Ten - 19 healthy snack choices and their benefits

At TenNutrition, our core purpose is to help clients make better food choices more often.

And snacks are one of the easiest, convenient and sustainable places to make those better choices.

Snacks form an important part of your daily food intake. Ideally, protein (20-30g) should form the basis of your snacks with the addition of some low glycaemic index carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. At least one snack a day should contain a variety of fruit and vegetables.

Avoid sweet treats and snacks high in trans fats where possible. These include chocolate bars, muffins, crisps and biscuits.

Below is a guide to choosing your snacks. We’ve rated them Gold, Silver and Bronze. If it helps, think of them as “Awesome! Outstanding choice”, “Good choice – just be sure to check the label” and “Not bad, but not too often, please” respectively.

GOLD snack choices

1 small pot low-fat cottage cheese on Ryvita^® or oatcakes. Oatcakes provide low-GI carbohydrate and fibre. Cottage cheese is a good source of protein.
1 small pack of Beef Jerky/Biltong. This is an excellent high protein snack. Chewing it also keeps you busy! Be careful not to choose flavoured Jerky as these often have added sugar and salt.
Hummus with celery, carrots, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower. Chickpeas in Hummus contain protein whilst the vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and low-GI carbohydrate.
Mixed nuts and seeds. Brazil, Almonds, Walnut, Cashew and Pecan nuts are all great options. These provide a source of protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Use one handful as a portion size.
Apples or pears. Apples are a source of soluble fibre and contain antioxidants and vitamin C. Pears are high in potassium and also a good source of fibre. The relatively low sugar content of these fruits makes them a great choice for people looking to lose weight or control appetite.
Low fat Greek Yoghurt (Total^® yoghurt). This is a great low-fat, low-calorie snack that still provides some protein and is very versatile. You can add cinnamon, nuts, seeds, berries or oats to match your dietary goals.

SILVER snack choices

Nut butter (Whole Earth^®, Meridian^®) spread on oatcakes. Nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew) is filling and packed full of good fats. Avoid cheap varieties, butters containing palm oil and sunflower seed butter.
Fresh fruit (tropical fruits, ripe bananas, peeled fruits) and dried fruits. Tropical fruits have a higher GI than apples and pears. Whilst they still contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, they lack the fibre found in many other fruits.
Low-fat rice pudding pots. Under 200 kcal, a source of calcium and packed with low-GI carbohydrates makes this very convenient pudding a good snack choice, particularly if you have exercised during the day.
Yoghurts are a great source of calcium and many other vitamins and minerals. Be aware than many types of yoghurt are packed with sugar. Choose yoghurt that is low in sugar and higher in protein and fibre.
Cereal bars. Some cereal bars are no better for you than a chocolate bar! Don’t be fooled into thinking these are always a great option. Some of the better choices are 9 Bars^®, Eat Natural^® bars, Nakd^® bars, Raw^® bars and Tracker^®

BRONZE snack choices

These are better choices than your typical chocolate bars, cakes, biscuits, pastries and crisps. But avoid eating more than one portion a day from this list.