My Top 5 Energy-Boosting Snacks

Do you ever hit a wall during the day (it’s always around 2 pm for me)? Maybe its running around with my babies, but a lot of the time, a mid-day coffee just isn’t doing it for me. I used to resist the urge to snack when I’d hit that afternoon slump, but lately I’ve been listening to my body and enjoying energy-boosting snacks! That tired feeling is just your body telling you it needs something. Listen to it!

Sometimes, it’s literally that you didn’t get enough sleep, or you need a little brain break. Sometimes it’s that you need to hydrate. A lot of the time you actually do need an energy-boosting snack!

When I started treating snacks as fuel, I stopped getting hangry and tired in the afternoon. I learned how to build snacks that would keep me feeling amazing, especially on crazy days that included workouts, teaching, and being a mom.

Here are a few of my favorite snacks!

The Recipe For The Perfect Energy-Boosting Snacks

First of all, ANY snack is technically going to give you energy. That’s because calories = energy! They literally fuel your body. But your body burns some types of calories more efficiently than others, allowing your body to create energy more efficiently.

The other key to the perfect snack is SUSTAINABLE energy. Some snacks will definitely boost your energy quickly, but the  boost would be short-lived and would leave you feeling more sluggish than before. Here’s your recipe for a quick, energy-boosting snack that will keep you going all day.

Carbs: Part of the Energy-Boosting Snacks Recipe

Carbs can get a bad rap, but carbs are your body’s first choice for creating energy. It’s all about choosing the best kind! There are so many detailed posts out there all about the amazing benefits of carbs if you want to learn more. Basically, you want a carb source that also provides fiber. This helps your body process and absorb the carb steadily, which gives you energy with no crash later.

Protein: Part of the Energy-Boosting Snacks Recipe

Remember when we talked about sustainable energy? Well, protein is more than just a post-workout necessity. Including a little protein in your snack stabilizes your blood sugar. Protein also helps with satiety so you can avoid going back for snack after snack all day long.

Fat: Part of the Energy-Boosting Snacks Recipe

Fat is kind of like the icing on the cake! If you’re feeling hungry after a meal or snack, it’s possible that it just didn’t have enough fat! People used to be so afraid of fat…. until we learned that fat doesn’t actually make you fat.

It adds amazing texture, keeps you full, and the good stuff like omega-3 fatty acids are amazing for your heart. Some good choices include nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocado, eggs, coconut, and oils.

My Favorite Energy-Boosting Snacks!

Here are some of my favorite go-to snacks. I need something quick and easy that also tastes good! All of these help me avoid hitting a wall, especially on super busy days.

Peanut Butter + Banana

I’m always surprised at how filling this snack is! Just slice a banana and top each slice with a little nut butter of your choosing.

I know this snack sounds super basic. One thing you HAVE to try (especially this summer) is freezing your peanut butter banana slices! It seriously tastes JUST like ice cream. Yummmmm.

Another thing you can do is sprinkle some hemp or chia seeds on top! This boosts your snack with more fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. If you want to try this but keep the calorie count on the low side (since this is just a snack), use half of a banana!

Hummus + Veggies

If you need something crunchy and kinda salty, try hummus and veggies. I have to be careful with this one because it’s wayyyy too easy to keep eating this until it basically turns into a meal

Hummus – amazing source of plant-based protein. Healthy fats. Fiber.

Veggies – I usually go for something I can have prepped and ready like carrot sticks or celery. Raw veggies give you a lot of bulk and fiber to keep you full!

Nuts + Berries

Salty and sweet? YES PLEASE.

Plus nuts and berries are both superfoods. Berries give you energy-boosting carbs and antioxidants without making you feel too full. Nuts swoop in with the healthy fats and protein (6 grams per ounce) to make this snack super satisfying.

The best part? This snack is really easy to take on-the-go.

Eggs + A Starchy Veggie

Prep some hard-boiled eggs and roasted sweet potatoes and thank yourself later. This snack is literally the perfect mini-meal.

My favorite starchy veggie to pair with a hard-boiled egg is a sweet potato. It’s an amazing source of carbs to give my body energy, plus it boosts my body with antioxidants and fiber.

BONUS – all of these are PERFECT pre-workout snacks too! So get snacking and sign up for a workout!! Annnnnnnd now I’m hungry.

Which one of these energy-boosting snacks are you gonna try first?!