Eating right doesn’t have to be a chore. After months of trial and error, I figured out 4 ways to snack healthier – without compromising flavour.
…and seriously: I am so happy to not have to give up snacking. *score*
This is not a sponsored post. I received my Hot Air Popcorn Popper courtesy of Hamilton Beach – all opinions are my own.
After giving birth, I wasn’t one of those women to “swing” back into my pre-pregnancy bod. I was eating poorly, lacking sleep, and lost all willingness to exercise.
I felt drained. Of course, I needed to cut myself some slack. Being a new parent, I knew there’d be adjustments. But after a few meltdowns (and yes, these included crying sessions in changing rooms where sales associates had to cut me out of dresses), I was ready to make a change.
I found myself a nutritionist (who is also a trusted friend) and together, we’ve been going through a well-rounded eating plan. And really, there’s not much to it: no sacrificing, no strict regimes… just smarter (and realistic) choices.
And yes: it includes snacking.
Here are some winning food-combos that will have you snacking healthier, better, and tastier:
Veggies + Hummus
Easy to prepare, easy to pack, and you could go cray-cray with your veggies variety. My personal favourite: green peppers, radish, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes.
Granola bar + handful of nuts
This is the snack that my nutritionist started me on. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t suffice. Boy, was I wrong! I often go for Kashi Bars (as she recommended) and 1/4 cup of unsalted cashews for my mid-day treat. I also love the idea of keeping a granola bar in my purse so that I have something to munch on if I’m on-the-go.
Hard boiled egg + piece of fruit
Yup, one simple egg can really keep you going when you need a pick-me-up.
Popcorn
You’re seeing correctly. I was ecstatic I was when my nutritionist suggested popcorn as a healthy snacking option.
But wait, back it up: popcorn? Salty, buttery, warmly-popped kernels that can be deliciously washed down with an extra large soda?
Not exactly.
This is where a popcorn maker comes in.
So yes: forego the heavily poured-on butter. Flavourful, delicious popcorn is still a possibility: you just have to be creative.
Lucky for me, I recently received Hamilton Beach’s Hot Air Popcorn Popper. It has helped my snacking game tremendously.
It is so easy to use. I can make myself a snack in just a few minutes. Want to know just how simple? This is how it works: pour in your desired amount of kernels, plug it in, and watch it do its thing.
So whether baby is taking a nap or sitting in his high chair, I can multitask and prepare myself a delicious helping of popcorn. Yes, Hamilton Beach, you have made healthy snacking a possibility for a new mama. I applaud you.
Here’s how I flavour-up my bowl of popcorn:
– 1 tbsp of paprika
– 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese
– pinch of Himalayan pink salt
– 2 to 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
What do your snacking habits look like? How are some ways you can snack healthier?
Prepare yourself for… a giveaway!
In partnership with Hamilton Beach and my good friend Marielle of ladymarielle.com, we’re giving away a Hot Air Popcorn Popper to two lucky readers!
Hamilton Beach Canada: Hot Air Popcorn Popper
These are all great ideas. All it takes is a few simple changes in your diet to drastically change your health. Love it.
That popcorn recipe sounds amazing. I think the addition of the cheese is great. Cheese is always a great option with popcorn.
I love popcorn but unfortunately, I am no longer allowed to eat it due to some medical issues but I miss it so much. My family still eats it and I know they will love this, I never thought about the hard boiled egg snack, gonna try that out!
I am always looking for ways I can snack healthier. I will have to start using my air popper. I have been using the microwave kind for years now and forgot all about my air popper.
I think I like either cheddar popcorn, or caramel popcorn. Aside from movie-theater buttered popcorn! Popcorn is such a great snack, I will have to try your recipe!
Popcorn is my JAM!! I haven’t made it at home in a while but this makes me want to make some right now! LOL!
I find healthy eating to be insanely delicious – so I don’t ever really understand what people are talking about when they say healthy eating is boring and bland.
I love popcorn so much! I love this recipe, the addition of cheese is SUPER awesome to me. I am going to try this.
I love popcorn but I prefer it plain (I know it sounds boring lol). Getting your pre-pregnancy bod is so hard, I still can’t get it, ten years later lol.
Seasoning is definitely a better and tastier and healthier option.I always drown mine in butter. Yum, lol!
I struggle with my eating habit. I always snack on sweet anything. This is good news for me, I really want the healthy popcorn style!
I think these are all great ideas. There are many ways to have healthier popcorn without all the butter. I love that you can put anything on it to make it still taste good and be healthy.
These are great ideas. Hard boiled eggs, cheese, and popcorn are all top choices for me. I’m going to try your popcorn.
We love snacking on popcorn. I’ve never tried adding paprika though. Interesting! I will have to try that one of these days.
I have done some of these things with popcorn. I can imagine that paprika with parmesan would be interesting. I have like parmesan with the popcorn though. Love it.