What is a PCOS Friendly Snack?
You may feel a little overwhelmed when trying to find PCOS friendly snacks, or just PCOS friendly foods in general. There is so much information out there that probably has you second guessing every ingredient. Should you be cutting out gluten? Avoiding dairy? Is sugar the devil? Eating for your PCOS doesn’t have to be overly restrictive or confusing. Let’s simplify it.
When it comes to PCOS, we are aiming for stable blood sugars. Snacks can be very helpful to bridge the gap between meals. The goal for snacks is to combine a little carbohydrate for energy, plus protein or fat for more satiety and stable blood sugars. So you don’t need to avoid carbohydrates and sugar, but it’s more so about balancing those carbs. It is worth noting, though, that higher fiber carbohydrates are beneficial to incorporate. Including crackers like Triscuits instead of Ritz, or popcorn instead of potato chips, can increase the fiber in a snack.
What about gluten and dairy?
Recipes for PCOS Friendly Snacks
Store Bought PCOS Friendly Snacks
- Roasted Bean Snacks (like Biena Roasted Chickpeas or Bada Bean Snacks)
- Greek Yogurt + Granola (look for something seedy for an extra nutrient boost, like Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed and Flax Granola)
- Apple Slices + Cheese
- Protein Bars (like Kind Protein or Clif Whey Protein Bars)
- Cucumbers + Savory Yogurt Dip (like Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Dip)
- Bell Pepper Slices + Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges
- Whole Grain Crackers + Tuna Pouch
- Kodiak Waffle + Peanut Butter
- Rice Cakes + Hummus
- Meat Stick (like Chomps or Country Archer) + Popcorn
Eating for PCOS can feel complicated and you may be confused by all the information out there from doctors, dietitians, and wellness influencers. You are not alone and we try to share as much evidenced based nutrition information as we can to help dispel the myths. Meeting with a PCOS dietitian can help you figure out what is going to be right for your body. Check out these other PCOS blogs too!
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
