Have chips, cookies, soft drinks and candies been your snacking buddies for most of the year? While snacking can be a part of a healthy diet plan, it is crucial to be mindful of what you eat, how much you eat, and its effect on your health. So, in 2023, plan your new year health resolutions around ‘healthy snacking’ over consuming junk food.

Tanvi Gulati, a nutrition expert, is here to help you mentally push yourself to fulfill your health resolutions. Aditya Birla Health Insurance presents to you #LetTheMindGamesBegin. This is a 14-day program on our Activ Living Community, where you will learn mind hacks to stick to your new year health resolutions and not give up. Today’s mind hack will help you ‘junk the junk’. In 2023, stay off processed foods, fried foods, white sugar, and other unhealthy eating habits you tend to cultivate in the daily hustle-bustle of life so you can stick to your New Year health resolutions. Avoid giving up on this year’s resolution using expert advice in fitness, nutrition and mindfulness.

What you should know?

Unhealthy snacking habits to look out for
Best healthy snacking options during a day

Unhealthy snacking habits to look out for

While jotting down your new year’s health resolutions, make sure to list the unhealthy snacking habits you want to get rid of. Here are a few everyday habits that you might relate to:

Skipping breakfast entirely while running late in the morning.
Bingeing on high-calorie snacks while stressed.
Omitting low-calorie snacks from your healthy diet plan.
Snacking to distract yourself or to get rid of boredom.
Getting tempted by snacks offered by people.

However, snacking is also essential to maintain hunger levels, especially when the gap between two meals is high. You can substitute high-calorie, fattening options with healthy snacks to stay fit.

Best healthy snacking options for a day

Food cravings don’t come invited. You can feel like popping a snack at any ungodly hour of the day. A well-nourished body will lead to fewer temptations throughout the day. Try out these alternative snacking options that prevent you from derailing your health resolutions throughout the day!

Steer clear of morning temptations

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you are among the ones who end up skipping breakfast, healthy snacks can be quite a savior. So, prepare your healthy breakfast a day in advance with delicious munchies like these on the go:

Herbal drinks: Don’t suppress your hunger with tea or coffee in the morning. Instead, opt for healthy herbal drinks, like cinnamon or ginger lemon tea, which can help boost your metabolism.
Mixed nuts (cashew, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc.): They are portable and provide a perfect balance of fiber, fats and protein.
Greek yogurt and berries: Easy to whip, sweet in taste and balances the nutrients, proteins and antioxidants.
Fruits: The most uncomplicated snacking option, you can just bite on fruit in the morning. Rich in minerals and fiber, you can eat them while traveling, working or doing any other chore.
You can also consume rolled oats, crushed nuts, few sliced fruits with low-fat milk for a nourishing breakfast. You can also keep a box of dry fruits, nuts, or seeds, on your office desk.
Consume a glass of buttermilk or coconut water or even a bowl of raw vegetable salad to satiate your mid-morning cravings.

Steer clear of afternoon temptations

An insufficient lunch or tiring afternoon triggers you to slide into the snacking world. Try substituting this slump with one of these low-calorie snacks:

Ensure your lunch plate has 50% vegetables (raw or cooked), one source of good quality protein (dal, paneer/tofu, eggs, chicken, fish) and complex carbohydrates (chapati, rice, khichri, or daliya). If the urge to eat something sweet pops up, consume 1-2 dates, a few dried figs, a piece of dark chocolate, or some jaggery to beat the cravings.
Roasted chickpeas: A powerhouse of nutrients, you can carry them around for weeks and enjoy a casual post-lunch snack anytime.
Hummus with vegetables: A variation of chickpeas, hummus is rich in plant-based protein and fiber. Paired with vegetable slices, it can put your hunger pangs to rest.
Makhana: High in nutrients and antioxidants, makhana is a preferred snack in a healthy diet plan for weight loss.

Consume a healthy dinner

When you have eaten a balanced diet throughout the day, ensure you consume a light dinner and preferably 3 hours before you hit the hay.

Opt for dal roti, rice and dal, and khichri. You can stir-fry these meals with paneer or boiled eggs.
Another healthy dinner option is a bowl of fresh vegetable soup with quinoa or chickpeas.

Beat the midnight cravings

It is ideal to avoid any snacks after dinner. But when hunger strikes, some healthy options you choose include:

Chia pudding: For your sweet tooth, you can mix chia seeds with any dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice, peanut butter, and a sweetener. Refrigerate them and snack on them to satisfy dessert cravings.
Air-popped popcorn: This popcorn variation is made by popping corn kernels using heated air. You can put the kernels in a brown paper bag and heat them in a microwave. Air-popped popcorn does not require added oil or flavorings and is served without high-fat ingredients like salt or butter. It is the perfect healthy snack for late-night movie marathons.

Once your snacking habits are under control, you can see changes in your lifestyle. These healthier options can provide you with a boost of nutrients while preventing excessive intake of fats between meals. Join our Activ Living Community to stay updated on such nutrition-related tips and connect with health enthusiasts that motivate you to fulfill your new year health resolutions. For more mind hacks, check out the #LetTheMindGamesBegin section here.