One of the best ways to keep your mind, body, and heart healthy is making smarter snacking choices. When the hunger pangs hit, it’s easy to want to grab the nearest bag of chips or box of cookies. It’s time to make a change. And for this Valentine’s Day, give your heart some love with healthier snacking options.

And guess what? Healthy snacks don’t have to taste, you know, healthy. It’s important to get in the habit of finding snacks that aren’t just nutritious, but taste good. Preparation is key for maintaining a healthy diet. It’s so easy to cheat when you get hungry, aren’t prepared, and reach for the nearest junk food.

Snack Advice from the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association put together a fantastic list of snacks and snack advice to help change your old habits.

They recommend finding snacks with a little crunch: apples, pears, carrots, nuts, and popcorn to name a few.

And although junk food is convenient, it won’t fill you up. They list whole grain toast with almond butter, low-fat cheese, or a fruit smoothie as snack alternatives that will sustain you for much longer than a bag of Doritos.

Check out their whole article on snacking healthy and what to avoid when shopping for snack foods.

Make Your Own Healthy Snack

Protein, energy and meal-replacement bars can get expensive. And many of them may look and sound healthy, but actually contain high amounts of salt and sugar.  Avoid the extra cost and calories by making your own energy bars. Prevention.com’s recipe for making your own energy bars is a cost-effective and healthy alternative to the bars found in the grocery store. Preparation is the first step to eating clean and these bars will come in handy at your desk or in the car.

For Valentine’s Day, give your heart a little more love and snack smarter.

Dr. Sonja Stilp founded RISE to help patients achieve their performance potential in fitness and life.  Oh, and she loves food. Schedule an appointment with her to talk about improving your diet and performance.