With a schedule that has me hustling and bustling throughout the day, I have started to rely on snacks more than usual to hold me from breakfast to lunchtime. In the past, I would eat healthy snacks such as Nutri Grain bars, granola bars and fruit, but lately I’ve been relying on the foods that bring me joy. I like to call it my comfort food, the food I wouldn’t eat unless my calorie intake for the week suggested I could give myself some slack. I have definitely increased my consumption of all the things I truly appreciate.

1. Popcorn – Popcorn is my absolute favorite snack and it’s healthy. However, I will eat bags and bags of popcorn within a day and of course I’m not eating the low calorie popcorn such as Skinny Pop. Instead I enjoy a mixture of white cheddar and kettle corn from the popcorn stand in the mall or Act II Extreme Butter with white cheddar seasoning added to top it off.
2. Chips – I’m very picky about the chips I eat on some days and on other days I eat any kind that’s in the variety pack. My favorite chips are Doritos and I also enjoy the Flamin’ Hot Asteroids (Cheetos). Sometimes veggie chips are sufficient but on most days I want the good-good!
3. Candy – This is one thing I’m very selective about. Other than a Reese’s, any other chocolate bar I eat has to have nuts. And I also only like select flavors of Skittles. I’m not a fan of the original skittles but I’ll take one of the blue, purple and peach. Although I never finish a candy bar or a bag of candy in one sitting, rest assured I keep several bags stashed away for those “just in case” moments.
4. Sunflower Seeds – Sunflower seeds truly are a comfort snack for me. Chewing on sunflower seeds calm my nerves. I know it sounds odd but they really do settle me.
5. Peanuts – Peanuts have the same effect on me that sunflower seeds do. I think it’s something about the salt that provides satisfaction, and makes me thirsty.

I know these are not the best foods for my health but I promise I walk my 10,000 steps everyday. If you have some suggestions for some delightful, healthy snacks, drop them below.