As a former Trader Joe’s employee and a dietitian, I love to pick up snacks like fruit leather and peach halves from the franchise. Leah Kern As a dietitian who used to work at Trader Joe’s, I turn to the store for satisfying snack items. Homemade nachos and dolmas with a Greek-yogurt dip are filling and optimized snacks.
A Clif bar or even a premade smoothie are my go-to’s when I’m hungry but don’t have much time. Crackers with cheese, salami, and apples are both sweet and salty. Add salami and an apple to take this snack up a notch.
Leah KernI try to keep cheese and crackers on hand at all times because I find them to be such an easy and satisfying snack. I upgrade this snack by adding salami and apples to incorporate saltiness and sweetness and to contrast the otherwise savory snack. From a gentle-nutrition perspective, this snack has carbohydrates (crackers), protein and fat (salami and cheese), and some fiber (apple).
Since this snack includes all the macronutrients, it’s a great option to carry with you when hunger strikes between meals. I take fruit leather and nuts on my summer hiking adventures. These fruit leathers from Trader Joe’s have become a crucial part of every hiking trip.
Leah KernWhen I go on long-distance hiking trips, I bring these fruit leathers. They offer a source of simple carbohydrates, which are easily digestible and give you a quick blood-sugar spike for accessible energy. I also like to add some nuts when I want this snack to keep me energized for longer.
The fat and protein from the nuts help to slow the absorption of the sugar from the fruit leather into the bloodstream, resulting in more sustained energy and fullness. When I have a sweet tooth, I’ll eat a rice cake with a cocoa spread and banana slices. These rice cakes keep longer than bread, so they’re an easy alternative to have on hand in the pantry.
Leah KernWhen I used to live in a restrictive-diet mindset, I told myself that I “liked” rice cakes because they were lower in calories. Now, as an intuitive eater, I realized I genuinely enjoy rice cakes, but not because of their calorie count — I like them for their crunch. I love to put cocoa-almond spread on a rice cake and top it with some sliced bananas.
From a gentle-nutrition standpoint, this meal includes carbohydrates (rice cake), fat (hazelnut-chocolate spread), and fiber (banana slices). If you want to make this snack have more staying power, you could add some protein with a cup of milk on the side. Walnuts with chocolate chips and a glass of milk are an essential snack.
This is my go-to snack between seeing clients because it’s so easy and requires zero preparation. Leah KernI love this snack because it’s satisfying — I think nuts and chocolate pair so well together — and it gives me a great energy boost. Chocolate chips are a source of simple carbohydrates (in the form of sugar) and walnuts offer protein and fat.
When eating these together, the protein and fat from the walnuts help to slow the absorption of the sugar from the chocolate chips into your bloodstream. This snack can help to stabilize your blood sugar and keep you energized and satisfied for longer. You can also add a glass of milk on the side to bulk up the snack.
A Clif bar is a no-brainer when I’m feeling hungry. The cool-mint chocolate-chip version is my favorite flavor to get from Trader Joe’s. Leah KernOn days when I’m too busy to prepare a snack, I’m so grateful for Clif bars.
But, despite what diet culture says, granola bars are not meal replacements. However, these bars do make for great snacks and offer a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat all on their own — but if you want to feel fuller for longer, try dunking the bar in nut butter. This is my favorite way to enjoy Clif bars, especially when I’m hiking and need all the fuel I can get.
Nut butter adds protein and fat, which help to slow the absorption of the Clif bar’s carbohydrates into your bloodstream. Combine salty, spicy, and refreshing flavors with veggies, chips, and dip. Don’t sleep on the Trader Joe’s dip section.
Leah KernMy favorite way to serve a dip is on a snack plate with cut-up veggies and some salty snacks like rolled chili-lime chips. For the dip, I personally love Trader Joe’s Greek-yogurt style Everything but the Bagel option. I like the variety of flavors and textures with the refreshing and crunchy veggies and the contrast between the cooling yogurt dip and the spicy chips.
