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Lola Berry's healthy afternoon snack ideas

Lola Berry

Transform a piece of fruit into an even more delicious afternoon snack.
Transform a piece of fruit into an even more delicious afternoon snack.Edwina Pickles Stylist: Sally Parker

Let's face it, we all get the afternoon munchies.

If you're the kind of person who reaches for the potato crisps, or if you are a sweet tooth who prefers a chocolate fix, here are a few healthy go-to snacks to stop you heading for the vending machine at 4pm.

Inspired fruit snacks

Lola Berry's pep-me-up nut mix.
Lola Berry's pep-me-up nut mix.Edwina Pickles Stylist: Sally Parker
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These simple treats are a delicious way to hit any sugar cravings on the head without undoing all your hard work.

  • 1 pear, washed, cored and thinly sliced, then topped with almond nut butter, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of nutmeg
  • 4 fresh figs, washed, halved, spread with tahini or nut butter, then topped with raw pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple sprinkled with LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds)
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, sliced and topped with nut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and sultanas
  • 1 cup washed, hulled and chopped strawberries, stirred with 1 tbsp coconut oil, chia seeds, desiccated coconut and a dash of nutmeg.

Nut mixes

Nuts are my tip-top snack, as they give you energy, protein and essential fatty acids all in one hit. Plus there's no preparation time, so they're great when you're on the run. Here are some of my favourite combinations.

Classic

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This one is all about finding the mix you like best, and mine changes all the time, but I do love: brazil, almond and pistachios all mixed together with a few dried figs, shaved coconut and dried pomegranate seeds (pomegranate seeds can be a little tricky to find but when you do find them load up and add them to everything – salads, sweets, savoury dishes – they're the best and jam-packed full of antioxidants, like lycopene and vitamin C).

Activated apple cider vinegar mixed nuts

Just soak your nuts in water and add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar per 100 grams of nuts.

Pep-me-up nut mix

This is a good one if you need a little natural sugar. It's a combination of raw macadamia nuts, goji berries, raw cacao nibs (these are a natural source of caffeine and will give you the pep-up you're looking for) cranberries and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). I add a little Himalayan crystal salt too, it seems to bring out all the flavours.

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Vegie chippies

These are a great way to add more flavour and nutrients to your eating. It's as simple as finely cutting the ingredients up, laying them out on a baking tray and roasting them with your favourite spices and a little oil. I love to use chilli, lime juice, coriander seeds and sometimes I'm in the mood for fennel seeds, but it's totally up to you. Or keep it really simple with a sea salt and cracked pepper combination.

The cooking time depends on the size of your batch and the thickness of your chippies. I cut them super fine and they only take 10-15 minutes. Give them a whirl, they made a great addition to dips, a side to meals and even add that little bit of extra crunch to a salad.

  • Beetroot
  • Carrot
  • Sweet potato
  • Eggplant with purple garlic
  • Kale

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