As I talk to clients throughout the week, I get the sense that snacks have become an almost taboo eating opportunity, and I get it! The sneaky ways that diet and wellness culture enters our lives leaves us with a ton of rules and confusion about the role snacks play in our diet. Unfortunately, there’s a ton of anti-snack rhetoric out there, like “don’t eat after xxx time”, “don’t ruin your dinner”, or “I have a bad habit of snacking”. The thing is, when done with intention, snacks have the opportunity to be an enjoyable, practical, and necessary part of eating.

Here’s a helpful concept: snacks that include at least two food groups tend to feel more satisfying than those that don’t. Part of this comes down to the difference between satiety and fullness. Fullness is physical – it’s the sensation of your stomach having enough food in it. Satiety goes deeper. It’s that feeling of being genuinely satisfied, settled, and not still thinking about food ten minutes after you ate. It involves a mix of things: flavor, texture, mouthfeel, energy, digestion, and the overall experience of eating something that actually hits the spot. When a snack only has one food group (like just crackers, or just a handful of fruit), it might create some fullness, but it often doesn’t stick around or satisfy in the desired way. Adding something from another food group (a protein, fat, or fiber-rich food) gives your body more to work with, and tends to make the whole experience more complete.

Reminder: this is typically true, but not the outcome every time because our bodies are complex, and a one size fits all approach to snacking doesn’t work.

Some days a bowl of watermelon is exactly right on its own. But if you’ve ever found yourself rummaging through the pantry ten minutes after a snack, it might be worth experimenting with combination – maybe adding some feta, mint, red onion, and balsamic glaze (now my mouth is watering) – to make the snack more satisfying.

One of my favorite things about snacks is their opportunity to fill in whatever was missing earlier in the day. This isn’t about tracking or making up for anything, but just noticing. If you had a big grain-heavy lunch but not much produce, a snack with some fruit or veggies feels natural. If breakfast was light on protein, a snack with something more substantial can help the rest of the afternoon go more smoothly. Personally, I’m not usually drawn to fruit at breakfast. It just doesn’t appeal to me in the morning. So I’ve noticed that I often work it in at a snack. Sometimes that means grapes alongside cheese and crackers, or berries on yogurt in the afternoon.

I think I appreciate this so much because it’s an in the moment reminder that each meal doesn’t need to be ‘perfect’. Having multiple eating opportunities throughout the day can help us take the pressure off each individual plate.

There are an endless combination of snacks out there, but here are some pairings that I love.

Quick Options

Apple slices + almond or peanut butter
String cheese + a cutie or handful of grapes
Trail mix with goldfish, cashews, and craisins (really any combination of cracker, nut, and dried fruit works, but this is my fav)
Greek yogurt + berries
Crackers + cheese + whatever fruit is on the counter
A banana + a handful of walnuts or a spoonful of nut butter

A Little More Involved

Toast + avocado + a fried or soft-boiled egg
Rice cakes + smoked salmon + thin cucumber slices + cream cheese
Hummus + pita + raw veggies (carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper strips)
A warm tortilla + black beans + a little cheese, folded in half like a quick quesadilla
Hard-boiled eggs + cherry tomatoes + crackers

Something Sweet

Smoothie made with fruit + Greek yogurt
Chocolate-drizzled rice cake + sliced banana
Dates stuffed with peanut butter (sounds fancy, takes 90 seconds)
A small bowl of cereal with milk
Granola + yogurt + a drizzle of honey

Because I’m so type A, I love putting my snacks in a specific ‘snack container’ when I pack my lunchbox for work. This makes me feel organized and excited to pull out the combination of the day. Use what you have at home, but if you may feel more inclined to grab a snack when it’s in a fun container it may be a worthwhile investment.

If you’re in the market for a new snack container, I’m currently loving this two-compartment one. Having a visual reminder to pack foods from two separate food groups feels helpful to me as I’m packing for the day.

If you read this and thought ‘this is way more relaxed than how I think about food’, that’s okay. A lot of people come to us after years of rules-based eating, and unlearning that takes time. There’s no finish line you’re supposed to have crossed by now.

Snacking with more ease is something that can gradually feel more natural. Not because you forced it, but because you kept practicing, and because you had support. If you want to talk through what a more peaceful relationship with food and snacking might look like for you specifically, we’d love to connect.

Get set up with a dietitian for individual nutrition counseling using this link. We’re here when you’re ready.