Sunday Nibbles #1
Bite-Sized Insights for a Balanced Life
Welcome to the very first edition of Sunday Nibbles.
Back in 2015, I had a blog called Rosanna’s Kitchen and every Saturday I’d post something called The Saturday Kitchen - usually a recipe, a few links to things I enjoyed reading that week and some chit chat on a topic that was on my mind. Sunday Nibbles is inspired by Saturday Kitchen and all those old school blogs that I used to enjoy.
Substack feels like a return to those days (simpler times huh?!) and I’m really enjoying consuming content on here. It feels as though all those blog writers who didn’t quite take to TikTok have found their home again.
In what I am hoping will be a weekly series, you can expect a mishmash of topics : bitesized nutrition tips of course, some thoughts on behaviour change and from time to time things I’m reading, watching or otherwise enjoying. While I write this with my coffee in hand early on a Saturday morning, I hope you’ll enjoy reading it on Sunday with yours.
Where does it end - Protein Popcorn Has Arrived.
I have to talk about this latest celebrity wellness product - Khloe Kardashian has released a new protein packed popcorn brand. Yes, even your evening movie snack now has a health halo attached. I’m just waiting for protein Malteasers so I can really smash those protein targets.
This is part of a wider trend - protein is everywhere. High protein yoghurts, granolas, chocolate bars, ice cream and now popcorn. I admire the marketing and to be totally honest I do find myself drawn to these things - seems like an easy way to get additional protein. Usually they are just a clever way to charge more for something that didn’t need to be improved in the first place.
In particular if you’re a woman in her 40s plus, you are probably bombarded with the message that protein is essential - keep yourself feeling full with protein and you won’t gain weight. Somehow we’ve gone through this cycle of demonising the macronutrients (remember, carbs are bad, fat is bad) and protein has come out on top. Our saviour.
But how much do you really need?
Yes, protein is important (but also, carbs and fats are too.). It supports muscle growth and repair, supports your immune system, helps with satiety and hormone balance. Pretty essential sounding right? Of course. But how much do you actually need and do you need to start chugging whey protein shakes like a gym bro?
Current evidence supports a recommendation of 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight for healthy adults. What’s that look like? For a 70kg adult that’s 84-112g per day. If your diet includes foods like greek yoghurt, eggs, chicken/fish/other lean meats/dairy then you’re probably knocking this out of the park already.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan you might have to plan a little more but you still don’t need to buy protein popcorn or other protein labeled snacks.
The bottom line.
We’re all busy and we love convenience. If I saw this protein popcorn for sale in my local Tesco I would probably buy a pack to try it. Just remember - you don’t need your popcorn to build muscle. On it’s own, popcorn is actually a great high-fibre snack, it doesn’t need to healthified to earn a place in your shopping basket. In an era of ever rising food costs, it’s worth asking yourself: Is this smart nutrition? Or just expensive branding.
Mind the Snack Gap
Imagine this, you’ve had your porridge in the morning, lunch at 12:30 and you have an evening meal waiting for you in the slow cooker. You’re feeling good, you’ve meal planned and prepped and you’re going to nail this day of eating. The afternoon slump hits and you start to feel tired and hungry. The snacks start calling your name and you grab something quick and convenient (maybe it has a protein label!)
Welcome to the snack gap - that time between meals where your body runs out of fuel and your brain starts searching for quick energy. No, you’re not ‘addicted to sugar’, you’re not ‘lacking in discipline’ - your body has a need and it’s asking to be fed. Unfortunately this can derail your goals if you don’t reach with intention.
I’m not here to tell you to stop snacking, I’m going to give you 3 simple strategies that you can use to help you from falling into this gap:
Front load your energy - eat a more substantial breakfast and lunch, ideally balanced well with fibre, protein and healthy fats. Slower to digest this will help keep your blood sugar stable and feel satisfied for longer.
Don’t fear the snack, plan it - snacking isn’t the problem. It’s grabbing whatever is near you that trips you up. Keep some satisfying filling ones to hand for those times you ted to dip.
Pay attention - you’ll probably notice a pattern over time - do you feel more out of control around food at certain times? Take the feedback. t might mean you’re under-eating earlier, or choosing foods that aren’t satisfying enough for you.
Feed your self proactively not reactively and you’ll find those cravings loosen their grip. Sometimes, the inner snack monster just needed a better lunch.
Other things I’ve loved this week
Emma Bardwell (emma.bardwell on instagram) is a registered nutritionist I love to follow. She specialises in healthy eating, weight loss and menopause and released a book this week called The 30g plan. It’s a great resource but her insta page alone is full of recipe ideas to help create those balanced meals we all know we need to eat.
Also on instagram niall.harbison is my go to account first thing every morning for a dopamine hit. He shares his work with his charity HappyDoggo. He also released a book this week which I devoured in less than 24 hours (yes I bought the audio book and hard copy). Tina: The dog who changed the world.
Overnight Oats. I’m a baked oats person in the winter but we’ve had some warm weather here for a change so I started to make some overnight oats. I don’t have a recipe, it’s more of a try and see approach. Make the base with a serving of oats and milk in a container. Add a heaped teaspoon of chia or flax seed and something to sweeten, I use honey or maple syrup. To serve top with a dollop of greek yoghurt (gotta get that protein in) and then go wild with your favourite fruit and toppings - my go-tos at the moment:
Frozen raspberries with a drizzle of nut butter
Grated carrot with sultanas and cinnamon
A tablespoon of cocoa powder with frozen black cherries (My favourite right now)
That’s it! Subscribe if you want to be notified for next week’s edition, it’s free.
If you do see protein powder anywhere in Ireland let me know because while I don’t need it I really want to try it. Remember that starting your day with some Happy Doggos and a protein rich, fibre fuelled breakfast of overnight oats is the key to a balanced start. Don’t forget the coffee.
Rosanna