I know you know the feeling. You’re getting closer and closer to the end of your workday. But not close enough to call it quits. You’ve had a small breakfast, maybe a little bit of a bigger lunch. You try to avoid having a mid-morning snack because you are conscious of over-eating.
You’re a little lethargic and you know that 3:00 crash is coming. You might be tempted to reach for some caffeine, or maybe you are used to heading to the vending machine to grab a sugary snack to get you through the rest of the afternoon.
I’m going to share with you a way you can indulge your 3:00 sweet craving while also being sneaky about getting some nutrition in. Because the truth is, you might actually be bored but you might be a combination of hungry and bored. So here is a great way to get in a snack that will actually give you some energy and some sweetness.
How can I smash my 3:00 sweet craving?
I like to suggest making a homemade snack (or trail, as known to most of us) mix!
1️⃣ // Start with some nuts for staying power and healthy fats. I recently have been using a small handful each of unsalted almonds and unsalted chopped pecans that I happened to have. I like a bit of variety and it provides different textures and flavors.
2️⃣ // Add some dried fruit for sweetness and fiber. I have been really loving dried apricots and I also always have golden raisins ready to throw in. In the fall, I love dried apples too!
3️⃣ // Add some chocolate! Let’s be honest: this is what you really want, so don’t leave it out. I use a handful (+ a few extra) of some dark chocolate baking chips. Sometimes I will throw in other things like leftover m&ms or a broken up block of a chocolate bar. Whatever looks good!
4️⃣ // Add something salty if you want. I have been loving these honey roasted sesame chips that I’ve found at discount groceries (not sure why I only find them there), which are a little sweet but mostly the dominant flavor is salt. I’d also do pretzels, or even chips. If you want to do a nut + salty combo, half the nuts and add some peanut or almond butter filled pretzels!
So, you still got your chocolate fix. You balanced it out with a bit of salty. And you got the benefit of staying power for extended energy with the nuts. I usually measure this by eye in a small dish and it tends to come out to between 1/3 and 1/2 cup.
Enjoy 🙂