<img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2024/08/Snacks-440-d584493.jpg?quality=90&resize=620,413" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2024/08/Snacks-440-d584493.jpg?quality=90&resize=360,239 360w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2024/08/Snacks-440-d584493.jpg?quality=90&resize=180,119 180w, " sizes="(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px" width="620" height="413" class="wp-image-902117 alignnone size-landscape_thumbnail" alt="A supermarket sign saying 'snacks'" title="Is snacking bad for you?" /> <section class="highlight ">
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<p>This article is produced in association with <a href="../introducing-nutracheck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nutracheck</a>, the UK’s leading calorie and nutrient-tracking app</p>
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<p class="p1">If you’re partial to a morning or afternoon snack, we have good news. Provided the food we eat is part of a balanced diet (possibly a calorie-controlled one, if you’re trying to lose weight healthily) snacking itself is not a problem. However, issues typically crop up when we eat too many calories, or make poor food choices.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Discover <a href="/howto/guide/healthy-snacking" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">healthy snacking</span></a> ideas, our <a href="/howto/guide/healthy-diet-plan-snacks-sweet-treats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">Healthy Diet Plan: snacks & sweet treats</span></a> and <a href="/howto/guide/top-10-easy-vegan-snacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">top 10 easy vegan snacks</span></a></strong></p>
<h2 class="p1">Treats vs snacks</h2>
<p class="p1">How often does a ‘snack’ equate to a ‘treat’ in your day-to-day diet? Treats and snacks can in fact be quite different:</p>
<ul>
<li class="p1"><b>Snack</b> – a small meal which provides some nutritional benefit and can be a healthy addition to your daily diet</li>
<li class="p1"><b>Treat</b> – a food with little to no nutritional benefit, which should be eaten in moderation</li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">In either case, a snack or treat should ideally be around 200 calories and could be sweet or savoury, depending on your personal taste.</p>
<p class="p1">For those of us who work from home, it can be tempting to rush into the kitchen and grab the first tasty thing on offer whenever we feel bored or have an energy slump. However, it is possible to make snacking work to your advantage by taking a minute to consider and select a healthy option.</p>
<p class="p1">While a poor choice will fail to add nourishment, it may also push you over your daily calorie allowance if not factored in. A well-chosen snack not only fills a hunger gap before the next meal, it nourishes your body and supports your daily calorie intake in a healthy way.</p>
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<img class="wp-image-902132 align size-full image-handler__image image-handler__image–full no-wrap js-lazyload" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2024/08/Hummus-snack-packs700-9043fc2.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C310" width="700" height="350" alt="Hummus snack pack with veg sticks" title="Is snacking bad for you?">
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<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>7 snacks under 200 calories</b></span></h2>
<p class="p1">Low-calorie snacks that will nourish your body and give a little energy boost:</p>
<p><span class="s2"><a href="/recipes/spicy-tortilla-chips-with-pomegranate-hummus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spicy tortilla chips with pomegranate hummus</a><br>
</span><span class="s2"><a href="/recipes/pear-peanut-crunch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pear & peanut crunch</a></span><br>
<a href="/recipes/berry-yogurt-pots" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s2">Berry yogurt pots</span></a><br>
<a href="/recipes/pitta-pocket" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s2">Pitta pocket</span></a><br>
<a href="/recipes/hummus-snack-packs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s2">Hummus snack packs</span></a><br>
<a href="/recipes/melon-mint-feta" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s2">Melon with mint & feta</span></a><br>
<a href="/recipes/iced-grapes-cheddar-cubes-celery" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s2">Iced grapes with cheddar cubes & celery</span></a></p>
<p>See more snacks <a href="/recipes/collection/low-calorie-snack-recipes-under-200-calories"><span class="s2">under 200 calories</span></a>.<br>
<b></b></p>
<h3><span class="s1"><b>More snack ideas:</b></span></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s2"><a href="/recipes/collection/best-energy-boosting-snacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best energy-boosting snacks</a><br>
</span><span class="s2"><a href="/recipes/collection/high-protein-snack-recipes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High-protein snacks</a><br>
