The humble and hardworking snack has one, very important job: to make sure you make it to your next meal alive. Okay, it might not actually be a case of life or death, but when hunger suddenly strikes, your body’s hardwired to want to get rid of it fast. That’s why snacks often end up being the quickest and closest calories that you can get your hands on.

But a snack doesn’t have to be whatever’s at the checkout counter at the gas station. It can, and should, be something you plan for, something you look forward to, and something actually good for you.

What makes a snack good

At the end of the day, the whole point of a snack is to stop your stomach from growling, give you fuel to make it through the day, and ideally taste great while doing it. Now just about anything with enough calories can keep the growling at bay, but long-lasting energy and fullness requires a snack to be packed with a few important nutrients.

Protein, fiber, and fat (the good kind that comes from whole foods) are all great at slowing down digestion, staying in your stomach longer, and making you feel more full¹. So in the best case scenario, the ideal snack should contain at least two of those three ingredients. That’s the kind of snack that keeps you satisfied instead of coming back for more.

Easily upgrade your favorite snack

Knowing the secret to a more filling snack makes it easy to choose and make better snacks. All you had to do is start with one of the trifectas of fullness, and add an ingredient packed with one of the others. Smarter snacking isn’t about sacrifice; it’s about taking your favorite snack and upgrading it to its full potential to reach maximum satisfaction.

Let’s say your favorite breakfast snack is overnight oats (which is rich in good-for-you fiber), mixing a high-protein pudding into them means that you’re eating the thing you love and staying fuller for longer.

If health-fat-filled Greek yogurt is more your thing, then you can get some added fiber by adding your favorite berries.

If pudding is what gets you going, make sure that it’s full of protein to keep you crushing the day.

The idea is to find opportunities wherever you can to elevate your snacks to be more well-rounded and filling. Even something as simple as crackers (fiber) and cheese (fat) can be made more filling by adding some hummus (protein) to the mix.

Aim for routine, not boredom

Another great way to maximize your snack’s impact on your energy and your day is to make sure that you’re actually eating them.

Giving your body a balanced snack between major mealtimes goes a long way towards making sure that you avoid hitting a wall in the middle of the day. And if you do, remember that that’s nothing wrong with a snack being delicious – it’s actually encouraged – but make sure that it’s nutritious too.

While sugar and carb filled snacks are delicious for a moment, only protein has the staying power to keep you going without a crash.