Snacking the Healthy Way

 

Snacks can be healthy contribution to your day and can stave away hunger. When you feel hungry, a good snack can tie you over until the next meal, and prevent you from overdoing it at the main meal. A snack should be a boost of energy too and a positive contribution to your nutrition intake for the day.

But… people tend to get carried away. So this guide should help you to rethink your snacking habits.

 

The ideal snack

·         Less than 150-200kcals

·         Low in salt, saturated fat and sugar

·         Should include protein and fibre- nutrients that help keep you fuller for longer

·         Should be eaten before you get over-hungry- or you can end up over doing it!

·         Should be eaten as part of a regular meal pattern of breakfast, lunch and evening meal

 

Remember to always check if you’re actually hungry? Or are you reaching for food because you are stressed or bored?

Don’t go over board- snacking shouldn’t add in extra calories to your day- it should mean you are eating smaller portions at your main meals.

Snacking is an ideal time to get in some extra fruit and vegetables- as these are low calorie snacks.

 

Trying to lose weight?

Snacks can be useful to keep you going between meals, and can be a good part of a weight loss regime- if you’re clever about what you snack on. Fruit with fibre is a good snack when trying to lose weight as fruit is low in calories e.g. apple, banana. If you eat regularly, you’re less likely to over eat when it comes to snacking.

 

How do I know that the snacks I am choosing are healthy?

Reading labels is really the only way of being smart about your snacking. There are so many new grab and go, convenience snack foods out there. Here’s a quick guide to food labels – aim to choose foods with the lowest amount of sugar, salt, fat and saturates per 100gram.

 

A healthy snack should come from one of the major food groups- carbohydrates, protein, dairy or fruit and vegetables. The following healthy snacks are all less than 200kcals;

 

·         Small pack of unsalted popcorn or homemade popcorn

·         Wholegrain pretzels

·         Fruit and vegetables

·         Nuts and seeds- unsalted and only a handful ( they contain healthy fats but are high in calories) – 12 almonds or cashews, 20 pistachio nuts,

·         A 0% low fat-low sugar yoghurt with a piece of fruit

·         Peanut butter and a slice of wholegrain toast or ryvita cracker

·         Homemade/reduced fat hummus or salsa and carrot, pepper, sugar snaps or celery sticks.

·         Nutrition/energy bars- but remember to read the label!

·         1 tablespoon of nut butter with rice cake

·         Plain yoghurt with berries

·         Light cheese with grapes and wholegrain cracker

·         2 squares of dark chocolate and some strawberries

·         100g trail mix

·         1 mini box of yoghurt coated raisons

It’s really important to watch your portions however. It’s better to buy nuts, seeds, popcorn, pretzels etc. in single portion packs so that there’s no temptation to overdo it- as snacking shouldn’t lead to weight gain

 

What about treat foods?

It’s okay to have a treat every now and then. Have a personal limit – maybe one to two times a week and try keep them less than 200kcals.

Try treats like 1 oatmeal cookie or flapjack, a fun-size chocolate bar, a bag of popcorn, 4 squares of dark chocolate, 2 plain biscuits, 1 scoop of ice cream, muesli/fruit bar or a 1 small cupcake/mini muffin.



FOCUS ON LUNCH

 

We’ve heard all about the importance of eating breakfast, but in reality all of the nutrition you take in during the day is equally important- including lunch. Lunch should provide about a third of your nutrition for the day.

It’s also important to take some time away from your desk to enjoy your lunch. About half of people report they regularly skip lunch. Taking a lunch break is an important part of workplace wellbeing and can help your concentration and problem solving ability.

As schools and colleges are back and holiday season is over, everyone is trying to get back into routine. Are you constantly rattling your brain and thinking ‘What will I have for lunch today?’.

 

It’s important to achieve the right balance of nutrients at lunch to avoid getting sluggish in the afternoon and craving unhealthy snacks. You’re aiming to get a variety from the food pyramid- carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables and dairy. It’s important that you give your body what it needs to keep it going for the working day.

 

Time is of the essence

As adults, juggling work, housework and often kids can mean it’s hard to find time to be prepared in the mornings.

• Pack your lunch or the kids lunches the night before
• Think about what lunches you will want for the week- then prepare a shopping list so that you have all the ingredient s to hand during the week
• If you are buying your own lunch out or in work- choose the healthier options available from the list below.

 

Spruce it up!

