In This Webinar
- What’s a snack?
- What are the snacking recommendations?
- How to build a healthy snack
- Fitting snacks into your lifestyle
- Get the most from your snacks
Meal and Snack Patterns in the U.S.
How do you compare to other Americans?
Among American adults:
- 58% have 3 meals a day
- 35% have 2 meals a day
- 20-25% have 1 snack a day
- 20-25% have 2 snacks a day
- Over 90% report snacking at least once most days
This is according to data from the USDA and CDC: NHANES: What We Eat in American (WWEIA)
What’s a Snack?
There isn’t a standard definition of a “snack.” Here are some ways to define it.
- By choice of which food(s) and/or beverage(s) are consumed: A snack is “consumption of a ‘snack food’”
- By timing or amount: A snack is an “eating occasion that’s not a meal (breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, supper)”
- By location or circumstance: A snack is “eating while standing or away from table”
Snack Nutritional Value
On a per-calorie basis compared to meals, this is how snacks line up on average
| More (Per Calorie vs. Meals) |
Less (Per Calorie vs. Meals) |
- Carbohydrates
- Sugar
- Sodium
- Calcium
|
|
This is according to data from the USDA and CDC: NHANES: What We Eat in American (WWEIA)
Cereal, chips, crackers, and fruit-flavored, sugar-sweetened yogurt are examples.
Common Reasons for Snacking
These are some common reasons for snacking, and tips for making the most of your snacks.
| Reason |
Tips |
| Hunger |
- Regular meals and snacks make hunger more predictable
- Plan snacks ahead of time to make sure they are filling within calorie goals
- Assess hunger before eating
- Choose foods with more filling nutrients like protein and fiber
|
| Nutrition |
- Snacks can complement and supplement nutrition from meals
- Focus on key nutrients: fiber, protein, and calcium
- Choose whole foods: vegetables, legumes, fruit, tuna, and reduced-fat dairy products
- Quick tip: “Snack foods” are unlikely to fill in your gaps!
|
| Cravings |
- Prepare a substitute that is healthier but satisfies the desire
- Enjoy a little—plan a small amount regularly or ahead of time
- Have some raw vegetables and water first
- Slow down and sit down while eating
- Select higher-fiber and protein foods to stabilize blood sugar
|
| Stress and Emotional Eating |
- Plan non-food activities to prevent boredom and mindless eating
- Sit down before eating
- Integrate daily stress management strategies into your routine
- Plan and practice strategies to manage emotions appropriately in the moment
|
| Social and Environmental Cues |
- Have a healthy swap ready
- Pause and ask: Is it habit or hunger?
- Avoid predictable triggers: take a different route, or place snack foods at the back of the pantry/fridge out of sight
|
Should You Snack?
How does snacking affect health-related outcomes like weight, nutrient intake, glycemic control and diabetes risk, heart health, blood pressure, and gut health? A pile of research suggests that:
- “Do you snack?” - Doesn’t seem to matter
- “What you choose for snacks” - Seems to matter
The US Dietary Guidelines suggest healthy snacks to meet recommendations and stay within limits. Look for foods that have nutrients you're missing, and and are not excessively high in components like saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
| Look for at least one of: |
Watch for high amounts of: |
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Lean protein
- Reduced-fat dairy
- Whole grain
|
- Calories
- Saturated fat
- Sodium
- Added sugars
|
|
How Can You Snack Best for Weight and Health?
|
|
Snacking can support goals if…
|
Snacking can hold you back if…
|
|
It bridges long gaps between meals or you need extra energy
|
It’s grazing…you eat continuously throughout the day
|
|
It’s planned and deliberate
|
It’s spontaneous or distracted
|
|
Foods are nutrient-rich and calorie-controlled
|
Foods are calorie-dense and low-nutrient
|
|
It curbs hunger to prevent overeating
|
It adds calories when hunger isn’t present - e.g., emotional eating
|
Study on Snacking: An Afternoon Hummus Snack Affects Diet Quality, Appetite, and Glycemic Control in Healthy Adults
In this study, researchers looked at the effects of type of snack on these areas:
- Diet quality - vegetable and sugar consumption through the day
- Appetite - hunger, desire to eat, snack consumption later at night
- Glycemic control - afternoon blood sugar concentration, all-day blood sugar
They included 39 participants, average age 26 years, with no health conditions, and an average BMI of 24 (categorized as normal weight).
