Our society is obsessed with snacks, and for good reason! Most diet plans (including our very own Cityline Weight Loss Challenge) advocate having nutritious snacks between meals to prevent hunger and maintain a healthy body weight. The key, of course, is making sure you’re choosing the right snacks! To help you get on the right track, Rose Reisman has shared her grading system for common snack options. We always want to aim for getting an “A”, but a “B” or a “C” is okay once in a while. Just be sure to stay far away from those “F”s!
“A” snacks:
Your ideal snack options will contain lean protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Try to avoid snacks with excess sodium, sugar, and saturated fats.
Snacks that get an “A” include: cottage cheese, string cheese, Greek yogurt, pistachios, edamame, high fibre cereal (All Bran / Fibre One) with milk, oranges, and avocados.
“B” snacks:
Snacks that get a “B” include: low-fat popcorn (best if you pop it at home!), peanut butter, oatmeal, yogurt with sweeteners, 80% chocolate, and nutrition bars (aim for at least 3 g fiber, at least 5 g protein, and less than 20 g sugar).
“C” snacks:
Snacks that get a “C” include: chocolate, granola bars, carrot sticks with dressing, crackers, rice cakes, baked tortilla crisps, trail mix, and granola.
“D” snacks:
Do you know those 100-calorie snack packages? Those little snacks get a “D”, as well as Goldfish crackers, chips, pretzels, cookies, and chocolate bars.
“F” snacks:
“F” means “forget about it”! Snacks that get a “F” include: roll-ups, Jell-O pudding cups, candy, and anything filled with sugar and saturated fats.
What’s your favourite healthy snack? Share your go-to picks in the comments!