Snack like a Fitness Pro

Snacks used to be a little nibble here, a small bite there, and we’d all still sit down for our three square meals each day. Now, half of our eating occasions are snacks—which makes choosing the right snack all the more important (1).

When selecting a food to snack on, find the balance between nutrition, convenience and taste. Peanuts and peanut butter make it easy to snack smart; they are a good source of fiber, have more protein than any other nut and contain good fats that we should be eating more of. And they help keep you energized throughout the day.

In honor of National Snack Food Month, we’ve asked fitness influencers Julie Fagan, Jennifer Zerling and Jennifer Mickendrow to share their favorite ways to incorporate peanuts/peanut butter into their snacking routine:

	Julie Fagan, Peanut Butter Fingers “Adding a big scoop of peanut butter to a smoothie is one of my favorite ways to make smoothies creamier, tastier and more satisfying! The combination of a frozen banana, a splash of coconut milk, cocoa powder and natural peanut butter can’t be beat! “
	Jennifer Zerling, MS, CPT, JZ Fitness “Peanuts contain monounsaturated fats which researchers have found to be integral for good heart health.*  This food not only contains good fats which we need in our daily diet, but it also contains vitamin E, niacin, folate and manganese and other antioxidants.  These phytonutrients and vitamins are the spark plugs to an optimal metabolism and overall health.  You can achieve this in a handful of peanuts a day.”
	Jennifer Mickendrow, Fit Mom Strong Mom “I love to use peanut butter to make nutritious breakfast “cookies” using oats, bananas, and peanut butter. There’s no added sugar, and my toddler loves them too!”

Looking for more snack ideas? Visit our recipes page here.

*Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, including peanuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.

1. http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Consumer_Trends/2016/01/Party_of_one__Snacking_on_spec.aspx?ID=%7B93A8C427-46BE-44EC-B3BD-39D5578AC3BD%7D