How to make a balanced snack for an adult?

Why do you have to taste?

Snack time is an optional meal for adults, which can perfectly cover their needs in three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. But tasting is not forbidden, especially if you feel the need. After a too light lunch, or because the day is long and dinner late, the afternoon break is welcome. Some people also feel full very quickly at the table, but quickly become hungry after meals. In this case, it is better to provide a balanced snack, otherwise there is a risk of snacking throughout the afternoon.

How to taste?

Whether it’s a gourmet snack with friends or an essential break at the workplace, snack time should be a moment of calm, a real time for a mini-meal. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, sit down for just ten minutes and enjoy what you are eating. Eat mindfully, even if it’s just an apple or a yogurt! And if the snack is friendly and delicious, don’t let yourself be carried too far beyond your hunger to enjoy this moment of conviviality to the end.

Compose your balanced snack well

For those who eat often, it becomes important to integrate this meal into the balanced diet of the day. It can complement lunch: a fruit or dairy product not eaten at midday may then be sufficient. Want sweet products? Opt for a slice of cake or a homemade muffin, not very sweet and rich in fresh and dried fruits. Accompany it with a glass of milk or fruit juice. If you like savory, simply think of bread and cheese, savory muffins or mini ham croques.

Good healthy snack choices

Limit the quantities: the snack should never provide more than 250 to 300 kcal, i.e. the equivalent of 30 g of bread and 30 g of cheese or a fruit and a glass of milk, or even 3 small dry biscuits accompanied by a fruit.

Stock up on useful foods

• Fresh fruits rich in vitamin C and carotene (orange, clementines, kiwis, mango, guava, grapefruit, strawberries, etc.)
• Fruits that are sources of polyphenols (grapes, apples, citrus fruits, etc.)
• Oilseeds which provide you with good quality lipids, fibers and minerals.
• Dried fruits are also interesting: cranberry, mulberry, goji, all concentrated in antioxidants.
• Dairy products, excellent sources of calcium and vitamins A and D.
• In homemade preparations, use flours rich in minerals and antioxidants: quinoa, brown rice and, more original, lupine or grapeseed flours.

What drink should you include in your balanced snack?

Snack time is also an opportunity to hydrate in the middle of the afternoon. The drink can simply bewater – to choose according to your needs: rich in magnesium (anti-stress, sleep) or gaseous (digestion).
THE fruit juices and smoothies – provided that they do not contain added sugar – have a composition close to that of fresh fruit, but they are less satisfying: prefer a whole fruit if you are hungry.
THE tea, black or green, provides no calories, but is concentrated in antioxidants and certain trace elements, such as manganese. Like coffee – not recommended in the afternoon – it contains stimulating substances, replace it with infusions if you have sleep problems.
Hot chocolate, a great snack classic, can be enough to last you until dinner. A cup of hot chocolate provides on average 200 kcal.
THE natural milk and plant-based milks provide 100 to 150 kcal per glass (20 cl).