I remember coming home from school as a kid and first thing eating a snack! That usually meant an ice cream sandwich followed by another because who can eat just one! I mean, come on! And then of course there were the days that mom was baking! Few things are better than the smell of fresh baked bread! I equated sugar with love early on. I loved baking with my mom. Getting to stir the chocolate pudding as it was cooking meant I'd definitely get to lick the spoon after! Quality time! It took me years to realize that I was addicted to sugar and years after that to have the desire to change. The first time I ever did a food based cleanse I realized just how entangled I was in my sugar (and diary) habit.
Once I stopped eating sugar at my meals I realized that I was still eating loads of it at snack times. Sugar sneaks into snacks all the time! The perception is that it's just a small thing so it doesn't matter but we all know better. It all adds up! So... if you are feeling like you'd like a little something between meals here's a list of some excellent snacks that are free from added sugar.
When snacking go for high-quality! I take this rule seriously... if I want a chocolate bar I don't head to the convenience store, no ma'am! I buy the finest piece of dark chocolate and really enjoy it! Same story for olives. I LOVE getting the fancy olives!
I'm including a few brands that I like (I don't have any affiliation with any of them).
Sweet
- Figs
- Dates
- Currents/ Craisins/ Raisins
- Fresh, whole fruit (the ultimate fast food)
- Organic yogurt (make sure there's no sugar in it) + ripe fruit
- Apples + Almond butter
- Sprouted date bread + Jam (all natural fruit)
- Wheatgrass
- Frozen banana slices
- Dried Fruit
- Chia Pudding
- Brown Rice Porridge + maples syrup, cinnamon, almond milk + bananas (an excellent idea for left over grains)
- Homemade Fruit Juice Popsicles
- Fruit “ice cream”: peel a banana, freeze, blend in a food processor with nuts + berries.
- Freshly squeezed or juiced fruit juices. Melted Popsicle is still my favorite.
- Sweet vegetables: yams, sweet potatoes, squashes (acorn, butternut, kabocha) cut into chunks or fries; sprinkle with cinnamon and bake.
- Baked Apples
- Dates stuffed with nut butter
- Frozen Mango
Salty
- Kale Chips
- Olives
- Pickles and pickled vegetables, such as carrot, daikon, beets
- Tabouli
- Steamed vegetables with tamari/shoyu or umeboshi vinegar
- Guacamole + whole grain chips (Garden of Eatin brand)
- Sauerkraut (will totally curb your sugar cravings + it's great for good bacteria in your gut)
- Salted Edamame
- Roasted Garbanzo Beans (Eden Foods is the best canned brand)
- Small amount of organic cheese
- Miso Soup
Tart
- Frozen Acai
- Goji Berries
- Avocado + Black Pepper + Balsamic Vinegar
- Hail Merry Tarts (if you've not had these they are amazing! Some are tart, some are sweet - all are great) *Sweet Surrender Sugar Detoxers... save this one for post detox!
Refreshing
- Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Water
- Synergy Kombucha
- Frozen Grapes
- Herbal Tea (fave brands: Traditional Medicinals, Yogi, Organic India, Pukka)
- Infused water with mint + lemon
- Sliced Tomato with olive oil
- Cantaloupe
- Sparkling Water
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce
Crunchy
- Apples
- Rice Cakes
- Popcorn: use coconut oil to pop in a covered pan
- Mary's Gone Sticks and Twig Pretzels
- Carrots/ jicama/ beets (I LOVE to use a grater for these, makes em sweeter!)
- Crunchy crudités of veggies and dip (hummus, tabbouleh, vinaigrette, favorite dressing, I like Annie's dressings you can find many that do not have sugar)
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Celery, nut butter + raisins (the best nut butters are made from roasted nuts that have been ground up. The ingredients list should be really basic like nuts + salt.)
- Hummus with whole grain toast, baby carrots, rice crackers
- Nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia are my faves)
- Corn Chips (I'm a fan of Trader Joe’s Organic) + Salsa
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
Creamy
- Smoothies
- Yogurt
- Avocado
- Rice Pudding (make with dates)
- Hummus + Baba Ghanoush
- Puréed Soups
- Pudding made with avocado
- Mashed banana with Artisana Coconut Butter
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Coconut Milk (I LOVE freezing it + then blending with a frozen banana or frozen raspberries to make ice cream)
