Do you need to snack?

If you’re building your main meals with two (2) cups of non starchy vegetables (think leafy greens, broccoli, carrot, pumpkin), a portion of protein (palm size) and one to two (1-2) serves of healthy fats, you should be able to go three to four (3-4) hours without snacking.

Due to the nutrient density and correct balance of macronutrients in your main meals, you make not feel those mid morning or afternoon hunger pains - this shows good blood sugar control!

In saying this, snacks play an important role, particularly if you are training in the afternoon and it’s been a few hours since your last main meal, or where you may need to add in a pre-training snack in the morning to help fuel your session, particularly if it’s an anaerobic session (e.g. a threshold or speed run or HIIT session).

Snacks are an opportunity to provide your body with additional nutrients it needs to support recovery and adaptation. When creating a snack, think of it like a mini meal. Snacks should contain a source of complex carbs (ideally from a vegetable or fruit, wholegrains are fine too), protein and small amount of healthy fats.

A few of my favourite no recipe snacks are:

• Rice cakes with hummus e.g. Pilpel brand or Beetroot & Tahini Hummus or Sweet Potato Hummus

• Rice cakes or Mary’s Gone Crackers/quality crackers with mashed avocado

• Rice cakes with boiled eggs or tin of tuna

• Vegetable sticks with nut butter or dip of choice (stay clear of dips made with refined vegetable oils)

• Piece of fruit + 2 tablespoons nut butter or 30g nuts/seeds

• Yoghurt with berries and nuts & seeds, if plant based, add a ½ - 1 serve of protein powder to boost protein intake

• Mini smoothie e.g banana, nut butter & almond milk with ½ serve protein

• Quality protein bars: Blue Dinosaur, Chief Bar, Botanika Blends, Tropeaka, Locako.