Apple
The apple might just be the original 100 calorie snack!
While apples are generally high in sugar (in the form of fructose), they are perfect in a pre and post workout setting, providing your body with a quick spike in insulin (blood sugar) to jump-start your workout or replenish depleted glycogen post-workout. Apples will also provide your body with a decent amount of fiber, which will keep you feeling full, plus they are loaded with micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) which your body needs to perform optimally.
Personally, I really like the Fuji apple. The Fuji apple offers a nice crisp texture and a sweet taste that is a hybrid of the famous Red Delicious (which I’ve never been a fan of…) and the Ralls Genet apples.
How to Eat an Apple
There is a pretty good chance that you are actually eating your apples incorrectly. Check out this video to learn the correct way to eat an apple!
The next time you are shopping for some apples in your local grocery store, pick up a couple of Fuji apples to try and let me know what you think!
Jerky
I’ve always been a fan of jerky. That chewy, salty taste of protein that is nearly impossible to have just a single bite… Low in fat and high in protein, it is just a great on-the-go snack that can help keep you on track when you aren’t able to have prep a full meal.
Growing up, I would even make my own jerky from ground beef or venison, though I haven’t made my own in quite awhile. Homemade jerky has a couple of benefits; you know exactly what is going into the end product and it is quite a bit cheaper when compared to pre-packaged jerky from the store. Though you may find that making your own jerky be too time consuming and costly to get the necessary equipment to do the job correctly, so the pre-packaged stuff from the store is more suitable. In that category, my favorite has to be Perk Jerky. It’s available in beef or turkey and with flavors like Tasty Teriyaki, BBQ with Seoul, Sweet & Snappy, and Hot & Bothered, I am sure you will be able to find a flavor that you’ll enjoy.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is actually a pretty versatile food and can be used in a number of recipes of just simply eaten on it’s own. Greek yogurt is a great source of protein; typically 20+ grams per cup. This means that you are going to get a snack that is going to be satiating and still allow you to keep on track!
Admittedly…when eating on it’s own, Greek yogurt is a bit of an acquired taste… For this reason, many of the Greek yogurt products on the market are loaded with extra sugar, so when choosing a Greek yogurt product, make sure you know how to read a nutritional label and steer yourself clear of those that have all of those extra grams of sugar.
Fage 0% Plain Greek yogurt is my #1 choice. I have tried others and while they are “ok”, they aren’t as good tasting as the product that Fage has created. Again, be careful with your Greek yogurt selection as Fage has more than 1 Greek yogurt product, so you will want to ensure you review the nutrition label before dropping it in your cart. Here are some comparisons between some of the other Greek yogurt products on the market today.
Whey Protein
Protein is the nutrient most responsible for muscle growth and repair. It is broken down into amino acids during digestion and these are the “building blocks” of all tissues in the body. Unless you are in the lucky position of being able to have whole food meals ready 4–6 times per day, you’re going to need to use protein supplements. Whey protein isolate has an amino acid profile that has more essential amino acids creating a more of an anabolic effect. Meaning more lean muscle!
Obviously high in protein, whey is a great snack! You can also toss a scoop of whey protein in with some Greek yogurt to make some “protein pudding”…YUM!
One thing to look for when shopping for whey protein is the ratio of total grams or product/serving to # of grams of protein/serving. A lot of times you will see a protein powder that indicates 30+ grams of protein per serving, which sounds awesome. That is, until you look at the product label and see that the total grams of product is significantly higher, let’s say 40+ grams. Check out the product label above. Note the serving size is 1 rounded scoop and that is 30.4 grams. The number of grams of protein/serving is 24. This means that 78.9% of the “stuff” in every rounded scoop is protein. The lower the ratio, the lower quality the protein product as a whole. Of course, this isn’t always the case…you have to ensure that you are looking at the label through the correct lens. If the protein claims to be 100% whey protein, but the ratio says otherwise, be leery… However, if it is some kind of dual propose product (weight gainer or recovery protein), there is a good chance that the ratio value will be lower and appropriately so.
Here are some of the whey protein products that I use and highly recommend!
Shakeology
Last but least, Shakeology is an amazing snack. It’s loaded with superfoods, veggies, and other exotic, nutrient dense ingredients that you just can’t get from any other nutritional supplement. I can’t believe what is in Shakeology really. It is pretty incredible that Beachbody is able to create a product that has so many different micro-nutrient dense ingredients and still have it come out tasting as good as it does. While it does have some whey protein included as well, it is not to be considered a “protein shake”.
I typically drink my Shakeology post-workout stacked with some whey protein. However, sometimes I will include a serving of Shakeology as a late evening (guilt-free) snack.
My all time favorite flavor is the new Cafe Latte Shakeology. It is the perfect combination of coffee and chocolate and tastes just like coffee ice cream or one of those calorie loaded drinks you might find at that famous coffee shop on every corner, but it is way better for you and will definitely keep you on track!
Looking for some Cafe Latte Shakeology recipes?
What is Your Favorite Snack?
Do you have a favorite snack that helps keep you on track with your goals that isn’t listed above? Comment below with your thoughts feedback – I’d love to hear from you on this topic. Perhaps I’ll be able to add a new snack to my daily nutrition.
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