When people are dieting, one thing I always hear is how much they miss the crunch during meals or snacks.  Sometimes there are desires for a snack with a crunchy texture, but the only way people really fulfill that is through potato chips, rice cakes, and crackers…

Firstly, make sure you are going for that snack because you are truly and physically hungry.

Secondly, ask yourself, “Is this going to nourish my body?”

So here are some of my favorite snacks that I keep around for a crunchy texture when I just can’t make it to the next meal.

APPLE AND PEANUT BUTTER

Now, I know what most of you are thinking… “Peanut butter is loaded in calories!!”

Yes.  It is considered high in fat and containing some protein.  Fat is not always a bad thing as you’ll read later on.  This is actually what is going to keep this apple digesting more slowly in your gastrointestinal tract which means you’ll feel satisfied until that next meal.

And of course you ALWAYS want to monitor your portions size of any food healthy or not.  Even peanut butter.  There are great individually packaged serving sized cups of peanut butter on the shelf ready to purchase.  If you feel you can’t control your portions directly from the jar, go for the cups.

SWEET PEPPERS AND HUMMUS

For some reason most people associate hummus with pita bread/chips.  Yes, this combination is common in the restaurant industry because carbs are cheap!  But at home, why not use the veggies?

The small sweet peppers are my favorite with hummus, but you can also use cucumbers, regular bell peppers, and carrot sticks!

ALMONDS AND WALNUTS

These nuts are the most beneficial nuts you could choose when aiming for the most heart healthy option.

As you can see above, the main reasons nuts keep us satisfied is because of their fat content.  When eating something high in fat, you want to make sure that fat is going to benefit you (mono-, poly-) and not work against you (sat-).

Saturated Fat:

• Increases your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Increases your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels
• Mostly come from animal sources (beef, dairy)

Monounsaturated Fat:

• Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduces your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels
• Mostly come from plant sources (nuts, olive oil)

Polyunsaturated Fat:

• Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
• Improves overall cholesterol levels
• Mostly comes from plant sources (nuts, olive oil)

One way I way I use almonds and walnuts in my regular snacks is by making a trail mix.

Check out my TRAIL MIX RECIPE HERE to also learn more about the health benefits of nuts!

CELERY

Celery is an amazing food that is so low calorie.  A lot of people believe celery is an empty food without a lot of nutrition, but that is not entirely true!

Celery is only about 10 calories for 1 large stalk.  It provides roughage for your colon as well as Vitamin C, A, and Folate!

Paired with peanut butter, cheese, or hummus, celery can make a great snack to keep blood sugars stable as well as ward off hunger until meal time.

I hope this has helped you find a way to add crunch back to those snacks!  These are some of my favorites that I keep on hand and hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Please feel free to share by using the social media icons below!