</span><span class="s2"><a href="/recipes/collection/healthy-treat-recipes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Healthy sweet snack recipes</a></span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><b>Six steps to regain control</b></h2>
<p class="p1">If you frequently find that you go for treats instead of snacks, here are some tips to help you regain some control:<span class="s1"><b><br>
</b></span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><b>1. Pre-portion</b></h3>
<p class="p1">Split up your treat foods into sensible servings to encourage you to stick to one portion. Try to buy foods which come in single portions – for example a multipack of crisps instead of a large sharer bag, or individual chocolate bars rather than a big sharing bar.</p>
<h3 class="p1"><b>2. Keep treats out of sight</b></h3>
<p class="p1">Keep your treat foods somewhere where you don’t see them all the time so you aren’t constantly faced with temptation. Avoid kitchen worktops or eye-level in the fridge, and store them on the top shelf or at the back of a cupboard – anywhere which requires more effort to get to them!</p>
<h3 class="p1"><b>3. Limit frequency</b></h3>
<p class="p1">If you like a treat every day but it often results in you overeating, try a different approach. Allow yourself a treat every other day instead, and plan for it, so you avoid consuming excess calories.<b> </b></p>
<h3 class="p1"><b>4. Identify why you’re eating these foods</b></h3>
<p class="p1">Before you open the snack cupboard, stop and check in with your feelings: are you feeling bored? Hungry? Anxious? Needing a pickup? Rewarding yourself? Identifying potential triggers is the first step to making a change.</p>
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<img class="wp-image-902135 align size-full image-handler__image image-handler__image–full no-wrap js-lazyload" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2024/08/Snacks700-b7732e7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C310" width="700" height="350" alt="Veg sticks and pitta with a dip" title="Is snacking bad for you?">
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<h3 class="p1"><b>5. Work on changing behaviours</b></h3>
<p class="p1">Once you’ve identified why you’re eating too many treats, try to work on how to change this behaviour. If you’re feeling sad, think about why this is and try to address the root cause. If you’re bored, find something to distract you. If you really are hungry, consider what you’ve already eaten for the mealtimes that day, and consider if it was enough to sustain you. Then ask yourself, what is going to satisfy you more – chocolate or a slice of toast with some peanut butter?</p>
<h3 class="p1"><b>6. Try the ‘if – then’ technique</b></h3>
<p class="p1">This requires you to prepare in advance a list of things you will do instead when the urge to snack hits. So for example, “if I want a biscuit at 11am, then I will eat a piece of fruit first to take away the craving”. Or “if I go to grab a chocolate bar at 4pm, then I will head out for my daily walk and listen to my favourite music”. This can work because you have already decided in advance what your course of action will be, so you won’t have to think and find energy to make a decision when your willpower is already being challenged.</p>
<h2 class="p1"><b>Remember: snack smart</b></h2>
<p class="p1">While snacking isn’t inherently bad, the secret is to snack smart. Unlike a bar of chocolate, a piece of fresh fruit or handful of raisins will help you reach your 5-a-day. Similarly, a cracker with cheese or a yogurt will contribute to your dairy and calcium targets. Sweet treats or crisps can still be accommodated sometimes, just factor them into your diet by tracking what you’re eating.</p>
<p class="p1">Remember – no food in itself is bad, it’s the quantity and frequency with which we eat it that has the impact on our health and weight. As always, the answer is moderation!</p>
<h3>Read more</h3>
<p class="p1"><a href="/howto/guide/what-does-100kcal-snack-look-like" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What does a 100kcal snack look like?</a><br>
<a href="/health/healthy-food-guides/healthy-snacks-you-can-make-minutes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 healthy snacks you can make in minutes</a><br>
<a href="/recipes/collection/high-protein-snack-recipes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High-protein snacks</a><br>
<a href="/recipes/collection/vegan-snack-recipes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vegan snacks</a></p>
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<p class="p1"><i>Emma White (ANutr, MSc Human Nutrition) is Senior Nutritionist for the calorie and nutrient tracking app <a href="https://www.nutracheck.co.uk/Home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nutracheck</a>. She is passionate about how food science applies to the human body, and how the nutrients in what we eat affect us and ultimately have an impact on our health.</i></p>
<p class="p1"><i>All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our website </i><a href="http://www.immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions"><span class="s2"><i>terms and conditions</i></span></a><i> for more information.</i></p>
