When we are on diets and trying to make healthier decisions, there is often one place where we lose our way and end up sabotaging all of the other work we are doing: when we go to eat snacks.
This is when we end up grabbing a slice of pizza, ordering a side of fries, or going to the vending machine and grabbing a bag of chips. So, what do you do? When you plan ahead and make something that is good for you, you are at a lesser risk to make these mistakes.
The best snacks you can eat when you are on a diet are high fiber foods because they keep you full and help you go to the bathroom, which is extremely helpful in making you reach your goals.
OatmealÂ
Oatmeal is one of the best breakfasts and snacks that you can make. There are just so many ways to enjoy oats (in traditional oatmeal, baked oats, overnight oats, oatmeal bites, etc.) and make them match your nutritional needs. Oatmeal is great because you can flavor it with the things that you like: fruits, syrups, spices, and even chocolate.
Try to avoid instant oatmeal (the type that comes in bags or packets) because it is lower in fiber and often contains added sugar that you really don’t need in your diet.
Protein Muffins
For meal preppers, protein muffins are a great way to get your fiber. These muffins taste great, and you can make them with just about any of your favorite fillings, from blueberries and cranberries to chocolate chips and even streusel. All you have to do is look up a high fiber recipe, and you should find plenty of options.
This is the type of high-fiber snack that your kids are even going to love. You can control portion sizes by making mini muffins or mega muffins. If you aren’t into baking, My Fit Foods offers an amazing protein muffin.
Hummus and VeggiesÂ
You can never go wrong with veggies. One of the best things you can snack on is hummus and veggies. Cut up some celery or carrots, sit down with a serving of hummus, and you’ll be amazed at how satisfied you feel. You can buy hummus already made in stores in a variety of flavors, but it is actually really easy to make on your own.
You can also make hummus and use it in a wrap or sandwich you are eating as a snack. Use that instead of mayonnaise or another dressing and see how much fuller you feel.
Power PuddingÂ
Every now and again, we need to have a sweet treat just to take away those work woes or the stresses of day-to-day life. There are plenty of pudding recipes out there, but what you want to look for is something that is high in protein and fiber, like our Power Pudding. This will help to take your simple, sweet snack and make it work for your health needs.
Want to make it even more filling? Mix the pudding with some high-protein yogurt, dip fruit into it, or even get some pretzels with a lot of fiber and dip those into it. These little dippers will elevate your snack and make it something you truly crave.
Guacamole and Chips
Avocados are a great source of fiber as well. It helps to lower your bad LDL, and it keeps you satiated for a long time. You can make yourself some guacamole and enjoy it with protein chips or any healthy tortilla chip.
You can also enjoy it with celery and carrots. For even more protein, hard boil some eggs and mix the yolks with your guacamole and restuff your eggs. If you don’t want that much fat, you can save the yolks for another recipe.
If you are a fan of avocado but don’t love guacamole, you can use avocado instead of mayonnaise in recipes and salads.
Jicama FriesÂ
Jicama fries are easy to make and taste great. The veggie tastes like a cucumber and an apple had a baby, but the taste when you air fry them is much more like a French fry. This is a crunchy veggie that you can use raw with any dip you want, or you can air fry it and dip it in ketchup or vinegar for a treat.
Jicama can be really difficult to clean at first, so make sure you give yourself some time with this veggie the first time you try to make it. Once you have the cleaning process down you will be able to make this one fairly quickly.
Popcorn
If you are really short on time but want to make something that is high in fiber, consider making some popcorn. Instead of making popcorn that comes in a bag with oil and other chemicals, air pop your own with a handy microwavable popping bowl. That way, you can control what goes into it.
When sealed properly, popcorn lasts a long time and stays crisp. You can even make it ahead of time and take it with you for lunch or on the go for a snack.
Trail MixÂ
Mixing up your own trail mix might not seem all that fun, but it can be extremely beneficial to your waistline and your wallet. Get a bunch of your favorite nuts together, mix in some rice crackers, throw in some raisins or chocolate chips, and mix it all together. You will get a tempting snack that you can grab whenever you need it.
Here’s a pro tip for trail mix: the calories can add up really quickly. Pre-portion out your servings, so you only eat what you can fit into your meal planning.
Raspberry PBJÂ
Who doesn’t love raspberries? All berries are great snacks and can be good for you, but when you are aiming for more fiber in your diet, there is nothing better than raspberries, which have eight grams of fiber per cup.
For a complete snack, mash up your raspberries and mix them into some high-fiber Greek yogurt and some almond butter to get a traditional snack (like peanut butter and jelly).
List of High Fiber Snacks
Here’s a handy list of fiber-rich foods you can reach for when you need a quick snack or side.
- Chickpeas
- Beans
- Cereal
- Banana
- Vegetables (like spinach)
- Whole-grain bread
- Potatoes (including sweet potato)
- Nuts and seeds (like pistachios, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds)
- Fruit smoothie
How To Choose Store-Bought SnacksÂ
We get it. Sometimes, you don’t feel like making your own snacks, and that’s okay. There aren’t always enough hours in the day for it. If you want to buy your snacks at the store, you want to look at the following:
- The Daily Value of Fiber: You want to look at how high the percentage of daily fiber is in your snack. Anything over 10% is going to be good but aim for something 15% or more to make for a really great high-fiber snack.
- Sugar Content: A lot of high-fiber snacks will have a ton of added sugar. Try to avoid added sugar, as we already get way too much of it in our diets. For packaged foods, aim to keep the sugar at nine grams or below. Aim to stay away from any added sugar at all. Natural sugars are best.
- Whole Grains Are King: You need the first ingredient to say “whole” or “100%” if you are eating a grain product. Often, companies will try to trick you into believing that something is whole grain when it isn’t.
One other thing to note is that you want your food to be naturally high in fiber. Some manufacturers will add synthetic fibers that do not do the same job as naturally occurring fibers. Something that doesn’t have fruit, nut, seeds, veggie, or a whole-grain base, but has a ton of fiber, probably has some of the fiber added into it.
Finally, you need to be careful about the number of calories you consume in a day. Many high-fiber snacks are also pretty high in calories, so you will need to balance out what you eat with what you do.
In Conclusion: Better Snacks, Better YouÂ
Everyone loves to snack. It’s just a part of our nature, so why should we deprive ourselves if we have a craving? Too often, however, those snacks end up being empty calories that take us further away from our health goals.
Instead of eating whatever is easy, you can make high-fiber snacks ahead of time that supplement your meals and ensure that you get all of the nutrition you need to be comfortable and happy. Increase your fiber intake, and you can improve stomach problems like constipation and feel full for longer periods of time.
Just remember: you deserve to eat foods that are good for you. It doesn’t have to cost a ton of money to eat healthy snacks. Check the ingredients on your snacks (if they’re store-bought) to make sure you aren’t eating a bunch of added junk. Just focus on eating foods that are simple, natural, and fresh. That’s a win-win for you and your body!
Sources:
What’s the Difference Between Steel-Cut, Rolled, and Instant Oats? | The Kitchn