Healthy Snacks

Practical guidance for choosing afternoon snacks that stabilize blood sugar, reduce cravings, and support long-term health

By John Fisher (assisted by AI)

Afternoon snacking often gets a bad reputation, but according to Jessie Inchauspé, the problem isn’t snacking—it’s what and how we snack. When blood glucose rises sharply and then crashes, we experience fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and overeating later in the day. Inchauspé’s work focuses on keeping glucose curves flat through simple, practical food choices. A well-chosen afternoon snack can support steady energy, focus, and appetite control rather than undermine them.

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What Makes a Good Afternoon Snack?

In Inchauspé’s framework, a glucose-friendly snack is:

• Low in added sugar

• High in protein, fiber, and/or healthy fats

• Preferably savory rather than sweet

The goal is to slow digestion and prevent rapid glucose and insulin spikes.

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The perfect midday snack—two hard-boiled eggs with salt & pepper

Glucose-Friendly Snack Ideas

These options consistently align with Inchauspé’s principles:

• Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt with nuts or seeds

• Cheese with a small handful of nuts

• Apple slices paired with almond or peanut butter

• Hummus with raw vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, peppers)

• Hard-boiled eggs

• A few squares of 85%+ dark chocolate paired with nuts

Why These Work

These snacks:

• Slow digestion

• Reduce insulin spikes

• Support sustained energy and concentration

• Prevent late-afternoon crashes and overeating at dinner

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Snacks to Avoid

Inchauspe advises limiting snacks that spike glucose quickly, including:

• Cookies, pastries, and granola bars

• Fruit eaten alone (without fat or protein)

• Sweetened yogurt

• Crackers or pretzels by themselves

Rule of thumb: never eat carbohydrates alone—always pair them with protein or fat.

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What About Protein Bars?

Protein bars are not automatically “bad,” but Inchauspé would urge caution.

Common Problems

• Hidden sugars (syrups, honey, dates)

• Refined carbohydrates (rice syrup, tapioca starch, maltodextrin)

• Ultra-processing that worsens metabolic response

• Marketing that overemphasizes protein while ignoring glucose impact

When a Protein Bar Is Acceptable

Occasionally, a bar may work if it has:

• ≤ 5 g added sugar

• ≥ 10 g protein

• ≥ 8 g fiber

• Healthy fats from nuts or seeds

• A short ingredient list you recognize

Even then, whole foods are preferred.

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Snack Strategies by Goal

1. Diabetes Management

Goal: flat glucose curves and minimal insulin spikes
Best options:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt with nuts

• Cheese and nuts

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Vegetables with hummus or guacamole

Avoid fruit alone and highly processed “health” snacks.

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2. Weight Loss

Goal: satiety and fewer cravings later
Best options:

• Greek yogurt with cinnamon and nuts

• Apple slices with nut butter

• Eggs with vegetables

• Cheese with olives

• Chia pudding made with unsweetened milk

Stable glucose reduces rebound hunger and evening overeating.

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3. High-Energy Teaching Days

Goal: focus, endurance, no 3–4 p.m. crash
Best options:

• Yogurt with nuts

• Eggs with a pinch of salt

• Hummus with crunchy vegetables

• Dark chocolate with nuts (small portion)

• Cheese with apple slices

If drinking afternoon coffee or tea, pair it with food.

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Simple Weekly Prep (10 Minutes)

• Boil a half-dozen eggs

• Portion nuts into small containers

• Wash and cut vegetables

• Keep plain yogurt and cheese readily available

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The Bottom Line on Snacking

The bottom line is simple: snack to stabilize blood sugar, not to chase quick energy.

A good snack should prevent glucose spikes and crashes by combining protein, healthy fats, and fiber. When blood glucose stays steady, energy lasts longer, focus improves, cravings decrease, and overeating later in the day becomes less likely. Highly processed, sugary, or carb-only snacks do the opposite—even when they’re marketed as “healthy.”

If you remember one rule, make it this: never eat carbohydrates alone. Pair them with protein or fat, favor whole foods over bars and packaged snacks, and treat convenience foods as occasional tools—not daily staples. Stable glucose leads to stable energy, better appetite control, and better health overall.

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Reference

Inchauspé, J. (2022). Glucose Revolution. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

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