PCOS Diet Snack Ideas
by Amy Medling, founder of PCOS Diva
Please snack.
When you have PCOS and insulin resistance, healthy snacking is an important part of your successful PCOS diet. Healthy snacks spread throughout the day keep your metabolism up and your blood sugar stable.
Everyone is different, but I suggest a mid-morning snack at around 10AM, an afternoon snack at 3PM, and depending how late you are up at night, an evening snack around 8PM. The point is to keep your blood sugar and hunger level even so you feel steady and don’t feel compelled to binge.
So, please snack, but do it right. I am not talking about snacking on a bag of Lays chips or a Snickers bar. When choosing your snacks, remember:
- Always try to combine a complex carbohydrate with a protein and even a little fat.
- Plan your snacks so you don’t end up going through Starbucks drive-thru ordering a latte and scone or hitting the vending machine at work. I always have a homemade trail mix in my car for emergencies, and I usually throw a piece of fruit in my purse on the way out the door in the morning. If you are going to be gone all day, pack a small cooler with snacks and mini meals to keep cravings at bay.
Here are some of my favorite snack ideas:
- ½ grapefruit broiled with 1 tsp honey and topped with 1T walnuts
- 1/4 c. hummus with raw veggies like peppers, cucumber, tomato, broccoli
- 2 squares of good-quality chocolate (70 per cent cocoa content or above) with 1T nut butter
- celery sticks with 2T nut butter
- 2 deviled egg halves
- Avocado and Shrimp Cocktail (recipe in my Fall Meal Plan)
- sliced apple with 2T nut butter
- 1/3 c. of tuna or chicken salad on 4 pieces of celery
- Slice of turkey rolled with with raw veggies and guacamole
- Popcorn Snack Mix (recipe in my Spring Meal Plan)
- Chili Lime Mango with Cashews (recipe in my Spring Meal Plan)
- Chocolate Mint Protein Bar
- Trail mix of nuts, dried fruit, seeds, and dark chocolate (1/4 cup is one serving or the size of your palm)
In addition to healthy snacking throughout the day, it is also important that you also stay hydrated. Carry water with you in a glass or metal bottle. Also, remember that sodas dehydrate you. Try seltzer with a little citrus.
Do you think eating nut butter especially almond nut butters on a daily basis can cause weight gain? Also what brand of almond nut butter ( if you use this) do you use. I have found a brand called justin with all organic ingredients. I understand it is probably better to stick with 1tbsp per day due to the calorie and fat content but what is your input on this. Thanks for these snack ideas above, it’s definitely going to help… I’ve been sort of clueless when it comes to what snacks I can eat.
Hi Gloria-
I love Justin’s nut butters – they also have to-go packs which are really convenient. Nuts are high in calories and fat but the good kind of fat. Everyone is different but I think you can eat more than 1TB a day. You probably need to experiment with it. I can have a couple tablespoons at breakfast and then nuts for snack in the afternoon and it doesn’t bother me. My opinion is that Sugar and white flour will put on more weight than nut butter
Hi Amy~
I’m allergic to all of the tree nut family (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.). Do you have any substitutes for these kinds of nuts you would recommend having in snacks or desserts? Thanks!!
Chelsea –
Seeds are great too – pumpkin (pepitas), sunflower, chia and sesame. I love spiced pepitas. There are lots of recipes online.
Hi Amy –
I was wondering if you have a PCOS friendly homemade granola bars recipe.
Thanks
Lora
I have tried various granola bar recipes and haven’t found one that I love yet. I do like Kind Bars and Lara Bars which I purchase in the store.
Oh ok..I have one that I like and I add various items to it..just not sure how PCOS friendly it is.. Can I get your opinion?
3 Cups of steel cut oats
2/3 Cup Natural Honey
3/4 Cup Natural Peanut butter
Melt the honey and peanut butter together and then add to the oats…the put in an 8×8 pan and let cool..
I do add nuts and dried cranberries etc. at times.
What do you think?
Thanks
Lora-
I also try to stay away from too much peanut butter. I think it is okay in small amount but I have seen information that peanuts are phyto-androgens. Also if you do eat peanut butter make sure it is organic.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your opinion.
What is your opinion on cottage cheese?
I don’t use cottage cheese and really try to stay away from most forms of dairy.
Hi Amy,
On your snack list you have yogurt and mozzarella. How much dairy do you allow in your diet.
I don’t eat dairy now, but some women can tolerate a little organic yogurt and raw cheese now and then.
Hi Amy,
First of all THANK YOU! You have done all of the hard work for us with PCOS. I have felt so overwhelmed in trying to change my life because of PCOS. Not to mention that a lot of stuff on the internet is wrong about PCOS. Your website has been such a life saver! A friend introduced it to me and it has been my go to for EVERYTHING PCOS.
Second, I am a little confused about the dried fruit. I had listened to your podcast on the Five Types of PCOS and I thought one of you had said that dried fruits were not so good. Is there something about dried fruit that you have to watch out for? Is it better to dry your own?
Thanks so much!
You are so welcome Danielle. So many dried fruits have added sugar. Many are allergic to sulfites too. I think a little sprinkling of a sugar free dried fruit is fine in a trailmix or salad. (you’ll see this included in my Meal Plans. However I wouldn’t be snacking on a bag of dates or apricots. I just think it is too much sugar in one sitting for most of us.
Hi Amy,
I have been diagnosed with pcos when i was 14 years old and Now i am 30 years old. I have struggled with weight loss problem since then.My height is 5.1 and weight is 70 kg. Doctor has said that I have high insulin resistance and i should loss atleast 15 kg. Please suggest me some diet plan so that i can reduce weight and conceive.
Thanks,
DMahajan
India