Adapting a healthy lifestyle can be quite daunting when you have no idea how to approach everything. The key to living healthily is by following a quality diet that is nutrient dense and calorically balanced. If you’re a foodie like many, initially you may think that you won’t be able to enjoy delicious food when trying to diet, but this is a misconception that’s completely untrue. Creating delicious yet healthy snacks yourself is the solution to gaining control of your snacking. Baking and cooking yourself is the key to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. The following examples are just a few reasons why you should begin spending more time in the chicken and less time in the grocery snack aisles.
– Portion control
One of the main benefits of making your own snacks is the very fact that you will be able to gain control of portions. The most frustrating thing about portion and serving sizes is that they are always so small yet contain so many calories. Snacks usually contain too many added ingredients with packed calories that are completely unnecessary. Often times the portions in prepackaged snacks are so unfulfilling making it quite easy to binge eat as a result. When you make your favorite snacks yourself, you completely are in charge of how much or how little you wish to make and eat.
– Less calories
Snacks made for mass production are often calorically dense and those that are usually more healthy often cost so much more. Using only the ingredients you want, you will be able to make snacks that are more calorically friendly. Whether you wish to make trail mix, sugar free banana bread, or popcorn, you can add or take back any added calories you choose. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be so challenging when you know how to make healthier versions of your favorite snacks
– All ingredients you control
If you have any food sensitivities or allergies, you can easily take it out of the snacks you make. Irritable bowel syndrome and imbalance of metabolism and hormones are due to the use of certain ingredients the body can’t tolerate. By making your own snacks, you will be able to avoid any and all ingredients that may be causing your body any allergies.
– Become more of a mindful eater
In addition, cooking and baking overall allow for you to be a more mindful eater. Intuitive eating and knowing when you’re full is one of the best ways to mastering moderation. In creating your snacks, you’ll gain this newfound appreciation for not overindulging, as cooking can be tedious at times. You’ll never want to finish everything right away because you will see just how challenging it is for some snacks to be made. Mindful eating is so hard to follow when it’s so easy to buy and eat snacks ready made. This can definitely help aid with weight control and weight loss.
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– Track macros more accurately
Tracking macros and calories more accurately will also be easier when you make your snacks yourself. Although it will require for you to monitor each ingredient you use, you will be able to easily create your snacks in a way to fit your daily macros. You can add more protein, vitamins, and minerals to any snacks you may enjoy. Sometimes people who are health conscious that don’t make their own food tend to sacrifice their macros just to have snacks they love. This doesn’t have to be the case when you make your food yourself. Adding more protein or nutrients to a snack is possible, especially if they’re in powdered flavorless form. Measuring your food yourself to make snacks will also make you more aware of what you put in your body. It’s quite unfortunate that statistically, most people have no idea what ingredients they are consuming on a daily basis. This is one of the main reasons why people suffer from obesity in this country.
– Avoid preservatives
You will also be able to finally avoid preservatives when you make the snacks you love yourself. Though buying snacks takes no time or effort to do, it certainly isn’t the best option to choose. Preservatives can have long term negative effects on the body and the more you consume them, the more you’ll be accustomed to the negative effects. Foods with lots of preservatives are quite difficult for the body to metabolize, as they were made to have longer shelf lives. Though making your own snacks will basically mean the snacks won’t last as long, at least you know your body will not have to deal with these unhealthy added ingredients. Less preservatives basically mean less possibility in fat storage and binge eating.
– Cost Effective
Lastly, making your own snacks will also be more cost effective to believe it or not. When you make snacks in small batches you will find that you’ll be spending less money, especially if the ingredients you need can make multiple types of snacks. Investing in bulk ingredients to make the snacks you enjoy will be the best way to save a vast amount of money for more servings. Eating healthy and deliciously can be affordable when you shop wisely. A couple of wonderful healthy ingredients to incorporate to any snacks include nuts, dark chocolate, unsalted/unsweetened popcorn, peanut butter, fruit, chickpeas, and oats. All of which are very versatile ingredients that can be turned into all sorts of delicious snacks.
If you want to live a more healthy lifestyle without having to fully eliminate your favorite snacks, creating your own snacks at home may be your best solution. Meal prepping and cooking can seem fine consuming and tedious but it honestly is one of the most fulfilling decisions you will ever make. You will gain a new appreciation for snacks and food altogether while at the same time be more wary of the calories you consume on the daily.
