Delicious High-Fibre Snacks and Mains to Boost Your Diet

Eating enough fibre is one way to improve your pelvic health. Sometimes finding a tasty, easy and high-fibre meal or snack can be a struggle. This is why I created examples for busy moms looking for a healthy dinner that the entire family will enjoy and satisfied.

A colorful bowl of mixed high-fibre snacks including nuts, seeds, and dried fruits

Why High-Fibre Meals Matter for Pelvic Health

Fibre plays an important role in our digestion, blood sugar and overall health (including pelvic health). If you suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction having fibre in your diet can help reduce the prevalence of constipation which may be increasing your pelvic floor tension, pain and downward pressure on the pelvic floor. Head over to High-Fibre Foods: The MVP of Pelvic Health for more information on fibre and pelvic health.

Easy High-Fibre Snacks to Keep on Hand

Snacks are great as a boost of fibre with little to no preparation. Here are some of my favorite quick and nutritious options:

• Roasted chickpeas: Crunchy and customizable! Pat dry chickpeas from a can. Set your oven or airfryer to 400 degrees. Season chickpeas with a little olive oil then paprika, garlic powder, or taco seasoning. Spread on a baking sheet or into the airfryer for 20 minutes or until chickpeas are crunchy. Eat them on their own or toss them into a salad. It's super important the chickpeas are dry before you season them, otherwise they won't crisp up! Chickpeas offer 8g of fibre per 1/2 cup!

• Veggies & hummus: Carrots, celery, and bell peppers dipped in hummus are super quick and tasty snacks between meals. Hummus provides 2g of fibre per 2 tbsp!

• Oat and flaxseed energy balls: Mix 1 cup of oats, 1/2 cup of ground flaxseeds, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and a touch of honey, then roll into bite-sized balls. Keep refrigerated. You can also toss in 1/4-1/2 cup of chocolate chips or raisins for a little sweetness! This recipe makes about 24 balls with 1g of fibre per ball.

• Popcorn: Air-popped popcorn is a surprisingly good source of fibre offering about 2g per 2 cups of popped corn. Careful with how much butter or oil is on the popcorn.

  
  

High-Fibre Mains for Dinner

When it comes to healthy dinner ideas, I look for something that combines high fibre ingredients that are satiating, tasty and are easy to make. Here are some high-fibre dishes::

Greek Quinoa & Veggie Chickpea Salad

Quinoa is a protein and has high fibre content. Boil the quinoa in bone broth for extra flavor and protein and cool when done. Mix Toss cooked quinoa with chopped bell peppers, grape tomatoes, chopped black or green olives, quartered cucumbers, 1 can of rinsed chickpeas. Then crumble feta cheese and pour light greek dressing over top. This salad will keep in the fridge for a few days even with the dressing on top for a quick grab-n-go meal.

Spaghetti Squash "Lasagna"

Spaghetti squash is fiber-rich food that takes the place of lasagna noodles in this recipe. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Halve spaghetti squash length-wise and scoop out all the seeds. Spray the inside with a little olive oil. Place skin side up on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. In the meantime, brown ground beef with your favourite tomato sauce, add additional spices as you'd like (e.g. italian seasoning). Once the spaghetti squash is cooked, use a fork to scoop out the contents (this will start to look like strands or spaghetti noodles). Be sure to dry out the spaghetti squash using a cheese cloth or pat dry with paper towel. This is super important, as the squash tends to hold a lot of water. Place half of the spaghetti squash "noodles" on the bottom of a pyrex dish. Then layer on top 1/3 cup of 0% fat cottage cheese followed by the meat sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat this with the remaining ingredients for one more layer. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes, taking the foil off the lasagna for the last 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Tips for Adding More Fiber to Meals

Adding fiber doesn’t mean overhauling your entire menu. Here are some simple ways I increase fiber in everyday meals:

• Choose whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas instead of refined versions.

• Add beans or lentils to soups, stews, and salads.

• Include a variety of colorful vegetables in every meal.

• Use nuts and seeds as toppings or mix-ins for yogurt and oatmeal.

• Swap white rice for brown, wild, or other whole grains.

  
  

These small swaps make a big difference over time and help build a habit of eating more fiber-rich foods.

Check out a list of high-fibre foods with their fibre content here.