Is Snacking Bad?
If you’ve read the Whole30 book, you know that the goal is to get most of your calories from meals, so that you aren’t snacking throughout the day. Especially since I started at working at home, I’ve become a bit of an all-day grazer. So when I first read this, I thought to myself, Yeahokaylolscrewyou. But as I’ve learned more about the rationale behind it, I’ve started to understand the Whole30 approach to snacking. First let’s clear a few things up:
FOR REAL — IS SNACKING BAD (ON WHOLE30)?
I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with snacking. Most days, I have a snack between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, and sometimes after dinner. SUE ME.
But I do think that if the goal is to fill our plates with meats and vegetables and healthy carbs, it’s easier to do that at mealtimes than it is at snacktime. Unless you’re just really good at prepping (and you keep celery, carrots, bell peppers, etc. chopped and on deck), it’s likely that a majority of your snack options will be some combination of nuts, seeds, fruits, and maybe meats. All of these things are lovely in moderation, but if at the end of the day, you’re getting the bulk of your calories from them, you probably won’t get the magical unicorn results you’re wanting out of your Whole30.
I also think discouraging snacking encourages you to listen to your body more. If you’re always hungry between meals, it’s probably a sign that you aren’t eating enough during meals.
But like I said — I love to snack. I was snacking a lot last week, and made sure to send my partner to work with a few extra somethin-somethins in his briefcase, just in case. I really believe one of the keys to a successful relationship is to make sure no one gets hangry. (Srsly tho.)
WHEN TO SNACK
Melissa Hartwig (founder of Whole30) says that if you start wanting a snack, you should ask yourself: Would I eat a meal right now? If not, it’s probably a craving, and you should try drinking some tea or sparkling water and see if the craving goes away. (Apparently most cravings go away within 3–5 minutes, so it’s not too bad.)
If you’re legitimately hungry though, you should eat a small meal — she gives 2 hard-boiled eggs as an example. We’ve been using this as our guideline for snacking and it’s been super helpful.
WHAT TO SNACK ON
I think snacking in the Whole30 way requires us to reframe what we think of as a snack. It doesn’t have to be some prepackaged thing from the pantry (although there are some great options for that). Here are some of my favorite “snacks” and when to enjoy them:
MATCHA LATTE/COCONUT OIL COFFEE
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably noticed my obsession with matcha lattes. I drink one every single morning, usually right when I wake up, and sometimes have another later in the day, especially on days when I’m running around a lot and may not eat a proper meal.
I’m a huge fan of blending hot beverages with coconut oil/coconut butter because it gives them that frothy, creamy, comforting vibe. I usually also add collagen peptides, for the extra boost of protein (about 20 g in two scoops). This is a great mid-morning snack option, especially if you’ve been struggling to get enough healthy fats in your diet or if you’ve really missed frothy milky coffee.
Here’s my basic recipe (I’ll write a whole post on this soon). Place all of these in a blender or Vitamix and whirl around until it’s nice and frothy:
- 14 oz. hot water
- 1–2 tsp. matcha powder
- 2 scoops Vital Proteins collagen peptides
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. coconut butter (I like Artisana Organics)
You can also replace the matcha and hot water for 14 oz. of hot coffee to make a frothy (coffee) latte.
CUCUMBERS, CARROTS, and BELL PEPPERS (optional: mayo dip)
When you just want something to crunch your teeth on, these raw veggies are a great option. I’ll be honest, in the first few days of last week, carrots and even bell peppers tasted a little bitter to me — but now that my palate has adjusted, I’ve been enjoying making little crudite plates. You can eat these with some mayo dip or not — totes up to you.
BONE BROTH
Yes, this is the second liquid on here — don’t judge. While I’d never think of water or plain coffee as a “snack”, bone broth can have anywhere from 10–15 grams of protein in an 8 oz. serving, making it a surprisingly filling, albeit liquid, snack. I’ve been enjoying a mug of beet bone broth (recipe here) most days of our Whole30, either with breakfast or in the afternoon as its own thing.
DEVILED EGGS
One of the best-kept secrets of Whole30/paleo eating is the fact that deviled eggs are totally in. Usually, we think of deviled eggs as being somewhat indulgent, but when made the paleo way, they’re really just a good source of protein with a bonus of some healthy fats. They still taste indulgent though, which is why I love having them around as a breakfast and snack option.
Deviled eggs 101: Make hard-boiled eggs. Slice in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks out into a bowl. Add whatever flavors you want to the yolks and mash until smooth. Use a spoon (or if you’re fancy, a piping bag) to fill the whites with yolky filling. Eat. My go-to deviled egg filling includes:
- Egg yolks (obvi)
- Paleo mayo (recipe here) — for creaminess
- Dijon mustard — for a nice zippy kick
- Hot sauce — just a touch, for a little kick
- Pickle juice — for acid and salt
The great thing about deviled eggs is that you can flavor them however you want. I’m too into my standard recipe to play around much, but I bet curry deviled eggs would be delicious, as would bacon-y ones. Do you booboo.
FRUIT + SAVORY SNACK
If you’re not eating a ton of fruit with meals, you should feel free to incorporate them into your snacks. The only “warning” is that eating too much fruit can awaken your sugar monster — so I try to stick to lower-sugar fruits (like berries and tart apples) and pair my fruit snacks with something savory, to keep things in check.
Here are some of my favorite pairings:
- Honeycrisp apple + a handful of salty pistachios
- Honeycrisp apple + an Epic bar (Chicken Sriracha foreverrrr)
- Blood orange or grapefruit + a few Epic pork rinds (BBQ flavor is yum)
BARS AND BITES
Of course, there are times when having a prepackaged snack is the easiest and most convenient choice. We try not to eat these at home, only when we’re on the go (because they tend to be pricey). Here are some of our pantry staples for on-the-go bites:
- Chicken Sriracha Epic Bar
- Rx Bars— Blueberry or Chocolate Sea Salt flavors (I’m allergic to the almonds in these but booboo loves them. The chocolate sea salt flavor is worth nothing because it’s one of very few compliant chocolate-flavored foods. Note: Flavors with PB are not compliant.)
- Larabars — most of the basic flavors are compliant, but not all of them are (so check this guide before buying). My fave is Cashew Cookie. Because these are made with dates, they are high in sugar — so limit to one per day, and avoid eating them as a “dessert”.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE WHOLE30 SNACKS?
Do you believe with the Whole30 philosophy on snacking? What are your go-tos? Comment below or message me on Instagram @majamajew!
