How can I avoid unhealthy snacking?

Taking regular breaks with a healthy snack is important and allows you to have an energetic and productive day. But how do you make sure you don't reach for unhealthy options? With these 7 tips, healthy snacking will be easier than ever.

1. Stay ahead of the hangry monster 

Go for a balanced breakfast that leaves you feeling satiated for a long time with plenty of multiple carbohydrates, protein and fiber and definitely never skip breakfast. Of course, you can have your breakfast a little later in the day if that suits you or your pace of life better. The same goes for lunch. Take your time to eat consciously and choose a full healthy lunch. That way you avoid major swings and dips anyway, so you can calmly choose a healthy snack and not go raiding the candy machine like an all-consuming monster.

2. Become aware and change your behavior 

We often reach for (usually unhealthy) snacks out of habit. Become aware of this behavior and plan ahead: simply don't get the unhealthy options, provide plenty of different healthy options, so that the moment you get hungry, you don't have to think twice. After about two weeks, you'll start to get plenty used to your new habits. Make it easier on yourself and just don't buy unhealthy snacks. What you don't have, you can't eat in a moment of weakness.

3. Get rid of the addictive effect

Refined sugars have an addictive effect. Treat yourself to a sugar detox and literally let your body get rid of these sugars. You'll find that your body will crave them less and less, too, and it will become easier to make and keep making healthy choices in the long run.

4. Hydrate!

Hunger and thirst are often confused with each other. Always make sure your body is adequately hydrated. Put your water bottle next to you, that way it's easier to get to your ideal fluid intake throughout the day. Surely an adult should drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. Do you find it difficult to drink water all the time? Then alternate with an unsweetened herbal tea every now and then. Or pimp your water bottle with fresh herbs like basil and mint, cucumber slices, lime wedges, pomegranate seeds, ... Let your creativity run wild!

5. Reward yourself with something other than food 

We often think of snacking as a reward. This is something we often learned as children. Think about how many times you got a candy in the store if you were good. Keep rewarding yourself, but choose a nice walk with the dog, a short moment for yourself with a magazine, a game with colleagues on the Playstation, a game of table tennis, ... Choose something that makes you happy and then reward yourself with that. Keep snacking and nutrition as the fuel with which you take care of your body for a successful day.

6. Put a colorful, enticing fruit basket or a JustBite snack box full of healthy goodies

Put these in a highly visible place and within easy reach. This will make healthy snacking a no brainer.

7. Get plenty of rest 

When you are tired, you reach for unhealthy comfort food even more easily and are less able to control your impulses