Is Snacking OK When Losing Weight?

If you feel physically hungry between meals, healthy snacks are fine to consume and can help to prevent getting over-hungry and consequently overeating at the next meal. Snacks should typically be low in saturated fat and added sugar, high in fibre and less than 600kJ.

What is Physical Hunger?

This type of hunger refers to genuine hunger where the body is giving physical signs that it’s time to refuel.

These signs may include:

• Pain in the stomach
• Grumbling stomach
• Empty feeling in stomach
• Light headedness
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Poor concentration
• Feeling tired/lethargic

What Is Non Hungry Eating / Mind Hunger?

Refers to a different type of hunger that is often a leading cause of weight gain. Non-hungry eating or snacking can be triggered by emotional or environmental factors such as stress, boredom, anxiety, habit, cold/hot weather, peer pressure, associations (such as couch + a snack while watching TV). This type of eating is often done subconsciously where its difficult to keep track of how much food has been consumed.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY SNACKING

Aim for 80% of snacking to be due to physical hunger

It is helpful to be familiar with the physical hunger cues so that you can easily identify if you are looking for a snack because of physical hunger or mind hunger. Keep in mind that a little non-hungry eating is a normal part of a healthy diet.

Choose snacks low in saturated fat

Aim for less than 2g per 100g of saturated fat. The total fat of a product should not exceed 10g per 100g

Choose snacks low in sugar

Aim for less than 15g per 100g of sugar. Disregard the total carbohydrate content in this instance.

Choose snacks high in fibre

Aim for more than 8g per 100g of total dietary fibre. This will ensure you stay fuller for longer and aid with portion control at meals.

Choose snacks with less than 600kJ per serve

Check the first column on the Nutrition Information Panel for total energy. This should be less than 600kJ. Be sure to check that the serve size specified on the products is the same portion you consume for a snack.

Sweet Snack Ideas

• 1 piece of fresh fruit
• 1 cup of fruit salad
• 1 fruit tub such as “two fruits”
• 1 cup tinned fruit in natural juice (not syrup)
• Small handful of dried fruit
• Stewed fruit with no added sugar + yoghurt (if desired)
• 200g Yoghurt
• ½ cup of natural muesli with low fat milk + yoghurt (if desired)
• 250ml low fat milk with either Jarrah or Vitarium low joule hot chocolate or 1 tsp Milo
• Smoothie made with 150ml low fat milk, 1 cup of berries and 100g low fat yoghurt
• Muesli bar (BeNatural Trail Bars, Goodness Superfoods Fibre Boost bars, Freedom Foods Oat bars)
• 1 Nestle diet dessert
• 150ml diet jelly
• 2 scoops of Peters low fat, low sugar ice cream
• 1 Skinny Cow ice cream
• 1 cup custard + fruit (if desired)

Savoury Snack Ideas

• 2/3 cup wholegrain breakfast cereal with low fat milk
• A corn cob or 1 small tin of corn
• Chopped veggies (celery, cucumber, carrot, cherry tomato, mushroom, capsicum and snow peas) + dip such as hommus, tzatziki or salsa
• Crackers (vita wheat, ryvita) with topping:
  • Tuna + tomato
  • Avocado + tomato
  • Carrot + philly spread
  • Hommus + carrot
  • Asparagus + cheese
  • Ham + cheese + cucumber
  • Cucumber + hommus
  • Ricotta + sultanas
  • Capsicum + chutney
  • Salmon + cucumber + mayonnaise
  • Cottage cheese + chives
  • Cheese + tomato
• Toasted pita bread + salsa
• Small tin baked beans

• 1-2 cups plain popcorn
• 30g unsalted nuts (any variety)
• 1 sushi handroll
• A boiled egg
• Woolworths Select low fat fresh soup (traditional minestrone, homestyle chicken & vegetable, sweet potato and pumpkin)
• 1 skinny latte/cap/flat white