IT’S 3PM AND the afternoon slump has hit with a vengeance. (We’re giving you a bit of a headstart on today’s dip…)

If you’re anything like us, your immediate ‘go to’ is a cup of tea or coffee and whatever sweet treat is around. Anything sugary to give you extra energy boost to get you to the end of the day.

Back, we say. Away.

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Healthy snacks… it’s not an oxymoron

We all know that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away ‘ but what they don’t tell you is that apples just aren’t that filling.

However, pairing an apple with some sharp Cheddar or some peanut butter, will give you that hit of protein that makes it a much more sustaining snack.

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Some other great snack ideas are

• almonds or other nuts (walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashew) are always a good option s they’re filled with protein and good fats
• cheese (and apple, as above…mmm)
• boiled egg
• celery sticks with peanut butter
• carrot sticks and hummus
• date energy ‘balls’ (you can buy these, or make them yourself – here’s a nice recipe)
• fruit and oat bars (see video below)

Eating healthy on the go

It might seem like when you’re trying to be healthy that you have to carry all your food around with you and be a paragon of preparedness – and it definitely helps you to stick to your clean/healthy eating ways if you do. But we know life gets in the way and sometimes you’re in a rush, or just don’t have the time to be so organised.

So it helps to know that there are food producers out there who have the same ideas you do – and have solved the problem for you.

We spoke to Everest Granola’s Seamus Tighe, about how important nutrition is and why we need to eat well.

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How did it all begin?

Seamus started off as an accountant, but as he got more and more into fitness training and as a result into nutrition,  he developed Everest Granola because he saw there was a gap in the market for healthy food that you can grab on the go.

I wanted to create something that consisted of real food – nuts, seeds, oats, yoghurt and compote. I wanted to make a healthy breakfast, made in Ireland, that consisted of high-quality ingredients that was high in protein.

Why is nutrition so important?

It’s all about getting through the day really – we need energy to keep us going and Seamus needed energy even more than the rest of us.

“I train up to five times a week and I work very long hours. It’s important that you nourish your body so you can maintain high levels of energy. If you skip meals it slows down your metabolism. If you skip breakfast because you’re in a rush, your metabolism never gets started really during the day.

After training also, you need to recover – you need to get your protein in, the right kind of carbs and tons of water. You need it to maintain a healthy lifestyle and getting into shape.

You can’t really do anything unless you keep yourself healthy. It’s hard to function if you’re skipping meals, in the morning or lunch. You need to keep your energy levels up.”

Snacks for you to rustle up yourself…

And if you’re feeling like heading to the kitchen here’s a quick recipe to make your own fruit and nut bars, so you can snack and be smug all at the same time.

Enjoy. 

Do you snack healthily? Let us know in the comments below.