Researchers divided participants into 3 groups, and assigned each group one afternoon condition:
- NO SNACK - no snack, plus 8 ounces of water
- BARS - granola bars, plus 8 ounces of water
- HUMMUS - 4 tablespoons of hummus, 10 pretzels, and 8 ounces of water
HUMMUS had 2 more grams of protein and 2 more grams of fiber than BARS. BARS had 14 more grams of sugar than HUMMUS. BARS and HUMMUS both had 240 calories.
For 6 days, participants ate their snack (or NO SNACK) as instructed. On day 7, participants had their glucose, appetite and energy ratings, and daily food consumption measured.
| Study Measure |
HUMMUS compared to BARS and NO SNACK |
|
Daily calories, total daily glucose control, perceived energy and sleepiness
|
No difference
|
|
Total daily vegetables
|
Higher in HUMMUS condition
|
|
Appetite score (hunger, desire to eat, consumption of food after dinner)
|
70% reduction in HUMMUS compared to NO SNACK
|
|
Afternoon blood sugar concentration
|
5% lower in HUMMUS than BARS
|
|
Perceived alertness
|
Trending higher in HUMMUS
|
|
Satiety
|
30% higher in HUMMUS and BARS compared to NO SNACK
|
You can plan your snacks using calorie counts according to how many calories you have left in the day after accounting for meals. Here are some sample patterns for a 2,000-calorie diet.
| Meal Pattern |
Calorie Breakdown |
|
3 meals, no snacks
|
600–700 calories per meal
|
|
3 meals, 2 snacks
|
400–500 calories per meal, 200–300 calories per snack
|
|
2 meals, 4 snacks
|
500–600 calories per meal, 200–300 calories per snack
|
Building a Snack with Food Groups: 1-4 Servings of Nutritious Foods
|
High-Fiber Carbohydrates
|
Non-Starchy Vegetables
|
- 1 slice of whole-grain bread, ½ whole-grain English muffin
- ½ cup cooked whole grain
- 2 cups popcorn, 1 oz whole-grain crackers
- 1 potato, ½ cup yam, corn, peas
- 1 small apple, ¾ cup berries, 2 tangerines, or other fruit
|
- Carrot sticks or baby carrots
- Celery or cucumber sticks
- Broccoli or cauliflower florets
- Snap or snow peas
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Mini bell peppers or bell pepper strips
|
|
Lean Proteins
|
Healthy Fats
|
- ½ cup of cooked beans, tofu, or low-fat cottage cheese
- 3 ounces of chicken, turkey, shrimp, tuna, or other fish
- 1 ounce of low-fat cheese
- 1 hard-boiled egg
|
- ½ ounce of nuts
- 2 teaspoons of oil
- ¼ avocado
- 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons of hummus
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
|
Make Snacks Work for You
Build your smart snacking environment
- Shop for healthy foods
- Place less healthy options outside the home or out of view/reach
- Prepare healthy foods ahead of time
- Pack snacks to take with you - purchase containers if you need them
- Know healthy options in stores and restaurants
- Have “eating” and “non-eating” areas in your home
Ask why you want to snack
- Is it…?
- Hunger
- Cravings
- Boredom
- Habit
- Social or environment cues
- Decide how to best respond to “why” - sometimes it’s not by snacking!
- A visual cue can help you remember to ask
Know which snacks you can choose!
- Aim for 1-3 healthy foods - watch portions
- Fiber, protein, and healthy fats can reduce blood sugar spikes and keep you full for longer
- Carbohydrates add energy - but pair them with non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, or healthy fats to reduce blood sugar spikes
- It’s (almost) always okay to add non-starchy vegetables!
Enjoy your snack!
- Serve your snack into a bowl or plate, not from the package or a larger container
- Eat at a table or another designated eating area in your home or space
- Focus on your snack - enjoy the textures, flavors, and scents
- Eat slowly, and notice how it makes you feel
Log your snack in Lark
- Increase motivation
- Gain valuable insights
- Remember to log everything, including…
- Quantities
- Beverages
- Sauces and condiments
- Turn logging into a habit with regular times
After This Webinar…
- Think about why you snack, and how you can maximize benefits if you do snack
- Make a list of healthy snack items you can have available
- Identify some healthy swaps you can make to your regular snacks
References
Evan JR. An Afternoon Hummus Snack Affects Diet Quality, Appetite, and Glycemic Control in Healthy Adults. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 150, Issue 8, August 2020, Pages 2214-2222
