going until dinner. Always choose a 100% natural peanut butter like Mayver’s, which only contains peanuts and a pinch of salt.
Apple with 1 tbsp. peanut butter
For a light snack that’s full of fibre, cut up an apple and pair it with 1tbsp. of 100% natural peanut butter like Mayver’s. In addition to being a sweeter snack, the peanut butter provides a rich source of protein and will assist in keeping you tied over until your next meal.
Wholegrain wrap with smoked salmon and avocado
Another nutritionally balanced snack, smoked salmon and avocado provide you with a rich source of Omega-3 fats, enjoyed in a vessel that offers good quality carbohydrates. This snack might take you a bit longer to prepare, but it’s still relatively quick if you have everything you need in the fridge or pantry ready to go.
