Having happily indulged in our favourite festive treats over the past few weeks, the time has come to get back to reality, give our bodies a boost and make a renewed effort to keep a closer eye on what we’re eating. New Year’s resolutions are front of mind for a lot of us which means that fridges around the country are packed full of homemade lunches and queues of people waiting to heat up their porridge are forming around office microwaves in the morning. We’re all in this together, people.
While these good habits last, it’s also important to watch those cheeky snacks we like to treat ourselves to – sometimes it’s the small bites between our meals that really add up. By swapping certain snacks for lower-calorie options, it’s possible to significantly reduce our daily calorie intake.
We’re going to keep these healthy snack swaps in mind the next time we’re filling our food basket. Take a look…
Pick up popcorn…
Instead of a packet of crisps. Not only is popcorn low in calories, it’s also a natural whole grain and contains protein, iron and fibre. But be careful, popcorn is only good for you in its purest kernel form – keep it out of the microwave!
Aim for apples…
Instead of crackers when tucking into some cheese. The perfect duo to satisfy both sweet and savoury cravings, cheese intensifies the flavour of apples to create a delicious snack.
Choose carrots…
Instead of pitta to accompany hummus. This has to be one of our favourite go-to snacks – by replacing carb-laden pitta with carrots the calorie count can be slashed. And the hummus will taste just as good.
Reach for dark chocolate…
Instead of milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is antioxidant rich and because it has a more intense flavour than its milk alternative, you’re guaranteed to be satisfied with less of it. Chocolate fix sorted and calorie count reduced. Success.
Enjoy Edamame beans…
Instead of peanuts. While peanuts are good for the heart, they’re also laden with calories. If you’re looking for a low-calorie alternative, why not try edamame beans. They’re also great source of protein and fibre.
Tuck into frozen fruit…
Instead of a tub of ice cream. Get your favourite fruit (bananas and grapes work well), spread a single layer out on a baking tray, freeze until firm and pop into an airtight bag. Snack on the fruit alone or enjoy with some Greek yoghurt.
This article is sponsored by Avonmore Slimline Milk. Whether it’s for your mid-morning bowl of cereal or afternoon Americano, why not reach for Avonmore Slimline Milk during your weekly shop. It’s fat free and also enriched with iron, folic acid and vitamins C and D to help release energy during the day and give the body the boost it needs during a busy week.