Having the same sandwich for lunch day in day out can get a little boring. Change things up. These tips can be useful for adults and children alike. Try getting your main lunch to include a carbohydrate, protein, dairy and some vegetables. These options can all be chosen in your staff restaurant

• Prepare extra dinner the night before (couscous, rice, pasta) and reheat it for lunch the next day
• Make a batch of homemade soup and bring in a thermos flask or reheat if you have access to a microwave, taken with a bread-roll
• Try rice or couscous salads with salmon and vegetables
• Vary the type of bread you choose- think wholemeal wraps, granary bread, pittas, crusty rolls
• Snack on vegetables with hummus
• Chicken, beef or tuna salad- with blueberries, tomatoes, rocket, roasted peppers and beetroot
• Sandwich filling ideas and combinations to try at the salad counter

Ø  Salad and low fat cream cheese

Ø  Sliced turkey, low fat cheddar, tomato, pepper, lettuce and onion

Ø  Egg, low fat mayo, sweetcorn and cucumber

Ø  Roast meat, relish, rocket and goats cheese

Ø  Tuna, sweetcorn, lettuce, tomato

Ø  Reduced salt ham, brie cheese and spinach

Ø  Roasted vegetables and goats cheese

Ø  Peanut butter and banana

Ø  Tinned sardines, cucumber and red pepper relish

Ø  Beetroot and falafel with feta cheese pitta

 

Snack attack

• A low fat yoghurt
• Glass of milk
• Keep a tub of raw veg sticks on your desk (peppers, celery, carrots)
• Fresh fruit – banana, apple, orange, pear
• Berry fruit salad- strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

 

If you’re really craving something sweet or savoury after your lunch, try choosing some of the following healthier snacks

• Low fat crisps
• Snack size chocolate bar
• Plain low salt popcorn
• A plain biscuit

Remember to keep hydrated! Water is the best form of hydration.

NEW at the Faculty of Health and Social Care Building!

New and Refreshing Salad Bar

At the Faculty of Health and Social Care Building, we have a new Fresh and Healthy Salad Bar, as part of our Eat Well Programme and Healthy for Life Campaign.

Everyday from 11.30am - 2.00pm we will be providing a range of Fresh and Healthy Salads to tickle your taste buds and build your own Salad Box for only £2.75.

Don't forget to check out our Healthy wall next to the Salad Bar for all our Healthy for Life Campaigns as well as some of our Healthy and simple Recipe cards.

Healthy Heart

Get heart heathy - it’s a family affair

 

September is Irish Heart Month. The focus this of this year’s campaign is stroke prevention.  Every hour, someone in Ireland dies from a stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death worldwide.  It was always thought that heart disease affects older people- however we now know that it can actually start in early childhood as a result of poor diet and lack of physical activity.

 

Did you know?

·         About 80% of heart disease is preventable.  Eating healthy food is one of the best ways of making sure that your heart is working at its best.

Making changes to your diet and lifestyle can seem daunting. The good news is that by making a few small changes you can make heart healthy choices that don’t require too much thought or effort. The principles of a heart healthy diet are; choosing low fat dairy products, wholegrain breads and cereals, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, choosing lean protein, reducing fat and salt intake and processed foods.

 

Heart healthy tips for adults and children

·         Match the energy you take in with the amount of exercise and activity you do each day. If you are overweight, losing just 5% of your body weight can reduce your risk of heart disease.

·         Why not get off the bus a few stops early, walk the dog, take the stairs, cycle to work or walk the kids to school, walk to the shops. You should aim for 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep the heart muscles strong. .

·         Make the switch to wholegrains- bread, cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes. These foods are high in energy and low in fat.

·         Cook at home – it’s easy to turn to quick meals like frozen pizza and chips. These foods are high in fat and salt. Try reducing your intake of fast food to once a month as a treat.

·         Hide the frying pan: Think low fat cooking methods like baking, grilling , boiling, steaming.

·         Cook without adding fats or oils. Use low-calorie cooking spray and a non-stick frying pan. If you need more liquid, try adding a splash of water.

·         Choose low fat or reduced fat spreads. Choose olive oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower, safflower, soya bean oil these contain mono and polyunsaturated fats (good fats). Remember all oils contain 100% fat and are high in calories so take care to watch the amount you use. Palm oil and coconut oil contain saturated fats –these are best avoided for heart health.

·         Plate proportions at dinner should be half vegetables (2 servings), one quarter meat, and one quarter rice, potatoes or pasta.

·         Choose low fat dairy for all the family (children > 2 years)- milk, yoghurt, reduced fat/ low fat yoghurt.  A healthy mid-morning snack is a low fat yoghurt with a piece of fruit.  Low fat varieties contain the same amount of calcium.

·         High five: Aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day for all the family. Some healthy snacks don’t even require preparation- bananas, grapes, apples, berries.

·         Think oily fish: Eating fish can help reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 50% . You need to eat oily fish twice a week. Ideas include baked salmon with baby potatoes, fish stir fry, tinned mackerel or salmon with sweetcorn and brown bread.

·         Change your salty ways: Try using other flavours in dishes like garlic, pepper, rosemary, thyme, coriander, parsley.