Snacking is necessary—and encouraged—to keep you fueled and focused, satisfied and stable, so you can not only survive busy days but thrive every day. But as with anything, there’s an art to healthy snacking: finding wholesome foods that will quiet your hunger, reward you with powerful nutrients, and provide the motivation you need to tackle whatever the day brings. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with snacking. It’s the type of food you snack on that can help you maintain your mood, mental clarity, and metabolism—or break them,” says Amy Lee, M.D., a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, member of the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists and the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and Head of Nutrition for Nucific. In other words, we don’t need to stop eating between meals—we need to rethink what we eat and how we approach eating. See the difference? “It’s about being smart with your snacks and making every little thing you eat count,” she says. (For starters, Dr. Lee recommends avoiding processed snack foods packed with simple sugars.) Read on for more nutritionists’ everyday healthy snacking tips. “I tell my clients to use a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is starving and 10 is stuffed,” says Jessica Crandall, RDN, a registered dietitian and founder of Vital RD. “You need a snack when you’re at 3 or 4.” (Note: Don’t let yourself get to 2 or 1 either!) Many people won’t hit the 3 or 4 hunger mark until around three hours after a meal, but others will get there sooner. In those cases, experts say, don’t punish your rumbling belly! Go ahead and have a bite. “If you’re hungry, and your body needs a quick pick-me-up, focus on foods that are satiating or at least hold you over until your next meal without all the drowsiness-inducing sugar,” adds Dr. Lee, who reiterates the importance of prioritizing protein-forward snacks. Try hard-boiled eggs, veggies with hummus, Greek yogurt with berries, or steamed edamame with a hint of sea salt. Realistically, hitting all these markers perfectly with every snack is easier said than done. So aim for overall balance. If one snack is short on protein, for instance, make sure your next one has a little extra. RELATED: 6 Terrific Sources of Plant Protein for an Added Boost of Fuel RELATED: 5 Filling, Nutritious Snacks That Keep Inflammation at Bay As an example of grazing-worthy snacks, Dr. Lee recommends making a healthy version of trail mix by combining variations of nuts, dark chocolate chips, and dried fruits. Grab a handful at a time for a snack that sustains. “Even cutting up a protein bar into smaller, bite-size pieces to make it last longer works,” she says. RELATED: 12 Superfoods to Stock in Your Pantry—and Recipes You Need to Know
