Snacking has always been labeled the "bad guy" in the food world. It’s often the result of the munchies or boredom; humans are wired to gravitate towards “junk” when a craving comes on strong. Most of us have been trained to munch on chips or cookies between meals.

Snacks aren’t inherently bad — in fact, they’re key to preventing overeating. However, if they don’t consist of a healthy balance of food, then they won’t do you much good.

What is considered unhealthy snacking?

Unhealthy snacking can be the result of waiting too long to eat, which defeats the purpose of snacking. Some may even consider snacking as calories that don’t count.

Since it’s not a meal, any food is acceptable, right? In the perfect world, yes, snacks can be chocolate cake, ice cream, and chips, but in reality these foods can be dangerous!

It doesn’t mean that your snacks have to be boring, or that they can’t be tasty, but they need to be clear of Trans fat and sugar-loaded foods. Foods that are harmful to the body shouldn’t enter the body, regardless if it’s in a snack or a meal. I’ve said it countless times — transforming the bad food to good food will only result in overall heart health and ultimately provide longevity.

How can we transition to healthy snacks?

When you’re feeling hunger, but it’s not meal-time, have a snack…just have a healthy snack. Make your snacks rich in protein and complex carbohydrates.

For example, lean protein paired with fruit or vegetables can make for a great snack combination and will help rid the hunger until your next meal. Protein keeps you full and carbohydrates give you energy, but only the healthy sources of each food group will provide you with satisfaction until your next meal.

If you’re used to grabbing the chip bag in your pantry or the cookies on the counter, gradually start replacing these items, and eventually you will have a complete transformation.

Healthy snacks are easy and can be very filling, e.g. fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheeses, non-fat Greek yogurt, and nuts. You aren’t limited to these food items for snacking; however, these foods can be used for guidance while trying to make that healthy snack transformation.

5 Quick Healthy Snack Ideas

1. 1 green lettuce leaf wrap filled with 1 oz. of deli turkey meat and 1 oz. fat-free cheddar cheese with a hint of mustard or salsa
2. 2 light Babybel cheese (blue wrapper) with 1 apple or 15 grapes
3. Smoothie snack: 1 cup almond milk, 1 small banana, 2 tbsp PB2 powder, 1 Stevia packet, and ice blended together
4. For the occasional starch snack:
   1. ½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt with ½ cup of blueberries and 1 Stevia packet or 1 tbsp honey
   2. ¼ cup hummus with 1 cup baby carrots, grape tomatoes, or cucumbers
5. For the occasional blend of Healthy Fat + Protein snack:
   1. ¼ cup nut mix or nut of choice
   2. 1-2 tbsp of Natural Peanut Butter

What are your favorite healthy snacks? Let us know in the comments below!