Snacks can be hard to get on top of when trying to maintain a calorie deficit diet - but it is so much easier if you are organised - snack bags, ready chopped up crudites, pre bought snacks which you can pop in your bag - it sounds easy but it is so important to be on top of this and be organised...

When choosing your snacks, go for the nutrient dense foods and try to stay away from those snacks which are high in sugars and fats (these may feel good at the time but they are high in calories with very little nutrients in them and you will be hungry and craving more!).

Here are some snack ideas which might help or give you some ideas to create your own:

Wholegrain crackers or  oatcakes, corn cakes, rice cakes:

• Nut butter – almond, hazelnut or mixed nut butter (from good health food shops)
• Hummus
• Cheese
• Guacamole  - easy to make yourself
• Mashed egg
• Mackerel, salmon or trout paté
• Slices of chicken or turkey slices

Raw vegetables (e.g. cherry tomatoes, red pepper, carrot sticks – many supermarkets sell ready cut carrot sticks) with hummus, cottage cheese or mashed avocado/guacamole or taramasalata

Yogurt with:

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Fruit – berries if they are available

Boiled egg with some raw vegetables

Piece of fruit (eg apple, pear, plum, satsuma, or berries) with 5-6 nuts or small handful of seeds

High protein snack bar such as Naked, Trek, Bounce Balls, Lara Bars - an occasional treat though!

Celery sticks stuffed with nut butter or cream cheese

Homemade popcorn with a little sea salt