Glad to see dark chocolate on your list, as always :) just a reminder: high percentage dark chocolate shouldn't taste like a punishment, if it does, it's probably made from low quality cacao beans and severely over-roasted. Try to find craft chocolate made by small-batch chocolate makers who source their cacao sustainably and use gentle roasting to preserve as much of the good stuff within cacao as possible.
Your almond recommendation jogged my memory. Here's something from The Guardia , one of your newspapers, from years ago. Barack Obama: I don't eat exactly seven almonds every night
New York Times anecdote about how the president eats only ‘seven lightly salted almonds’ as a late-night snack was told to reporter ‘as a joke’, Obama says
At last, a useful response to better eating than the GP who suggested to a couple to “eat healthy”. How does that advice cover both someone overweight and someone diabetic at the same time??? 🤨😄🤗
This is such a high-utility post because it treats snacks as a strategy, not a personality test. The part I appreciate most is the implicit principle: a “good snack” should reduce decision fatigue later. If it doesn’t buy you 2–4 hours of steadier energy and calmer appetite, it’s basically a teaser, not a tool.
Clinically, the snacks that reliably do that tend to have the same backbone you’re pointing toward: protein + fiber (or at least protein + volume), with enough fat to slow the curve when appropriate. That’s what keeps the blood sugar swing smaller and the “snack → snack → snack” loop from hijacking the afternoon.
Also: thank you for making this feel realistic. People don’t fail because they don’t know what’s “healthy.” They fail because their plan doesn’t match the moment (workday chaos, travel, kid schedules, cravings). Snack lists like this help people build defaults that are actually deployable.
Those who have snacked on olives know how amazing they are. Also, how amazing you feel after eating them. Truly the ultimate snack in my opinion. Olives for the win!
Love the whole list too btw. Chocolate is a superfood when it’s the right kind. It’s time that this select way of eating becomes “normal” rather than “diet”
Glad to see dark chocolate on your list, as always :) just a reminder: high percentage dark chocolate shouldn't taste like a punishment, if it does, it's probably made from low quality cacao beans and severely over-roasted. Try to find craft chocolate made by small-batch chocolate makers who source their cacao sustainably and use gentle roasting to preserve as much of the good stuff within cacao as possible.
Preeeeach! 💪🏾
Your almond recommendation jogged my memory. Here's something from The Guardia , one of your newspapers, from years ago. Barack Obama: I don't eat exactly seven almonds every night
New York Times anecdote about how the president eats only ‘seven lightly salted almonds’ as a late-night snack was told to reporter ‘as a joke’, Obama says
My mum was onto something 😂
This is a great list but what are oatcakes?
I could have added 30 more snacks. I like snacks!
I was left wondering the same! The image looked like a block of tofu
I was going to ask the same thing 😄
Oat cakes are surprisingly difficult to find in the US.
I’m always underwhelmed by the protein content on store bought hummus. Is it notably better with homemade hummus?
At last, a useful response to better eating than the GP who suggested to a couple to “eat healthy”. How does that advice cover both someone overweight and someone diabetic at the same time??? 🤨😄🤗
i love dark chocolate, but mint dark chocolate even moreso. does the mint flavouring affect the effectiveness of dark chocolate?
No idea!
Great information - I also like popcorn - with tamari and nutritional yeast instead of butter!
Brilliant!
Such a great list. Thank you!
you are most welcome!
Thank you for your informative posts, they are a pleasure to read, and your suggestions easy to implement.
My pleasure!
Love the list but are oat cakes a specific UK snack? Not sure what they are.
I thought they originated from Scotland? I just get them from supermarket 😀
Interesting. I haven’t seen them in the US.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/scottish-oatcakes
Love the list, I try to incorporate most! I am the odd one that gets constipated from avocados! You don’t snack on dates??
Who doesn’t love a date??
Love your list here, an the way you highlighted all the pluses in evrything, from probiotics to the polyphenol angle! Love reading your content!
This is such a high-utility post because it treats snacks as a strategy, not a personality test. The part I appreciate most is the implicit principle: a “good snack” should reduce decision fatigue later. If it doesn’t buy you 2–4 hours of steadier energy and calmer appetite, it’s basically a teaser, not a tool.
Clinically, the snacks that reliably do that tend to have the same backbone you’re pointing toward: protein + fiber (or at least protein + volume), with enough fat to slow the curve when appropriate. That’s what keeps the blood sugar swing smaller and the “snack → snack → snack” loop from hijacking the afternoon.
Also: thank you for making this feel realistic. People don’t fail because they don’t know what’s “healthy.” They fail because their plan doesn’t match the moment (workday chaos, travel, kid schedules, cravings). Snack lists like this help people build defaults that are actually deployable.
Those who have snacked on olives know how amazing they are. Also, how amazing you feel after eating them. Truly the ultimate snack in my opinion. Olives for the win!
Love the whole list too btw. Chocolate is a superfood when it’s the right kind. It’s time that this select way of eating becomes “normal” rather than “diet”
- great article, great knowledge
Always a good reassuring read, Thank you Dr. H.