A few years back you would struggle to find a healthy option when you needed to nip in for a quick snack to keep you going until the next meeting or to keep your energy levels up while shopping.
Luckily the food industry has adapted and gone are the days your only option is a Mars bar or bag of crisps. We still have some way to go but with a little bit of foresight you can fill up on a good nutritious snack even when you’re on the move.
Remember that the best way to avoid junk food or calorie rich options is to prevent hunger in the first place. If you know you have a busy day ahead buy one of these pre-packed, ready to go snacks and save it for later. There are some great options out there!
Great snacks on the go:
- Boiled and peeled eggs
- Cooked prawns
- Carrot sticks with hummus
- Porridge
- Apple chunks with peanut butter
- Olives
- Bean salad in a vinaigrette
- Coconut chunks
- Edamame beans
- Fruit salad
- Kefir drink with a fruit
- Natural nuts and seeds
- Wholemeal wrap with chicken, avocado and salad
- Wholemeal sandwiches with lean protein filling
Be aware of:
- Smoothies, many contain large amounts of added sugar/honey
- Yoghurt pots, rich in sugar from dried fruit and sweetened yoghurt
- White bread with creamy and cheesy fillings
- Dried fruit in large quantities, these are rich in sugar
- Salads with a creamy dressing
- Salted nuts
- Salted crackers/snacks
- Bars, can be rich in sugar
What distinguishes a healthy snack from a less healthy snack? The short answer is the salt, fat and sugar content, but also the number of ingredients.
Here’s a quick checklist:
Saturated fat should not exceed 5g/100g
Salt content should not exceed 1g/100g
Sugar content should not exceed 5g/100g
Opt for primarily green but also some amber labelling on the front of the package, which is an excellent way to choose a healthier option.
The best foods are those that don’t need a table of contents, such as an apple, a boiled egg, edamame beans and so on.
Reference:
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/nutrition-labelling
