Casual Friday: Snack to your health

Follow McLaughlin-Chaisson’s tips for healthy snacking throughout your workday:

> Snack regularly
Forming healthy snack habits means taking note of when you are eating as well as what foods you choose.

You should not go more than three to four hours without eating, says McLaughlin-Chaisson. If your meals are six hours apart, have a snack at the halfway point.

Eating more often doesn’t mean eating more, she warns. Instead, eat smaller portions throughout the day. For example, you might break one of your meals up into two small portions to eat at different times.

> Choose nutritious food
Good snack choices are generally nutrient-dense foods, McLaughlin-Chaisson says, meaning they are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre.

“It is important to make sure that we’re snacking on the right types of foods,” McLaughlin-Chaisson says. “Something like a bag of chips or a chocolate bar will not give us that constant energy.”

Fruits and vegetables are always a good snack choice, she says. They can be paired with a lean protein such as low-fat cheese, fat-free yogurt or 12-15 natural almonds.

If you are athletic outside of work, add some calories to your snacks, she says, by eating crackers or a healthy granola bar.

> Get some variety
An apple a day may not be enough to keep the doctor away, after all. When it comes to healthy snacks, variety is important.

If you are eating the same foods every day, you could end up with certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, McLaughlin-Chaisson says, even if you are making healthy choices.

Choose a variety of foods — from various fruits and vegetables to lean protein choices — to snack on throughout the week.

> Don’t overdo it
Be careful with your portion sizes, even for snacks.

For example, nuts make a great snack, she says, but eating half a cup of them can add up to 400 calories. Instead, eat 12-15 nuts at a time.

As well, two tablespoons of raisins have the same amount of calories and energy as a full cup of grapes or fresh strawberries, she says. So, with that in mind, consider which foods would make you feel more satisfied in the appropriate portions.

> Watch out for juice
While fruit juice may seem like a healthy choice, it actually may do more harm than good if you’re not careful.

“[Juice] has a lot of vitamins and minerals which is a good thing,” McLaughlin-Chaisson says. “But what people don’t realize is juice has as much sugar as regular pop.”

Adults should not have more than four ounces of juice per day, she says, and that includes all-natural 100% pure juice.

It’s better to simply eat fruit instead of consuming it as a drink, she says. That way, you get the vitamins and minerals you need as well as fibre, which makes you feel full for a longer period.