Pack a Snack!

Good morning!  I attended a wonderful dinner club yesterday evening and I am so thankful for the opportunity afforded to me by my dear friends and I am appreciative of the new relationships that I get to have because of last night's introduction!  Thank you so much to my friends.

While we were preparing to dine we learned that a snack is in fact an essential meal along with breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It's curious to me that over the years we have associated snacks with junk food and in an effort to live well and be healthy we have all but eliminated snacking from our meal options.  When I think of snacks I do not immediately always think of fruit, yogurt or something healthy.  Because of marketing and advertising I think of the snack that smiles back . . .

Inspired by our informative dinner club discussion, I decided to make an effort to bring back the snack attack in a positive way.  Here are three ways to assure that we have healthy snacks at snack time.

1.  Start with the shopping list switch.  When planning our grocery shopping lists, lets refuse to give in to the heavily advertised snacks, which are usually processed foods with little or no nutritional value.  Snacks should have value and be on purpose and planned.  We should make good snack decisions based upon our activities, our desire for variety and our family's needs.

2.  Keep it close.  One of my friends shared about a gentleman who frequently eats fruit and veggies during meetings.  At first that may seem odd, but we must take care of our bodies and give our bodies what they need when they need it.  If I give my body water, fruit and veggies when it says it is ready for a snack then perhaps I can avoid the craving for unhealthy snack options.  Let's keep some bite sized fruit and veggies or a nice whole piece of fruit on hand or maybe even some raisins, nuts and yogurt close by so that when we are ready to snack we can satisfy that meal time.

3.  Share!  I find that people are open to make changes in their own best interest sometimes we just need inspiration!  Since I'm snacking anyway perhaps I can share my healthier snacks with others so that I have a buddy and maybe I can help someone else spark a change!

Hopefully these three choices will lead to good snacking and to us assuring that we respect our snack time as an important meal time.