How to Snack Well

We all love a good snack. But snacks often get a bad reputation as being generally unhealthy. What if we told you that snacking is actually important for your everyday health? What if we told you that snacking is beneficial for longevity and both daily and long-term performance? While it’s still important to snack well, we’re here to give you the tools you need to understand the research behind snacking, the downfalls of snacking gone wrong, and how to snack the “right way.

A snack is simply any food or calorie-dense drink had between meals with a lower calorie intake than meals themselves. According to market research, the most common snacks in the United States are fruit, cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, popcorn, soft drinks (soda), crackers, cake, milk, nuts and seeds, tea, and yogurt. 

There are many reasons why snacking is so prevalent in our society—especially when it comes to consuming less nutritional snacks. The food and beverage industry spends approximately $14 billion every year on advertising in the United States, and over 80% of that advertising is geared toward promoting fast food, sugary snacks and drinks, and pushing generally unhealthy things. Snacking is universally popular, but is especially prevalent with children. Research shows that 27% of a child’s daily calorie intake comes from snacking. While this is not inherently a bad thing, children in the U.S. tend to eat snacks that are calorie high and nutrient poor, which becomes concerning when taking into account that 30% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. 

These facts alone show just how important it is for us as individuals and families to be intentional about the way we snack, when we snack, and what we eat for snacks.

• Snacking provides energy
• Snacking curbs your appetite in between meals
• Snacking can provide extra nutrients (if you choose nutrient-rich food to munch on)
• Snacking helps boost your metabolism

• Snacking can increase overall calorie intake
• Snacking can fill you up, causing you to skip meals and therefore to miss out on key nutrients
• Snacking can cause you to gain weight
• Snacking on too many sugary things can increase your blood sugar

There are other pros and cons to consider, but generally speaking, reaping the benefits or suffering the consequences of snacking truly comes down to what you choose to snack on. Feeling that midday slump? Put down the coffee or soda and instead consider grabbing an apple with some peanut butter or a handful of nuts. There is a time and place for cookies, ice cream, and chips—but for the best day-to-day health and performance, it’s important to focus primarily on nutrient-rich snacks, such as fruits, nuts, or yogurt. 

So what should you snack on exactly? The best way to get the most nutrients is to snack on whole foods. However, there are packaged foods that are still healthy, low-calorie, and nutrient dense. And the best way to figure out what the nutrition is on a snack: the nutrition label. We know looking at the nutrition label can be overwhelming. But knowledge is power! Here are the key things to look for when you look at the label:

• Calories per serving
• Total fat (including saturated fat)
• Added sugars
• Fiber
• Protein
• Vitamins and minerals

When you look at these things, it can just feel like a bunch of meaningless numbers jumping out at you. Here are some helpful tips to remember: saturated fat = short-term energy. More fat + more sugar = less nutrient density. (And we’re not talking about healthy fats like avocados). When you’re considering packaged snacks, look for ones that have a good blend of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber—these are the snacks that will keep you full, energized, and satisfied between meals. 

Table Source

We tend to make snacking way more complicated than it needs to be. It’s hard when all the ads being thrown in our faces highlight sugary this, candy that, and “healthy” snacks that are actually loaded with unnecessary chemicals. So when in doubt, go for whole foods, clean nut butters (aka, nut butters with only nuts and maybe salt, and no added sugar), and clean dairy products like yogurt or cottage cheese. But what about cookies, chips, and ice cream? There is no need to deny yourself a cookie every once in a while. Just remember to also eat things that give you energy throughout your day, and don’t overcomplicate it. Happy snacking!