For Avalon Reese, snack time used to be her downfall. “I’d be good all day, then come home and grab whatever was in the pantry,” she says. Chips, crackers, cookies—anything fast.
But frequent stomach issues, along with bloating and fatigue, made her rethink how she snacked. “I realized my gut was screaming for help,” she says. “And I wasn’t listening.”
So she started small. Instead of demonizing snacks, Avalon decided to swap them—one by one—for gut-friendly versions that her body actually welcomed.
She began with a simple switch: fruit and almond butter instead of cookies. Then, she traded her crunchy chips for roasted chickpeas.
Yogurt parfaits with berries and chia seeds replaced sugary granola bars. “I didn’t try to go cold turkey,” she explains. “Just better choices, made consistently.”
She also focused on what made her feel good—not just what looked good on paper. “Some people push raw veggies as snacks, but they make me feel bloated,” she says.
“I found lightly steamed or roasted versions work better for me.”
These days, Avalon’s energy is steady, her digestion is calm, and her cravings are far more manageable. “I don’t snack less—I just snack smarter,” she says.
Her advice? Start listening to your gut—literally. “It knows what it wants,” Avalon smiles. “You just have to pay attention.”
