Ever find yourself a few hours after lunch wishing you had something to snack on? You look over and see a vending machine behind your desk. Perfect, you think. You’ve just consumed a small back of chips containing nearly 300 calories, yet you still feel hungry. If this has been you, read on! Here are 6 tips to healthier snacking!

1. Stock up at your whole food store on organic produce! Never leave the grocery store without a plentiful amount of fruits and vegetables. The most important key to healthier snacking is completely eliminating junk food snacking.  Make a list of snacks for the weeks that follow your clean-eating plan and be sure to grab these items during your grocery trip! If you have a readily available selection of fresh produce, you are less likely to indulge in something you know is detrimental to your health and metabolism.

2. Bring your produce home and wash all of it. Preparing your snacks ahead of time will ensure time is not an issue when needing a quick fix food! Slice your veggies into sticks to eat with a side of hummus or guacamole.

3. Whip up some raw vegan chocolate covered banana bites! These are a special treat that will leave you feeling satisfied. Chop the banana into bite size chunks and freeze flat on a piece of parchment paper. Mix together 3 tablespoons of cacao powder and 4 tablespoons of melted unrefined coconut oil. Once that is thoroughly mixed, add 3 tablespoons of agave and stir. Remove the banana chunks from the freezer and dip in the chocolate mixture. Refreeze for 10 minutes and voila! They are ready to eat. They can be stored in the freezer for a treat later in the week!

4. Wake up 15 minutes earlier than your usual time to prepare your snacks for the day. Ensuring you have enough time to get your snacks into a lunch box will eliminate the time factor. Time is everything!5. Feeling a little adventurous? Purchase a dehydrator! You can dehydrate almost anything! Chop up some kale and throw it in the dehydrator for kale chips. Dried strawberries and mango slices are also a delicious treat between meals.

6. Nuts such as almonds and cashews are fantastic snacks that can be found at any store! Health food stores sell organic nuts that you can pre-bag and take with you for snacks during the day! Just remember to eat no more than the serving size!Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive! With a little drive and dedication, healthy snacking will be your norm and you will never look back at vending machine foods. Why have processed and heavily salted foods with unhealthy amounts of calories when you can have delicious and healthy foods at your fingertips!