We all have been there. It is mid afternoon and it is too early for dinner, but you just cannot concentrate, your stomach is hungry. When snacking time strikes, you need something to just tie you up until the next meal. Portion control is the key.  Make your snack wholesome and nutritious. Try some of the following recipes and skip the vending machine, they are so simple with ingredients that most likely you have at home.  Have fun and invent your own recipes, keep it fresh and simple.

If you are on the go, portion out servings into individual baggies ahead of time and take with you, or better yet make a bigger portion and take it with you to share with a friend.

Snacks with fiber will be digested more slowly and keep you feeling full for longer time. Try to add some protein when possible and keep and eye for overly salted ingredients.

Crunchy snacks:

• Combine strips of red or green bell, chopped broccoli and scallions and dip them in some Greek yogurt with a touch of horseradish.
• Shredded carrots with a dash of sesame oil, lime juice honey and cayenne pepper.
• Stuff celery sticks with cashew butter and dot with dry currants or cranberries.
• Spread some toast with tahini and top with alfalfa sprouts or shredded carrots

Fresh snacks can be a great pick me up, Keep portions to no more than half a cup.

• 3 or 4 tomato slices with some olive oil, you can sprinkle some feta cheese and herbs on top
• Crumbled feta cheese over watermelon and sprinkle it with mint leaves, super refreshing. You can chill it the night before.
• Cucumbers as crackers and top them with hummus or tapenade and garnish with herbs.

Sweet snack solutions:

• Freeze green and red grapes until they are firm. Eat them while they are icy cold, they will be delicious and refreshing, and you will not miss the ice cram cone.
• Cut a tangerine into segments drizzle with a little bit of honey and dust with cocoa and if you feel adventurous a small dash of chili powder.
• Sprinkle fresh berries with granola and microwave until warm. Great quick healthy cobbler.
• Microwave a sweet potato and mash it with some orange juice. It makes two or more servings, so be ready to share.

Pre packaged snacks on the go

• Small packets of carrots
• Protein bars like the Herbalife Deluxe Protein bars, they come in 4 different flavors.
• 100 calories packets

Keep the portions small and the ingredients fresh. Enjoy responsibly!