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Snacks have an important role to play in our daily nutrition as they offer a way for us to fill any dietary gaps, while keeping is full and preventing cravings.

But as weight loss and gut health Nutritionist Bec Miller explains, it’s important to choose the right kind of snack, with protein and fibre two of the main things she looks for in a good snack.

“The right snacks should help us stay energetic, satiated, and prevent overeating at the next meal, whilst the wrong snacks can do the complete opposite and actually increase hunger, cravings, and the potential to overeat!,” the founder of Health with Bec tells 9Honey Coach.

“Protein is one of the most vital things to think about here and I always recommend trying to roughly aim for snacks that have at least 5-7 grams of protein minimum. Some added fibre and healthy fats (like olive oil, nuts, and avocado) are a bonus too.”

READ MORE: 10 easy swaps to supercharge your nutrition in 2023

“Healthy fats help with satiation immensely, as does fibre, which also optimises digestion and gut health! The more fibre the better.”

Here are five of Miller’s favourite snacks that she recommends that anyone can find at regular supermarkets.

Pilpel hummus with veggie sticks

I love the Pilpel hummus as it contains no nasties like lots of other dips on the market. When you’re looking for a dip, try to buy one that uses olive oil as it’s oil of choice and a short list of ingredients. Hummus is predominantly made from chickpeas – and chickpeas are rich in fibre and protein.

You’ll want to eat at least three to four heaped tablespoons though to make it a decent snack and provide you with over 6-7 grams of protein. The veggie sticks boost your veggie intake for the day, which is important with 90 per cent of people not meeting their needs.

They’ll also add even more fibre to the meal and a little more protein for extra satiation and digestion benefits (two cups of veggie sticks will add a couple more grams of protein). 

4 tbsp hummus with 2 cups veggie sticks (carrots, celery and capsicum):

• Calories: 166 kcal
• Protein: 7 g
• Fibre: 9.5 g

Reduced fat, plain greek yoghurt with berries and almonds

Greek yoghurt is rich in protein, with one cup boasting 14-15 grams of protein. Adding berries boosts the fibre and give you a huge dose of antioxidants and the nuts add some healthy fats and a little more protein.

Always look for a yoghurt that has no added sugar! There are natural sugars in dairy, so don’t be fooled – just look for one that has under 6 g/ 100g sugar and you’ll know it’s not added. Also check the ingredients list. Some great brands are Farmers Union and Jalna. 

½ cup yoghurt with ½ cup berries and 10 almonds:

• Calories: 225
• Protein: 10 g
• Fibre: 3 g

READ MORE: Protein snacks that will help you manage your food cravings

Cheese with tomatoes

I especially love using bocconcini and adding basil.

Cheese contains protein which always seems to surprise people. For instance, one 25 gram slice of cheddar cheese has 6 grams of protein. Six mini balls of bocconcini have 12 grams of protein. 

Pair it with tomatoes for some extra fibre or serve it with an Olinas cracker (like my next suggestion!)

1 slice coon cheddar cheese (21 gram) with 1 large tomato:

• Calories: 133 kcal
• Protein: 6
• Fibre: 2 g

6 mini bocconcini balls (60 gram) with 1 large tomato:

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Protein: 12 g
• Fibre: 2 g

½ cup cottage cheese with 1 large tomato:

• Calories: 115 kcal
• Protein 12 g
• Fibre: 2 g

Two Olinas super-seeded crackers with avocado or cottage cheese

Unlike most crackers that are highly refined (i.e. appear white) that have little fibre and protein, these crackers are made purely of whole seeds and olive oil.

Seeds are rich in protein and fibre, which will keep you satiated, ward off cravings and nourish your gut health simultaneously. Top with avocado for an extra hit of satiating, heart healthy fats or ricotta to boost protein even further.

1 Olinas cracker with 1/4 avocado:

• Calories: 163 kcal
• Protein: 6 g
• Fibre: 5 g

1 Olinas cracker with ¼ cup cottage cheese

• Calories: 150 kcal
• Protein: 11 g
• Fibre: 3 g

Beauty Bites bars

These bars are found in most Coles supermarkets now! They’re one of the healthier options to choose, among a sea of protein and snack bars that are either filled with lots of sugar or fake nasties. 

I always recommend eating whole foods as much as you possibly can though. Opt for whole foods over any protein or snack bar.

But these are great to keep in your bag or grab from the shops at those occasional times you’re not organised. Whilst they’re not extremely high in fibre, they do have 8 grams of fibre which will act to keep you full! Or, you could always have two!

1 bar: 

• Calories: 12 kcal
• Protein: 5 g
• Fibre: 8 g!

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