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- A Dietitian Explains Why Meal Prepping Snacks Is So Essential – Plus, 5 Healthy Favorites
A Dietitian Explains Why Meal Prepping Snacks Is So Essential – Plus, 5 Healthy Favorites
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Meal prep isn’t just a huge cost-saver, it can free up loads of time, too. (After all, who wants to cook every night?) And whether or not you’ve already gotten into the routine of strategizing your meals for the week ahead, you’re likely not meal prepping your snacks yet – and you should be.
“Meal prepping snacks helps you not overeat or end up famished by mealtime, causing you to eat more than you normally would,” Colleen Christensen, RDN, told POPSUGAR. “By having snacks at the ready, you’re preventing yourself from getting overly hungry while nourishing your body with foods that feel good.” The best part? Making snacks ahead of time is just as easy as prepping a week’s worth of meals – even easier because you can make one or two snacks to recycle throughout the week. Try making a few of her go-to snacks here!
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Crackers and Cottage Cheese
The combination of protein and carbs helps you stay full between meals, and the prep couldn’t be easier. Just pre-portion crackers into reusable baggies and cottage cheese into a small container for a bite you can bring with you anywhere. And don’t be afraid to get creative: swap crackers for rice crisps or dress up your spread with spinach or other veggies to pack in more flavor and nutrients. Here’s a trick to keep your greens fresh all week long.
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Hard-Boiled Eggs
“Every week I make a big batch of hard-boiled eggs in my Instant Pot,” Christensen said. “Then I’ll grab another portable item to go with it, like an apple.” Dress your eggs up with any seasoning you’d like. (Her favorite is the Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.) And if you don’t have an Instant Pot, no problem – you can make the eggs on your stovetop, too.
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DIY Popcorn Trail Mix
The special ingredient in this mix is popcorn, as it increases the fiber and can even trick your taste buds so that you feel more content after eating it. “Popcorn adds satisfaction and mindfulness to this snack because you have a different texture thrown in there, increasing the use of our senses,” Christensen said. To make a trail mix that is both good for you and actually tastes good, combine two cups of plain popcorn with a cup each of pistachios, dark chocolate chips, and dried cherries. Parse out into baggies for the week so you don’t mindlessly munch the entire bowl away in one sitting.