This week, I gave another workplace wellness presentation to a group of office employees in McKinney, Texas. I demonstrated two smoothie recipes and highlighted the benefits of the ingredients, showing how versatile, convenient, and healthy smoothies can be as a quick snack, a meal replacement, or a post-workout recovery drink. It was so much fun connecting with such a welcoming group, chatting about healthy habits, and sharing the fresh, delicious samples I whirled up. (I love my job!)
But that’s not what inspired today's post.
As I cleared my station after the session wrapped up, a few participants lingered. One of the women smiled and said, "Oh, we have the ingredients right here for my absolute favorite healthy snack, a healthy Snickers dupe!"
Of course, we asked her to show us. She split open a Medjool date, smeared some peanut butter inside, and topped it with dark chocolate cacao nibs. When I tell you it tasted just like a mini Snickers bar, I’m not exaggerating!
I love presenting, but my favorite part is always walking away learning something new from the group. That is the beauty of community and sharing ideas. And whenever I discover something, I am always excited to pass it along to you.
There really is nothing to making them beyond putting together those three ingredients. I made a batch at home and popped them in the freezer for a quick, frozen sweet treat later. (I’m considering one for fuel for my long run, but it might be too hard to chew and run. haha)
I weighed and measured each ingredient on my food scale, and each piece comes out to just 109 calories. It is the perfect little sweet fix, though I’ll definitely have to be careful not to eat the whole batch at once. (haha) They tasted incredible, but as a coach, I was more excited about why it works for long-term health.
This is the calorie-tracker from my personal training app
Medjool Dates: One date gives you approx. 66 calories (mine weighed in at 69 calories), almost no fat, 16 grams of natural sugar, and 1.6 grams of fiber. Dates are rich in vitamin A and are a great source of minerals including calcium and potassium. They are very sweet, like nature’s candy!
Peanut Butter: Adds healthy fats, along with a little bit of plant-based protein, vitamin E, and magnesium.
Cacao Nibs: These are essentially unprocessed dark chocolate, so you get all that rich chocolate flavor with your antioxidants to help protect cells from oxidative damage and inflammation.
Dates provide natural sugars and fiber, which, along with the healthy fats in the peanut butter, help slow digestion. That means your body absorbs those carbs gradually, giving you steady, long-lasting energy instead of a quick sugar spike and crash. The fiber, fat, and protein combo helps you feel full and satisfied.
The ONLY FOOD RULE I FOLLOW: THE 80/20 Rule
I'm a big believer that all foods have a place in a healthy diet. If we stick to about 80% whole foods, there is room for treats and indulgences in the remaining 20%. So if you're craving a real Snickers bar, then by all means. One snack, one meal, or one sweet treat won’t derail your goals. I personally was never able to “stick to a diet” when I gave myself a bunch of strict rules to follow. Over restriction almost always led to over indulgence later. I got way healthier and more consistent when I learned (the absolute hardest way) that it’s what you do most of the time that matters, not what you do occasionally.
But when you are looking for a whole-food, healthy alternative to satisfy your cravings with a mindful choice, these can hit the spot! By using dates, peanut butter, and cacao nibs, you're choosing ingredients that digest more slowly, have more healthy nutrients, and are less likely to lead to overeating than their ultra-processed counterparts.
In the end, it’s not any external measurement like the 109 calories that matters. The most important outcome is how they make you feel. 30 minutes after a treat like this, do you feel energized or sluggish? Satisfied or uncomfortable? So often we eat on autopilot, but when we pause to tune in to how different foods affect us and then make future choices based on our personal outcomes, we build trust in ourselves. This makes healthier options feel natural, not rigid or forced. When we prioritize the foods that make us look, feel, and perform our best, the rest falls into place.
Have you tried these? Or do you have a favorite healthy swap snack?
Lea
Lea Genders is a board-certified health coach, personal trainer, and workplace wellness consultant based in Fort Worth, TX. She offers corporate wellness programs for employee health and productivity, as well as in-person and virtual training / coaching for individuals worldwide. Her blog shares expert guidance on strength training, running, and sustainable nutrition @fortworth_trainer
Check out this 3-ingredient "Snickers" dupe, plus learn how tuning in to how food makes you feel makes it so much easier to eat for long-term, sustainable health.