We are all stuck at home with nowhere to go. This has left us with a bit too much time and we don’t exactly know what to do with it. So, we turn to our respective refrigerators to kill time and end up eating a lot more than if we were occupied otherwise. Being stuck at home means your physical activity has been reduced by multiple folds. This is a perfect recipe for gaining those extra pounds that you dread.
Snacking is unavoidable. But if you follow ‘smart snacking’ and tips below, you are very likely to reduce the chances of you putting on that dreaded weight.
Source: Freepik
Sanitize First: 3 Steps to Proper Sanitization
Make sure you sanitize your hands and follow these 3 steps to private label sanitizer’s proper usage.
- Every sanitizer has varying degrees of alcohol (from 60% to 75%). Read the instructions on the package to know the appropriate amount suitable for usage. Put only the recommended amount on one of your palms.
- Start by rubbing the sanitizer using both your palms. Make sure the sanitizer covers the backs of your hands and in between the fingers and thumb.
- You should stop rubbing only when your hands are dry. Ensure that you have no sanitizer visible on your hands before you start with your chores.
List of smart snacking ingredients
Now, that you have sanitized your hands, you are ready to prepare a Smart-Snack for yourself. We will list down some ingredients for you. You can mix and match from this list to prepare quick healthy snacks for yourself.
Nuts and Nut Butter
There are a lot of benefits of eating nuts and they are a great source of fiber. Nut butter including almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, almonds, etc is the healthiest way to enhance the taste of your snack.
Beans
These include kidney beans, chickpeas and there are many healthy reasons you should eat these.
Grains
These include rice and lentils. They have great benefits as they lower your cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar, and a great source of protein.
Frozen fruits and veggies
You can freeze fruits and vegetables like bananas, berries, mangos, avocados, cauliflower, peas, broccoli, carrots, and place them in glass yogurt bottles. You can use them later to fix yourself a quick smoothie or toss them in a kettle to make a healthy soup.
Some ideas for preparing healthy snacks
Roasted chickpeas:
Chickpeas may seem like a boring item but once roasted they make for a great crunchy and nutty snack. They are a healthy snack with loads of zinc, protein, and fiber.
Veggie soups
You can use as many or as few vegetables as you want while preparing a veggie soup. There are prepared vegetables that are either frozen or stored in cans from custom packaging machines.
Vegetables are high in vitamin content, dietary fiber, and potassium, and low in calories and fats. You can add cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, turnips, cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, peas, corn, and capsicum into your soup. They provide a wholesome taste and are very appetizing.
Dried berries with roasted nuts
Berries with any kind of roasted nuts are never a fail. These are crunchy and tasty and prove a very low calorie, easy-to-fix snack.
Strawberries with whipped soy cream
This is a combination made in heaven. It’s creamy and flavourful and never disappoints. Whether you make a delight or simply put the whipped soy cream over cut up strawberries, this combination will never fail to cheer you up. You can sprinkle some roasted almonds or any other nuts of your choice on top for added crunch.
Source: Freepik
Protein smoothies
Protein smoothies are a celebrated weight loss diet. Protein helps you shed fat without losing any muscle. It boosts metabolism and also reduces your appetite. You can check out several healthy protein smoothie recipes to experiment with the flavors.
Banana with peanut butter
This is a perfect combo and in addition to being delicious, it’s very low on the calorie count. You can cut a couple of bananas up and add peanut butter on top. Devour it for a delightful experience.
Hard-boiled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are the quickest way to manage untimely hunger pangs. They are filling and taste very good with a pinch of salt and black pepper. You can also follow these recipes of hard boiled eggs to add even more exciting flavors to the eggs.
SNACKS TO AVOID
Now, that you are aware of some snacks that add nutritive value, there are certain snacks that are a total no-no. These are essentially very low in necessary vitamins and minerals and high in sugar content and processed fatty food. The following are the poorest nutritional choices that you can make. These include cakes, ice cream, biscuits, crisps, fried potato chips, milk chocolate, pastries, onion rings, etc.
Conclusion: Be around healthy snacks
They say to surround yourself with positive people. I say surround yourself with positive snacks, too. If you will only have access to healthy food options, chances of you going for unhealthy options decrease exponentially. Stuck inside our homes, we have a fairly sedentary lifestyle and we struggle with motivation issues relating to workout. This calls for the wise choice of taking charge of what you eat the whole day. If we are vigilant about our snacking options, with a little exercise, we stand a better chance at not putting on too much weight.
