Prior to undergoing weight loss surgery, you may not spend a lot of time thinking about where you next meal is going to come from, or what your snack will be between lunch and dinner. However, when you make the switch to start a medical weight loss program or undergo a bariatric procedure, planning your meals ahead of time is very important. That’s because your body is going to need a lot of nutrients in every bite you eat following surgery. Hunger won’t be as big of an issue, and you will grow full very quickly after you enjoy a rather small meal, so those little snacks are what will keep you focused and motivated throughout the day, and they need to be as healthy as possible to help you stay on track for weight loss success.

The good news is that finding healthy snacks to eat that are packed with nutritional value isn’t actually very difficult to do. Simply try combining a healthy plant-based food with a low-fat protein source and keep your portion small so you don’t get overly full.

Here are just a few ideas of healthy snacks to enjoy following weight loss surgery:

• Apple slices with a nut butter, like peanut or almond butter.
• Low fat cheese sticks, also potentially paired with a fruit of your choice.
• Protein shakes, especially low-calorie and low-fat protein shakes.
• Yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt paired with fresh fruit.
• Cut vegetables like cucumbers or carrots paired with low-fat ranch dressing or hummus.

While as previously you may have put a lot of your energy into planning larger meals ahead of time, following weight loss surgery it may be more helpful to plan ahead those snacks, as well. Start packing a lunch to bring with you to work and plan snacks to be about 2-3 hours apart, as needed, to help you stay full and focused throughout the day.

It is important to avoid mindless snacking throughout the day, so always take the time to portion your snacks out into containers prior to eating. The more time and energy that you spend on finding snacks you love, the more likely you are to enjoy the process of losing weight.