Snacking Survival Guide

All you need is a little planning

Spending just a little time getting organized will go a long way toward keeping you on the smart snacking path.

• Make a weekly menu that includes meals and snacks. Make sure to include snacks in your grocery list. Choose foods from Canada's Food Guide.
• Designate a “snack spot” in the refrigerator and pantry where healthy, ready-to-eat snacks will be easily available for the family. When you buy vegetables and fruits, wash and prepare them so they are ready-to-eat for a handy snack.
• Keep healthy snacks like nuts and dried fruits, whole-grain cereal and granola bars at your office.

Keep it interesting

Eating is one of life's pleasures. Making sure your snacks have lots of variety helps you really enjoy every bite.

• Look for at least one new food item to try every time you hit the grocery store. Check for exotic fruit, new yogurt flavours, different flavours of hummus, etc.
• Check out a local ethnic food shop to find some new and interesting foods.
• Surf cooking and nutrition Web sites to get new snack ideas.
• Try mixing different flavours together—for example, a homemade mix of unsalted nuts and dried fruit or even a fruit and yogurt parfait topped with whole-grain cereal.
• Try different flavours of milk: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, banana, etc.
• Get the kids involved. Challenge them to come up with new snack ideas for them and for you.

Read the labels

More than ever, we need to pay attention to what is in the food we eat. Nutrition labels are mandated so that we can make better food choices; for example, pay particular attention to serving size, fat, sugar, fibre, and sodium.

Get in tune with your body

Your body will tell you when you’re hungry and when you’ve had enough. Learn to listen to the signals your body is sending.

• The basic rule is eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are full.
• Enjoy healthy snacks to help bridge your hunger between meals.
• Be mindful of your eating. If you’re not hungry, skip the snack.