The thyroid is directly impacted by the foods we eat. Eating for a healthy thyroid means eating a clean diet focused on whole foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, organic proteins, healthy starches and fats, and the avoidance of irritants, such as gluten and alcohol.

But where do snacks fit in?

Well, I find that some women think if they are eating clean, then they shouldn’t be snacking at all, but that’s not true!

If you’re feeling a little hungry between meals, it’s completely okay to put together a little snack.

But, the same principles apply as with your main meals. You should follow the same clean eating guidelines so you can feel satisfied and also maintain proper thyroid health. 

One overarching tip: many of us tend to reach for carbs and carb-heavy foods as our snacks. It’s fine if you’re one of those people, but try to pair those carbs with some protein, as that will keep you full for longer.

With that, here are some of my favorite thyroid-friendly snacks that I always have on hand.

Fresh Stuff

I’ll be honest, a lot of my own snacking is just on the vegetables and proteins I prepared earlier in the week as a part of my meal planning! I love a big scoop of leftover roasted butternut squash or ground turkey with some Primal Kitchen sauce if I’m feeling peckish.

Beyond that, here are some fresh grab-and-go snacks that I also keep in the fridge and pantry.

• Lots of veggies - rainbow carrots, cucumbers give a satisfying crunch

• Fresh fruit, such as apples, bananas and berries. I especially love pairing apples & bananas with a scoop of peanut butter to get a little bit of those healthy fats and proteins, too

• Nuts, almonds, walnuts, or a good trail mix. Shop in the bulk section if you can to find some fun flavors and blends

Packaged Goods

While a clean, healthy, thyroid-friendly diet is mostly fresh, whole foods, sometimes you need a sweet or salty snack from a bag to satisfy a craving. These are some of my favorites. And by the way - none of this is sponsored, I just really love these brands!

• LesserEvil Paleo Puffs

• LesserEvil Power Curls

• LesserEvil Mini Cookies

• Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips (and fresh salsa, of course)

• Siete Churro Strips 

• Siete Cookies

• From the Ground Up crackers

• Paleonola

So that’s that. There are a lot of options for thyroid-friendly snacks. The most important rule is just to make sure you’re eating clean, healthy foods, while also finding things that you enjoy eating.

Happy snacking!