6 Great GERD Snack Ideas For Acid Reflux Sufferers

Snacking and mealtime can be stressful if you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, constant attention to the foods you eat and drinks you consume will help you avoid the undesirable symptoms associated with GERD. If you want to make mealtime and snacktime much easier, it can be helpful to keep a list of heartburn-safe snacks (and the ingredients to make them) right in your kitchen. Let’s take a look at six of the best snacks for heartburn sufferers; we’ll also take a look at some foods to avoid if you are suffering from GERD.

6 Of The Best Snacks For Heartburn

Apples & Peanut Butter

Bring back a childhood classic一 slice up some apple (honeycrisps and granny smiths are good choices) and spread on your favorite peanut一 or another nut一 butter. The crisp, tangy, juiciness of the apple complements the saltiness of the nut butter extremely well. Plus, you’ll get a bit of protein from this snack, too!

Whole Grain Crackers With Low-Fat Cheese

Crackers are delicious, but few people want to sit and eat crackers without anything on them. Heartburn sufferers, however, have to be careful what toppings they put on crackers. For example, select only low-fat cheeses and lean meat to top your crackers with; this way, you can avoid an uncomfortable acid reflux attack later on.

Nuts & Seeds or Trail Mix

As long as your trail mix doesn’t contain chocolate, dried citrus fruit, or high-fat yogurt pieces, you’ll be golden. Nuts and seeds are a great way to give yourself a delicious boost of energy. Get creative with these snack foods; sprinkle them on peanut butter toast or add them to your oatmeal, too!

Smoothies (Without Citrus)

At this point in your acid reflux journey, you probably know well enough to stay away from citrus fruits. However, it’s important that we mention it, especially when talking about smoothies. In fact, smoothies are an amazing snack一 as long as you don’t put the wrong things into them. For example, a strawberry banana smoothie with low-fat yogurt is a delicious snack to help you get geared up for your next task. As an added benefit, yogurt and banana can help quell an acid reflux flare-up.

Veggie Sticks With Hummus

This classic is yummy, crunchy, and heartburn-safe! Cut your veggies into matchsticks and try to get a variety of vegetables onto your snack plate. Cucumber, carrot, broccoli, and sweet peppers are all great vegetables to start with. Red pepper hummus complements vegetables well, and it’s easy to find at the grocery store.

Whole Wheat Toast With Jam

As long as you stay away from jams and jellies flavored with or made entirely of citrus, this is a safe snack. While most people put a spread of butter underneath their jam, you may want to avoid the high-fat spreads. Choose a buttery spread that is low in fat if you want to avoid heartburn symptoms.

Foods To Avoid With GERD:

There are many foods that trigger acid reflux, but the main ones you’ll run into while snacking are foods containing chocolate, potato chips, and citrus fruits like oranges. Furthermore, try to keep the fat content of your snacks to a minimum; high-fat foods are more likely to cause heartburn. In addition, you should keep track of any of your personal triggers; some patients find that they have some triggers that others do not.

Ready To Kick Your Heartburn For Good?

You can continue running your avoidance strategies, picking and choosing what you eat and drink at every meal一 this strategy works well for many of our patients. However, at a certain point, this strategy goes from being “what you have to do” to “frustrating and time-consuming”. If you’ve reached that point, it might be time to speak to a reflux specialist; we do have some surgical options that will eliminate your heartburn woes for good. Contact the team at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center for more information today!