Eve Davies
Forget Valentine’s Day, February is all about National Snack Food Month. If you are anything like me, you need a snack or two (or seven) to get you through most days. With this snack addiction, making nutritious choices is paramount. To help you out, I have compiled a list of my favourite go-to snacks.
The same snack routine day-in day-out can get boring and finding new, quick and easy snacks with nutritional value can be hard. So, I’m here to get your taste buds tingling and snack inspiration raring.
Poached Eggs & Avocado on Crumpets
Poached eggs and avocado are a staple in my diet. Catch me eating them at least once a day, be it an 11am brunch or an 11pm late-night snack. Having them on top of crumpets puts a twist on the usual avo on toast combo and the soft texture of a crumpet compliments that of the egg and avocado. Don’t forget to season this one; sea salt, black pepper, and chilli flakes for some added spice are my go-to!
Banana & Nut Butter on Rice Cakes
I’m a sucker for anything on rice cakes: tuna and cucumber, hummus and veggies, smoked salmon and cream cheese, Nutella or jam – but nut butter and banana is my all-time favourite. Light but packed with carbohydrates, this combo makes the perfect pre-workout snack. Make it exciting by mixing it up with almond, peanut, cashew or hazelnut butter. The big question is: crunchy or smooth? For your chocolate fix try Pip & Nut’s limited edition dark chocolate and Cornish sea salt almond butter; I can assure you it will not disappoint.
Chocolate & Popcorn
On the topic of chocolate, another favourite snack of mine that pleases the sweet tooth is dark chocolate and salted popcorn. Some say sweet and salty doesn’t work but I’m all for this combo. I usually go with Lindt 70% dark chocolate or dark milk from Cadbury and Proper Corn salted popcorn.
Eggs
We all know they are good for you – poached, scrambled, or boiled – but I’m talking crème eggs, Lindt eggs, and mini eggs. It is arguably the best time of year for eggs, the season when Cadbury, Nestle, and Lindt flood our supermarkets. Remember it is no good abandoning food groups and chocolate in moderation contributes towards a balanced diet.
Bagels
Crisp and glossy on the surface, dense and chewy within, bagels are a great snack for any time of day. They come in sweet and savoury flavours including cinnamon raisin, sesame, wholemeal, onion and chive, and original. Best paired with avocado and halloumi, smoked salmon and crème cheese, and scrambled egg; or simply, butter and jam. Nut butter and banana are also great toppings if rice cakes aren’t your thing. Try bagel thins if you’re looking for lower-calorie options.
Yoghurt bowls
A yoghurt bowl is indispensable in my nighttime routine. Natural or Greek-style yoghurt is a great source of protein and nutrients that aid gut and bone health. Alpro offers a tasty plant-based alternative in a range of flavours. Supermarkets’ own branded natural or Greek-style yoghurts are also tasty and affordable. Topped with nuts, chocolate pieces, cereal, sweet spreads (Nutella, Biscoff spread, white chocolate spread), pretzels, or fruit, yoghurt bowls make a great sweet but nutritious snack. Some of my favourite toppings include almonds, pumpkin and sunflower spreads, raisins, bran flakes, desiccated coconut, and chocolate chips.
Give these snacks a try and see what you think!
Featured image courtesy of Vicky Ng on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes have been made to this image.