Healthy Snacks

Smart snacking can help patients meet their nutrition needs. Snacks can be especially helpful for those who get full quickly on smaller volumes of food.

·      Adding calories that are missed can prevent the rapid weight loss that otherwise leads to breakdown of muscle and loss of strength

·      Making it easier to fit in the recommended 7+ servings of fruits and vegetables

Snacks can help

·      Reduce fatigue, providing a steady (but stable) supply of blood sugar to cells

·      Improve attention span and general mental alertness and function

Snacks can also be helpful where weight control is the goal

·      Maintaining a steady burning of calories.  Those who eat small, frequent meals are less likely to be overweight

·      A mid-afternoon snack can prevent the excessive hunger that overwhelms your best intentions at dinner time

Healthy Snacks = Protein + Carbohydrate

Protein Sources	Carbohydrate Sources
Yogurt	Berries* or Canned Fruit
Peanut/Nut Butter	Apple Slices (with peel*)
Cottage Cheese	Sliced Pears or Peaches
String or Sliced Cheese	Ry Crisp or Triscuits*
Tuna, Egg, or Chicken Salad	(in half a sandwich, pita bread, bagel)
Hummus Dip*	Crackers
Split Pea, Bean or Minestrone Soup*	Multigrain Bread*/Toast
Vegetarian Refried Beans/Salsa*	Baked Chips
Soy Milk	Broccoli, Jicama, Carrots*
Chili Beans*	Baked Potato (with skin*)
Sunflower Seeds, Nuts*	Fruit*: Dried, Fresh, Juice or Smoothies
Meat/Fish/Poultry	Cereal (varies*)
Fill in your own ideas:

Plan Ahead!

·      Stock healthy snacks in your refrigerator, pantry, office desk drawer, backpack

·      Take along snacks when you’re traveling to doctor’s appointments and therapy

·      Adapt the list for any other diet restrictions; such as fiber (* on list)

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 Colleen Gill, MS, RD CSO (2008-2025) Fight With A Fork

 Registered Dietitian 303-810-8612   colleen@fightwithafork.com