Snacks for energy: what to eat between meals

Snacks for energy do not have to be cookies from your desk drawer. A good snack combines protein, a little fat and fiber: that way your energy lasts longer without the sharp dip we wrote about in “Sugar and energy: how to avoid afternoon crashes”. Below are simple no-cook options for home, work and the road.

What makes a healthy snack for an energy boost?

The main rule is combining foods rather than relying on one. Protein and fat keep you full, fiber slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, and your energy is used more evenly.

• Protein: yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, hummus, nuts.
• Fiber: vegetables, fruit, berries, whole-grain bread.
• Healthy fats: nuts, seeds, avocado.

This principle matches the general balanced-eating advice from the British Nutrition Foundation and the NHS.

Simple no-cook snacks

These options come together in a couple of minutes and do not need a stove.

• An apple or pear with a handful of nuts.
• Plain yogurt with berries.
• A couple of hard-boiled eggs with vegetables.
• Hummus with carrots or cucumber.
• Cottage cheese with fruit.

What are good snacks for energy at work?

At work, a container packed in advance saves the day: it solves the problem of “nothing within reach except the vending machine”. Five minutes in the evening is enough to prepare a snack for the next day.

• A container of cut vegetables and hummus.
• Yogurt or cottage cheese in a small jar — if you have a fridge.
• A handful of nuts and a piece of fruit — no fridge needed at all.

If you work from home, the ideas in “Eating while working from home: how to keep your energy up” will come in handy.

What healthy snacks should you take on the road?

For travel, choose things that do not spoil or get squashed. The key is not to count on “finding something along the way”.

• Unsalted nuts and seeds in a small bag.
• An apple, a banana, clementines.
• Whole-grain crispbread with cheese.
• A bottle of water — thirst is easy to mistake for hunger.

Which sugar-free snacks can you choose?

Healthy sugar-free snacks are mainly unsweetened dairy, vegetables, eggs and nuts. Fruit works too: its sugar comes packaged with fiber.

• Plain yogurt or kefir with no additives.
• Vegetable sticks with hummus.
• An egg and a cucumber.
• Cheese and a whole-grain cracker.

Check the labels of ready-made bars and “fitness” snacks: sugar is often hidden under names like “syrup” or “molasses”.

What should you eat after a workout?

After exercise, a combination of protein and carbohydrates works well — it helps your muscles recover until your main meal. For example, yogurt with a banana or cottage cheese with berries.

Learn more in “What to eat after a workout for muscle recovery” and “Protein in your diet: how much you need and where to get it”.

Which snacks are better to avoid?

The snacks that hold your energy worst are those made almost entirely of sugar or white flour. They fill you up fast but leave you hungry just as fast.

• Sugary sodas and juices.
• Cookies, wafers and sweet bars.
• Sweet pastries on the go.

If you want something sweet, have it after a main meal or together with protein — for example, a couple of squares of chocolate with nuts.

How do you keep snacking from turning into constant grazing?

A snack makes sense when your next meal is still 2–3 hours away and you are noticeably hungry. If you feel like eating out of boredom or tiredness, drink some water first and take a short pause.

A useful Japanese rule of moderation is described in “Hara hachi bu: the Okinawan rule of eating until you’re 80% full”.

How should you start the day so you need fewer snacks?

A filling breakfast with protein keeps your energy up until lunch and reduces cravings for sweets. Ideas are in “Healthy breakfast for energy: how to build a plate that will not make you sleepy”.

For caffeine-free energy between meals, some people use Energy Enhancer patches — according to the company, they support a comfortable energy level throughout the day. And in the morning, Cellergize Morning, a drink with vitamins, minerals and amino acids; as with any dietary supplement, talk it over with your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a health condition.