NEW YORK – Snacking can get a bad rap. But when it is done well, it can be a helpful bridge between meals to manage blood glucose, support digestion and make sure you have the energy and focus you need to get through your day, nutrition experts say.

Snacks can also help to close nutrient gaps by adding diversity to your diet, incorporating things you might not be getting enough of during your typical meals, said dietitian Emily Wilcox Gier, who is an associate professor in the division of nutritional sciences at Cornell University.