The August 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine has an article I heartily endorse, called "How to Snack Smarter." It's on page 148 of the dead-tree version and isn't yet online, but will probably appear on the website in a few weeks.
Among the reasons suggested for distributing your daily food intake among a few snacks are that it helps you eat less at mealtimes (I have definitely experienced this), it ensures you get all your vitamins (I certainly eat more fruit than I would otherwise), it puts you in a good mood, and it foils cravings.
(The author also says that snacking "keeps your metabolism going" and "can help your body burn a few calories;" a lot of what I've read elsewhere indicates that people tend to eat enough extra calories when they snack to make up for that one, so I would take that with a grain of salt.)
Regular snacking — and by "regular" I mean "at the same time every day," not "constantly putting food in my mouth" — was definitely part of my strategy while I was losing 40 pounds last year, and it continues to be part of my strategy in this newest pregnancy. It isn't the solution for everyone — the "anti-snacking" No-S diet has worked well for at least one friend of mine. But if you do choose to harness the power of snacks to enhance your health and happiness, some suggestions from the article and from me:
- "Experts suggest choosing a snack that has roughly 100 to 200 calories (a meal should start at about 300)." I agree. That's about the right size. Anything more and you've added a meal.
- Not sure how many calories are in that stuff you want to eat? My rule of thumb has always been to limit the size of the snack to about an ounce. Look, the worst possible case — an ounce of pure fat — is 260 calories or so, and you aren't going to eat an ounce of pure fat for a snack.
- Calcium's hard to get, so "[seek]" out snacks rich in the mineral—for example, … yogurt or almonds." Both are staples for me.
- "[A] fruit or vegetable in every meal and snack." I do this when I can.
- "[W]hen cravings attack, have a plan for giving in intelligently." I have learned pretty well to put off my cravings until my next scheduled snack, which is never that far away. Because my overall diet is so healthful, there's room for some of almost anything.
- If you choose protein bars or granola bars: "Look for a bar that has 150 to 200 calories, at least four grams of protein, and four or more grams of fiber." I swear by Kashi TLC Crunchy Granola Bars, Chewy Granola Bars, and Fruit & Grain Bars. The Roasted Almond Crunch variety, for example, has 180 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. The Dark Chocolate Coconut variety is awesome. Another nice thing about these smaller bars is they're about the right size for a toddler's breakfast on the go.
- Make your snack a balance of carbs, fats, and protein.
- "Make it feel like a small meal, with multiple components." I cannot stress the importance of this one enough, and I'd also add: take the time to prepare it attractively and put it on a plate (or a portable container) and have it sitting down, in a moment of relative peace if you can manage it. If you're eating one kind of food out of the package it came in, you're grazing, not snacking. NO CHIPS OUT OF THE BAG. If you're going to eat some chips, put some on a plate and give yourself a little dollop of dip or something, or make a little plate of nachos.
- I suggest scheduling your snacks and, once you figure out a schedule that works, sticking to it. I have a snack at 10:30 and another at 3:30 or so. That's what I need.
- Oh yeah — remember that when you add a snack somewhere, you have to subtract food from a meal somewhere else, or you're not doing yourself any favors.
A couple of dozen snack suggestions are sprinkled throughout the article, things like "One whole-wheat English muffin with peanut butter," "Greek yogurt with chopped walnuts and honey," "Two slices of deli turkey and a handful of grapes." They are good suggestions, except that they are all low-fat, and I don't believe in low-fat eating, especially for snacks, when cheese, chocolate, lattes, and nuts are so handy and delicious. Fortunately it is not hard to add fat to most of the suggestions.
One of my favorite snacks is hard cheese cut into tiny cubes with sliced fruit and a few pecans — finger food, but a really nice combo. I just now had a Wasa cracker (another staple of mine) spread with cream cheese and topped with sliced tomato and melted Muenster. A full-fat latte is another snack indulgence I love.
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