I grew up the old fashioned way eating three square meals a day. I’m certain that most of you women over fifty followed a similar meal plan in your house: breakfast was eggs and toast, cold cereal or if your were really lucky a Pop Tart. Lunch was usually a sandwich and dinner was meat and potatoes. As we boomer babes have aged, most of us do things a little differently now. I almost always have a traditional dinner, but during the day I follow a timed fasting routine so I usually just like to graze on snacks, or little mini meals.
The trick to snacking for middle aged women is to make sure that the foods you choose contain a good mix of protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats. The aim is to eat enough healthy food to feel full yet keep the calorie count down. I like to stock my kitchen with healthful options that I can quickly assemble with enough variety to keep me happy. Here are some of my favorite snacks, or mini meals.
follow along with me...
SLICED CUCUMBERS WITH GUACAMOLE
Peel and thickly slice a cucumber. Use as dippers for about 1/4 cup of guacamole. I like Wholly Guacamole mini cups because they are delicious and portion controlled. They have 100 calories and come in a variety of flavors.
GLUTEN FREE THIN CAKES WITH NUT BUTTER AND BANANAS
Whole grain, gluten free thin cakes are great! My favorite brand is SUZIE’S. They only have 35 calories each and can be used as a base with a variety of toppings. This version is my favorite. Spread 1 tablespoon (total) of nut or seed butter on 3 thin cakes. I love TEDDIE ALL NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER or JUSTIN’S MAPLE ALMOND BUTTER. Top each thin cake with banana slices. I like to add some nuts or trail mix on the side.
ANTIPASTO
This tastes so decadent but is such a good treat. I don’t advocate eating a lot of processed meat but once in awhile a little is fine. This snack is simply 1 ounce of prosciutto (I prefer imported), 1 ounce of olives and a heaping tablespoon of mixed, raw nuts like SAHALE ALL NATURAL NUT BLENDS. If you want to add a little crunch try PARMCRISPS. They come in a variety of flavors and have zero grams of carbs. Just remove products from packaging and arrange on a plate. I love to scoop up the olives and nuts with pieces of the prosciutto. Have you ever tried OLOVES? These are prepackaged pitted olives in a variety of flavors that have 50 calories in each bag. They are great because the pouch sits up for easy snacking on the go.
TURKEY TORTILLA
I like this snack anytime of the day because it is so gentle on my stomach. It’s gluten free and has tons of good nutrients and protein and is assembled quickly. I slightly warm 2 small corn tortillas and put 1 or 2 slices of turkey breast on top. Then I spread 1/4 of a small avocado on each tortilla and top with a slice of tomato.
OPEN FACE TUNA SANDWICH
I like this snack after a tough workout. It gives me lots of lean protein and carbs for good recovery. Toast 2 small pieces of gluten free bread and top each slice with about 1/4 cup tuna salad. Top with fresh tomato slices and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Use tuna packed in water for your salad to keep calories low.
POPCORN
This air-popped delight is great to snack on either in the afternoon or nighttime. Depending on which brand you choose, it can be low in calories and high in fiber. Not only does it deliver some protein, but it also contains antioxidants such a polyphenols which are linked to heart health. My go to popcorn brand is SKINNYPOP. I always tend to buy the small individual bags instead of the full size bags so I can keep an eye on how much I eat of it.
PROTEIN SHAKE/BAR
Adding a protein shake or bar into your daily diet has many benefits. Protein shakes/bars will keep you full longer which helps avoid additional snacking and can help you lose weight. I usually like to have one after a workout or between lunch and dinner. The protein powder I always use in my shakes is JAY ROBB EGG WHITE CHOCOLATE PROTEIN POWDER. Not only is it creamy and delicious, it has barely any sugar and is high in protein. I like to mix it either with water or an unsweetened nut milk. The protein bar I love is THINKTHIN PROTEIN AND FIBER BARS. They are low in calories and only have 5 grams of sugar.
OTHER GREAT SNACKS
Watch one of my food videos for other great snack ideas:
HOW DO YOU SNACK LIKE A PRO?
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