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Snacking
By Kylie Andrew (Dietitian)
Snacking between meals, known as grazing, is the ideal eating pattern. Relying on only 3 meals per day can make it difficult to meet your energy requirements, resulting in physical and mental fatigue. Snacking also helps to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs – but only if you choose well.
The following snacks are low in fat and nutrient dense. Try these instead of the usual biscuit with coffee mid-morning or the craved chocolate bar mid-afternoon.
Snack ideas
- Fresh fruit or fruit canned in natural juice
- Dried fruit - apple, apricots, sultanas, raisins, dates
- Cereal/Muesli/Breakfast bars
- Low fat yoghurt, drinking yoghurt & Fruche
- Low fat milk smoothie/milkshake
- Crispbread, dry biscuits or rice cakes with a spread
- Fruit loaf/bun
- Vegetable sticks with a dip (Salsa or tzatziki)
- Rice crackers or pretzels
- Low fat fruit muffin
Unfortunately many of us snack using take away foods since we generally snack in between main meals when we are in a hurry. Take away foods however don’t have to be bad food choices and although they tend to be high in fat and salt, and low in fibre, some take away foods have a better nutritional value than others.
Use this guide to choose more wisely, especially if take-away is eaten regularly.
Snack |
Better Choice |
Avoid |
Pizza |
vegetable toppings |
double meat |
Sandwiches and Rolls |
lean meat or cheese |
salami |
Chicken |
BBQ chickens (remove skin) |
deep fried chicken |