Snacks make me happy! Literally, they do! I feel better and act/react happier when I prioritize eating a pro metabolic snack in between meals.
A principle of Pro Metabolic eating is to eat every 3-4 hours. This easily comes out to 3 snacks a day counting a bedtime snack.
You have probably hit the wall of wondering what you should eat for a snack and when you are hungry, that is not a good place to be. Planning ahead and eating the same thing for snacks every day can really help alleviate the stress and keep you on track to heal your metabolism.
Here are 7 Pro Metabolic snack ideas for you to try that are delicious and satisfying!
- Dairy and Fruit
This is the jackpot of pro metabolic snack ideas! Dairy and fruit pair extremely well together as far as taste and pro metabolically. The dairy provides the protein and fat while the fruit supplies the carbs.
There are so many dairy and fruit options to choose from that it is easy to mix and match with whatever is in season. Just be careful that you choose good quality dairy and organic or clean fruit from the EWG Clean Fifteen Dirty Dozen List.
Some good dairy options are…
- Milk
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Cottage Cheese
Pretty much any fresh fruit is ready to eat as is and requires minimal prep, but there might be some fruits like pineapple or mangoes that you find to be super acidic and irritate either your mouth or digestive tract.
There is no need to avoid these though. A trick to improve them and make them more digestible is to heat them with some butter and honey (or any other preferred simple natural sweetener) and let them cook for 5-10 minutes until they are softer.
The heat breaks down the acid and causes the fruit to release its natural sugars making it sweeter. The honey helps neutralize the acid and the butter keeps it from sticking.
This is also a great trick if you want to eat frozen fruit and every time I do this, it reminds me of pie filling.
- Gummies and Adrenal Cocktail
Gummies are protein packed and can be paired with any carbs, but one easy one is the adrenal cocktail. You know you are going to make one during the day at some point so you might as well pair it with some gummies to make a nutritious snack.
Homemade gummies aren’t that difficult to make either. All you need is some hydrolyzed gelatin, water, and your favorite add-ins.
Here are some gummy recipes to try!
- Smoothies
Mix and match your frozen fruit, throw in raw milk or kefir, and top it with a scoop of collagen. You could also add some honey, cocoa powder or even a pinch of salt for flavor.
If this isn’t enough protein, some people like to add raw egg yolks, but if you are not into that, have your smoothie with a side of fried or scrambled eggs.
- Carrot Salad and Milk
If you don’t have time or the energy to take the time to make the carrot salad, try eating a peeled carrot and dip it into a teaspoon of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar. You can also eat the carrot by itself and get the coconut oil and apple cider vinegar in some other way later on in the day.
Don’t forget to drink some milk, too!
- Eggs and Fruit
Scramble up a couple of eggs and enjoy them with a side of ripe fruit. You could also boil some eggs in advance if you like to plan ahead. I would not make enough for a whole week, however. Boiled eggs taste the best when eaten within two or three days of being cooked.
- Fancy Adrenal Cocktail
Some people call it an adrenal creamsicle. Start with equal parts milk and orange juice and add salt, tartar, and some collagen (perhaps some magnesium, too).
Here is the original adrenal cocktail recipe that I build off of and experiment with. Although you can make an adrenal cocktail with other citrus juice, I have not found that they taste good with milk and collagen.
If you prefer lemon or lime juice in your drink, I do not recommend trying it in this recipe.
- Chocolate Milk
Kate Deering in her book How to Heal your Metabolism recommends drinking chocolate milk after exercising or other strenuous activity. It’s a great way to keep from crashing.
You can keep the recipe simple with just milk, cocoa, and honey, or you could add some salt and collagen for extra minerals and protein.
Perfect Pro Metabolic Snack Formula
Basically, you can eat anything for a snack as long as pair a protein with a carb. A good healthy fat like butter or coconut oil helps balance things out and make things more digestible, but it isn’t always necessary especially if you include dairy as it naturally contains fat.
Not everyone in the pro metabolic realm suggests including fat. Many simply say to pair a protein with a carb, but others do suggest it. I usually try to include some butter or coconut oil because I know it is extra nutrients that can’t hurt.
I have found that trying to get in less starchy carbs for snacks helps me feel better and more energized. That is why I go for fruit over bread, crackers, potatoes, and the like.
Whatever you find that works for you, just remember that the goal is to get a balanced snack with protein and carbs.
Final Thoughts!
Snacks are a must if you are trying to heal your metabolism and find health using food as medicine. Don’t over think it though. The stress won’t be worth it.
Find what snacks work for you and stick with them. For me, I like to find two different snack ideas, one for the morning and one for the afternoon and eat the same thing every day. That way I know what I am going to eat when and it helps to simplify shopping, too.
Any of these snacks work great for bedtime snacks, too. Many times, all I need before bed is some milk with a little honey in it.
Kate Deering also recommends keeping a glass of OJ with a pinch of salt on your night stand if you are prone to waking up in the middle of the night. As a nursing mom, I find this very helpful. I don’t always need it, but I make it every night just in case I have a hard time going back to sleep after feeding my baby.
As always, I hope you found this helpful! If you did, please share it with a friend and pin it. Pro Metabolic eating has changed my life and I want others to know about it, too.
PIN IT!
MORE ON HEALTHY LIVING!
Leave a Reply