It’s completely normal to experience an afternoon energy slump or feel tired after lunch. The temptation may be to reach for a quick sugar fix from cookies, candy or soda. However, this leads to a rapid spike and crash of blood sugar. For sustained energy without the sugar rush and crash, choose healthier snacks in the afternoon.
The key is combining proteins, fats, and complex carbs to balance your blood sugar and give you lasting, productive energy. Here are nutritious snack ideas to beat the afternoon slump:
- Apple slices with natural nut butter…add some cinnamon for more tsste
- Plain Greek yogurt with berries
- Hummus with carrot and celery sticks
- A hard boiled egg and a handful of nuts
- Oatmeal with almond milk, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts
- Edamame beans
- Cottage cheese and pineapple
- Smoothie with spinach, avocado, banana, a high quality protein powder and almond milk
- Air-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast
- Chickpea salad stuffed in a butter lettuce cup
Drink a glass of water along with your snack too. Dehydration can disguise itself as hunger or fatigue. Avoid ALL added sugars on the ingredients list – instead, get carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
With a bit of creativity and planning, you can put together snacks that give you sustained, nutritious energy to power through the afternoon. Your body and focus will thank you. No sugar crash required!
Need help coming up with other healthy snacks? I’m happy to help.
