Finding healthy snacks can be quite tricky, both for adults and children. If you are one of those who go to the supermarket and don’t know what to buy, we recommend basic Mercadona products to snack on before dinner.
Foods
To make a healthy snack, there are certain essential foods and products.
Corn or rice cakes
Corn and rice pancakes are staples in fitness snacks and snacks. Although in Mercadona there are versions with chocolate, the simple pancakes are recommended. A posteriori we can add the chocolate that we like the most, making sure that it has a good percentage of cocoa and little sugar content.
These pancakes can be eaten alone or with a source of protein, such as canned tuna and chicken. For vegans, textured tofu or soy can also be added.
Cereals
A healthy snack can also include cereals, although we must know which ones to choose. Hacendado has several products rich in spelled or corn, while others can make us fall into the temptation of the forbidden.
Healthy cereal options would be: crunchy oats, spelled flakes, sugar-free Corn Flakes and Mix cereals with 0% sugar. Any of these can be taken mixed with milk, vegetable drink or protein shake. Even with a natural or low-fat Greek yogurt.
Fruit
The fruit should not be missing in a snack either. Experts recommend eating about 5 servings of fruit a day, so this might be the best time of day to do it.
It doesn’t matter if it’s fresh or frozen fruit. If we choose the fresh one, we can take it as a companion to a yogurt or on a corn pancake. And if we choose frozen fruit, it will be great mixed in a blender with skimmed milk.
Bread
Bread can also be the base of any snack. A toast with guacamole and egg is a healthy option. It can also be spread with peanut butter and chopped banana.
The best Mercadona breads for a fit snack are: wasa bread, sliced 100% wholemeal spelled, 52% rye sliced bread, 35% oatmeal sliced bread, 82% wholemeal rye bread and cereal sandwich bread.
delicatessen
In the charcuterie section we can find the protein part we need. Although many believe that there are no healthy sausages or cold cuts, there are brands that stand out for their good varieties.
For a fit snack we can choose sliced pork loin, Costa Brava cooked ham, sliced turkey loin, knife-cut Iberian ham and chicken strips. We can also choose natural cans of tuna, chicken or bonito.
Desserts and dairy
Dairy products are often the basis of many healthy snacks. In Mercadona you can find all kinds, but those high in protein and low in fat stand out.
Jelly
Although protein-rich gelatin may catch the attention of many, at Mercadona there is an even better alternative. The 0% sugar strawberry, lemon or multifruit flavor gelatin only contains 1 calorie per glass. It is a great way to satisfy your appetite without consuming more calories than you should.
On the other hand, gelatin + Proteins provides 39 calories and the protein comes from hydrolyzed collagen. It is not a bad product or one that we should avoid, but it is not as nutritionally interesting as other desserts.
protein yogurts
The variety of high-protein yogurts is increasing in Mercadona. For healthy snacks we can choose natural yogurts, with strawberry, lemon, mango and blueberry flavors to enjoy with a spoon.
However, there are also drinkable options for those who prefer to snack on the way to the gym or after work. For now there are banana, tropical and strawberry flavors. These do require refrigeration, unlike other protein shakes.
protein desserts
In the case of wanting a more greedy snack, Mercadona already sells another type of dairy products rich in protein and similar to the best-known desserts.
For example, we can take healthy versions of vanilla custard, chocolate and cream cup, caramel pudding, chocolate or vanilla mousse or chocolate yogurt. Most of them provide about 10 grams of protein per serving, enough to reach the total daily intake and calm hunger until dinner.
Beverages
It can not only be eaten at snacks. There are those who prefer a healthy drink to help them refresh or maintain energy.
Protein shakes
In Mercadona there are two types of shakes: those found in the cold section or those in the milk section. The cold ones are made up of liquid yogurt, while the brick ones contain milk and added whey protein.
Both are very convenient healthy snack options. However, the bricks contain 330 ml, which can be a large amount to take hours before dinner. It is possible that it fills us up too much or that we are unable to finish it all. In that case, we can keep the rest in the refrigerator.
Kefir
Drinkable kefir is also a good snack. It exists in natural flavor, coconut or with coffee. All of them are free of added sugars, and the natural and coffee ones do not contain fat.
This dairy product provides a good amount of prebiotics and probiotics, which help maintain good intestinal health. In addition, they provide protein and have no fat. This makes them low in calories and suitable for any type of diet.
Cold coffe
Finally, cold coffee is usually an essential drink at snack time. Mercadona still has to considerably improve the range of cold coffees available, since only its Light option without lactose could be saved.
Unlike other brands, such as Kaiku and its high-protein coffee, this latte only provides 7 grams of protein and about 14 grams of sugar. Although 88% of the product is semi-skimmed milk and coffee, the rest is added sugar. If a sweetener had been chosen, the calories would drop dramatically and it would have a better nutritional profile. However, it can be a life-saving option for those who do not have a cafeteria nearby.
