Afternoon Snacks If...
You are having an energy dip
Try cutting back on your caffeine-rich drinks like tea, coffee and cola during the rest of the day and saving it for this moment when you can really do with their mood-lifting boost. Also, try a round of wholemeal toast with peanut butter or cottage cheese plus some celery sticks. The mix of nutrients and the crunching on the celery will feed back to your brain telling it you are feeling full, sustaining you until dinnertime.
You are hungry and are on the run
I try to keep a mix of dried apricots and cashew nuts in my handbag for a quick nibble when on the go. Meanwhile, if I find myself at a garage facing barrages of unhealthy snacks, I look for a yoghurt in their chill cabinets and eat one in the car with an apple to keep me going.
You have a sudden sweet craving
If you really get the urge for something sweet, try a few slices of malt loaf or half a toasted tea cake with a little lower sugar jam. Both have around 100 calories but give you a real feeling of having a comforting treat while being relatively slowly digested so that you avoid a sugar peak and crash.
Everyone is having an ice cream and you want to join in
These days you can give in to this kind of snack attack minus the guilt. Solero’s are a great choice. Again with around 100 calories, I really like the ice creamy bit in the middle with a refreshing ice lolly covering.