This snack offers carbohydrates (chips), fiber (veggies), and whichever dip you choose will likely provide a source of fat. The snack is also relatively low in protein, which is totally OK, but it’s good to remember that it might not keep you satisfied for long. When I’m in a rush, these premade smoothies with a slice of toast come in handy.
I enjoy the contrast of Trader Joe’s sweet smoothie with the savory toast. Leah KernWhen I’m not in the mood to fuss with a blender to make my own recipe, I like having these premade smoothies on hand. These smoothies are relatively low in calories, which means they won’t keep you full for very long.
The smoothies also offer a great source of protein and some carbohydrates, but they’re very low in fat — I wish Trader Joe’s carried a full-fat version but the store only has this low-fat kind. To make this snack more filling, I like to add a simple piece of toast with butter. The toast adds carbohydrates and fat (butter) which makes this snack more energy-dense and satisfying.
If you want an optimized and satisfying snack, make some nachos. There are endless ways to spice up these nachos. Leah KernPour some chips on a plate, add beans and shredded cheese, throw it in the oven or microwave, and you have nachos.
When I make this snack, I like to serve it with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, or jalapenos. From a gentle-nutrition standpoint, nachos are a very optimized snack since they have carbohydrates (chips), protein (beans and cheese), fat (cheese), and fiber (beans). Since this snack includes all the macronutrients, it’s a great option for when you need something to keep you energized for a few hours.
Trader Joe’s dolmas are a staple in my fridge. Trader Joe’s dolmas have been a longtime go-to in my diet. Leah KernTrader Joe’s dolmas taste delicious on their own, but when I can, I love to introduce different textures and flavors to boost my satisfaction.
You can try dipping these dolmas in plain Greek yogurt or the Everything but the Bagel dip to get a cool, creamy texture to contrast nicely with the stuffed grape leaves. From a gentle-nutrition standpoint, the dolmas offer carbohydrates (rice), fat (oil dolmas are marinated in), and fiber (grape leaves). Adding a Greek-yogurt-based dip is also a great way to add a source of protein to give this snack a little more staying power.
Toast with cream cheese, cucumber, and smoked salmon feels fresh and luxe. This toast is one of my favorite snack combinations. Leah KernFun toasts make great snacks, so I top mine with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and cucumber.
I love the way the cucumber contributes freshness, how the smoked salmon and cream cheese contribute richness, and the way the Everything but the Bagel Seasoning contributes a crunchy texture and savory flavor. From a gentle-nutrition perspective, this snack has carbohydrates (bread), protein (smoked salmon), fat (cream cheese), and some fiber (cucumbers), making it an optimized combination for sustained energy. Turkey, crackers, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes pack the flavor and a variety of textures.
When my roommate made this snack back in college, I was hooked. Leah KernI learned about this snack combo from one of my college roommates when I saw her spread goat cheese, turkey, crackers, and sun-dried tomatoes on our counter. I’m all for different flavors and textures, so I love that this snack has variety with every bite.
If you enjoy a sweet and savory combination, try adding a drizzle of honey to your goat cheese and the turkey cracker. This snack provides carbohydrates (crackers), protein (turkey), and some fat (goat cheese), making it an optimized combination for satisfaction and sustained energy. Waffles, ricotta, peaches, and honey combine the crunchy with the sweet.
I recently started making this creation and it hits all of the right flavor notes. Leah KernFor a flavor-packed snack, toast a waffle, spread ricotta over it, and top with sliced canned or fresh peaches, some chia seeds, honey, and a sprinkle of sea salt. The combination of the crunchy waffle, creamy ricotta, juicy peaches, sweet honey, and a savory hint of salt is just so good.
From a gentle-nutrition perspective, this snack includes carbohydrates (waffle), protein and fat (ricotta), and fiber (waffle and chia seeds), making it a filling snack combination. Click to keep reading Trader Joe’s diaries like this one. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/best-snacks-at-trader-joes-according-to-employee-dietitian-2022-6
