Brits Have Been Revealed As The Worst In Europe For Unhealthy Snacking - So What Should You Be Eating? | HuffPost Life

What Do We Do More Unhealthily Than The Rest Of Europe?

The Huffington Post UK

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We Brits have been revealed as being the worst in Europe for unhealthy snacking, with 41% of us filling up on crisps, cookies, cake or chocolate.

We do this more often than the other nine nations in a survey by Fruyo, which looked at 4,000 people from the UK, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Spain and Greece.

Only 15% of us snack healthily - in comparison to Spain, at 27%, and Greece at 25%.

While we may not snack as often as some countries - Brits were found to snack twice a day - our unhealthy choices add up. Over a third (39%) of us admit to consuming more calories each day through snacking than we do at meal times.

There is also a subset of secret snackers - around 8% of us do so in secret (although we swear in must be higher).

As for why we snack, rather than hunger acting as the main motivator, most of us seem to snack out of boredom (41%) while others have mentioned stress and a lack of energy.

Snacking has often been touted as the saviour to stop people from falling off their diets, but to make it work for you, it requires willpower and forward planning.

Nutritionist and food writer, Fiona Hunter, said: “These results show exactly how wrong many people in the UK are getting it when it comes to snacking. It should be a positive occasion – using well chosen products to provide important nutrients. But too many of us are instead turning to ‘grazing’, which involves grabbing something to fill up on that’s quick, easy and often unhealthy.

“When it comes to snacking, Brits need to plan ahead so that they’re not caught short in a moment of hunger and think about products which are high in protein so will keep them fuller for longer, helping to resist further temptation.”

HuffPost UK Lifestyle recently reviewed the delivery service Saviour Snacks, which can come weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and it is brilliant. All the hard work involving nutrition is already done for you, and the snacks are all natural and are packed with energy. Think popcorn, baked crisps, nuts and seeds, energy bars and our favourite - Tamari Sicilian Almonds.

There are also dairy free, vegan and skinny boxes if you're on a restrictive diet.

Story continues below the slideshow:

Healthy Snacks On The Run

1. Roasted Chickpeas(01 of10)

There are as many ways to prepare roasted chickpeas as there are herbs and spices. Try making them with spices that you love from a favourite dish or cuisine, like curry powder for an Indian flavour or cumin and chili powder to for a Mexican variation. The recipe is simple: toss a can of chickpeas with a bit of oil and your chosen spices, and bake your chickpeas at 400C until they're golden and crunchy. (credit:Getty Images)

2. Salad In A Jar(02 of10)

Salads can be both nutritious and versatile, because they’re endlessly customizable, but they can be messy and difficult to transport. Also, mixing in your dressing in advance can make your greens soggy, but carrying it on the side can lead to a work bag full of Catalina. The solution? Salad in a jar! This was all over Pinterest a few months ago, and for good reason: by layering the salad ingredients, with dressing at the bottom and greens at the top, they all stay fresh until you dump them in a bowl. (credit:Getty Images)

3. Hummus And Carrot Sticks(03 of10)

Hummus is made with chickpeas, which are full of protein and fibre and a good source of iron. Good thing it's also delicious. There are many ways to get hummus into your mouth, but we recommend freshly cut carrot sticks or bagged baby carrots—they've got a satisfying crunch and are a great way to get some vitamin A in your diet. If you're feeling adventurous, try making your own hummus at home. (credit:Alamy)

4. Fresh Fruit(04 of10)

Fresh fruits are nature's first convenience food — bananas and oranges even come with their own biodegradable packaging. It's hard to mess up this one, but we recommend choosing fruits that are in season locally. That way your already healthy snack will also be cost conscious and at its peak of flavour and freshness. (credit:Getty Images)

5. Green Smoothies(05 of10)

You can really customize a daily smoothie to fit whatever nutritional needs you to need to address. Add hemp seeds or ground flax for a dose of healthy omega fats. Get some potassium and fibre by throwing a banana into the blender. Add protein with a powder supplement or soy milk. Our favourite smoothie booster is a handful of healthy fresh greens, like spinach. It's a great way to get the benefits of these healthy vegetables. Oh She Glows has a selection of recipes for "green monster" smoothies that are so delicious that you'll never guess they're great for you. (credit:Getty Images)

6. Kale Chips(06 of10)

Kale is having its moment in the nutritional sun right now. This hot leafy green has become increasingly popular not just for its great taste but also because of its abundance of fibre and iron, among other key nutrients. Kale's great in salads, but you can also make it into chips by baking it in the oven, adding your favourite seasonings to replicate the taste of your favourite fried snacks without all the fat and calories. We suggest tossing the shredded kale with apple cider vinegar and sea salt. (credit:Getty Images)

7. Ants On A Log(07 of10)

Ants on a log — celery stalks filled with peanut butter and topped off with raisins — might remind you of snack time in kindergarten, but did you know that celery is a source of potassium? The peanut butter gives you a kick of protein while the raisins throw some fibre into the mix. You can make this one a little more grown up by trying a different nut butter, like cashew, or by substituting dried cranberries for raisins. Personally, we think that the classic version is yummy, too. (credit:Getty Images)

8. Veggies And Dip(08 of10)

Think of what you'd love to see on a crudite plate, and get it on the go. Broccoli, peppers, carrots, celery, and cauliflower are all great options for snacking. They take a while to eat so you won't rush past your full point, and munching on them throughout the day can help you reach your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Baba ganoush, made with eggplants, is a great dip option. (credit:Shutterstock)

9. Edamame(09 of10)

Steamed and salted edamame pods are to the Japanese what peanuts and popcorn are to North Americans — they're a standard bar snack across the Pacific. They're a lot healthier than our favourites, because edamame are fresh green soybeans, which means that they're full of protein. They're delicious with just a sprinkle of sea salt. (credit:Shutterstock)

10. Pumpkin Seeds(10 of10)

It's a shame that a pumpkin’s seeds usually get thrown away when we carve out our jack-o’lanterns at Halloween, because they're very nutritious. Pumpkin seeds are full of antioxidants, and they're a great source of immune-boosting zinc. Like chickpeas, you can toss them with spices and a bit of oil and roast them, but they're also delicious raw. If you can find them, get your seeds unshelled to get your full boost of zinc. The shells are edible. (credit:Getty Images)

Additionally, the findings showed that:

Scotland is shown to be the unhealthiest snacking region in the UK (with a ranking of 45%)

Meanwhile, London tops the healthy regional snack league table, with results of 17%

Poland is the mecca of snacking. On a general level, its inhabitants eat more snacks – an average of 2.2 a day – with the people of France the most snack-averse at an average of just 1.4.

The most popular time to snack in the UK is 3.04pm, potentially signalling a ‘mid afternoon slump’ and desire for something to eat.

However, nearly a third (32%) of Brits snack after 6pm, highlighting that these people may be choosing evening meals that don’t fill them up properly.

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