Nutrient Balanced Snacks / Small Meals
Nutrient balanced snacks provide a balance of complex carbohydrates and protein to prevent spikes in the blood sugar. A simple rule of thumb is to mix and match and protein food with a complex carbohydrate food. Each snack should provide 100-110 calories or about 12 grams protein and 12 grams carbohydrate. A small amount of fat may also be included. Remember 1 gram of fat equals 9 calories, where 1 gram of protein or 1 gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories.
Consider the following protein foods as snacks: boiled egg, greek yogurt, string cheese, nut butters, hummus, tuna fish, chicken or turkey, beef jerky, cottage cheese.
Combine with one of the following complex carbohydrate foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, low-carb tortilla, whole grain toast, no added sugar dried fruit, steel cut oats, air popped popcorn, granola
Sample Combinations:
Ready Made Nutrient Balanced Snacks are available from:
Consider the following protein foods as snacks: boiled egg, greek yogurt, string cheese, nut butters, hummus, tuna fish, chicken or turkey, beef jerky, cottage cheese.
Combine with one of the following complex carbohydrate foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, low-carb tortilla, whole grain toast, no added sugar dried fruit, steel cut oats, air popped popcorn, granola
Sample Combinations:
- 1/2 cup blueberries with a dollop of yogurt
- 15 peanuts or 10 cashews with fresh fruit or celery
- 1 large scrambled egg with 1 T salsa
- Deviled Egg (mix the yolk with hummus or greek yogurt)
- 1/2 sliced apple with 1 tablespoon natural almond or peanut butter
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 5 strawberries
- 1/2 red bell pepper with 3 tablespoons hummus
- 1 tablespoon low-fat granola with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- string cheese with fresh strawberries or raspberries
- Celery sticks with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
- 5 cherry tomatoes with 1 ounce cheese
- 1/4 cup egg salad with lettuce or endive
- 10 almonds with a celery stick
- 1/2 sliced apple with 3 walnuts
- 1/2 apple with 2 tsp natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries with 2 tablespoons light whipped topping
- Fresh vegetable mix: 1 cup broccoli, red pepper, and cauliflower with 1 tablespoon low-fat ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 medium tomato
Ready Made Nutrient Balanced Snacks are available from:
- Protein Shakes: check the Nutrition Label for equal grams protein and carbs. Adjust serving size to provide 100-110 kcal
- High Protein Granola Bars: check the nutrition label for equal grams protein and carbs. Adjust serving size to provide 100-110 kcal
- Check labels to avoid simple sugars
Recipes for Balanced Protein - Carbohydrate Snacks
Homemade Yogurt
One 1/2 cup serving provides: 108 calories; 13 gm protein, 14 gm carbohydrate Use recipe below to make ahead 1/2 gallon of yogurt. To make one serving of high protein yogurt snack:
Mix together and enjoy!
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Sour dough cheese biscuits
One serving provides 108 calories, 9 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fat Use recipe below to make ahead one cup of mix and store in refrigerator. Just before cooking, mix 1 1/2 TB of dry mix with 1 1/2 TB sour dough starter. Make be cooked in mini-waffle iron or in oven at 400 F for 10 minutes.
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High Protein Peanut Butter and Steel Cut Oats
One serving provides 110 calories; 12 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, and 1 gram fat Use recipe below to make dry mix for steel cut peanut butter oats. Serve with whey milk. Proportions are included in the recipe.
High Protein Pancakes
One serving provides 10 grams protein and 15 grams carbohydrate; 100 calories. Use recipe below to make dry pancake mix. Make one serving with 2 TB dry mix, 2 TB yogurt, and about 2 TB water.
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