Healthy Snacks

jmitchell1228

Hi, As I work towards a general more balanced diet...particularly reducing salt intake (i.e. more natural and less processed items) what types of snack foods do you enjoy? Since starting to keep a food diary I'm noticing that even on days where I'm having balanced meals I flop in the snacking section! I need to find more healthy filling (and Satisfying sweet tooth) snacks that are handy so I don't reach for cookies or whatever else. I'm tiring of nuts!! Any suggestions?

mrscdgogan

Been wondering this same thing! I hope some people answer! :bigsmile:

barefoot76

My favorite snack is fat-free homemade hummus (just chickpeas, water, lemon juice and fresh garlic in the food processor) with romaine lettuce "chips" (I just dig in to the hummus with the lettuce leaves!) or celery sticks (the fresher, the better!).

I also like seaweed and tamari rice cakes (60 cal each), bananas, apples, and simple protein shakes (protein powder, rice milk, strawberries, banana).

I am a recovering binge eater, and I found myself eating whatever I saw. I snack a lot less when I carefully schedule my meals ahead of time (just at the beginning of the day -- I am a terrible long-term meal planner!) and eat according to the same schedule every day. I even set alarms on my phone to tell me when to eat, lol.

Here are more ideas passed on to me by another member:

http://www.canadianparents.com/article/100-family-snacks-under-100-calories

roddeb01

I love to make fresh hummus, but I make it with olive oil instead of water. Does water do the job of olive oil? Olive oil adds so many calories and fat! The next batch I will try with water instead of olive oil. Idea: what if you use spray butter instead of olive oil or water? Don't know. I may try that too.

Oddsox

If i am hungry, so need somthing to fill me up:
Rice crackers with cottage cheese or hummus
Nuts (unroasted and no salt)
Small tin of tuna
Boiled egg
slice of cheese

If I want somthing sweet:
Fruit
About 1/2 a teaspoon of honey (works wonders giving you a sugar hit)
Muslie Bar (always check the cals on the box, and go for the lowest you can find)

For crunch:
popppdums work wonders. You can cook them in the microwave and they are just like eating potato chips without the fat!

lmalaschak

For a bad sweet tooth (like mine) find the 3-2-1 cake thread on here. It's fantastic. Here, I'll re-post it.

Mix a box of angel food cake mix and a box of any flavor regular cake mix together. When you want your cake, take 3 tablespoons of cake mix and stir it together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Leave some room for it to rise a bit. Microwave it for 1 minute (I do mine for slightly less because then the sides are still a little gooey, yum). The thread says it's 42 calories but I haven't actually figured it out myself. I just trusted the recipe.

pensmama

For a bad sweet tooth (like mine) find the 3-2-1 cake thread on here. It's fantastic. Here, I'll re-post it.

Mix a box of angel food cake mix and a box of any flavor regular cake mix together. When you want your cake, take 3 tablespoons of cake mix and stir it together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Leave some room for it to rise a bit. Microwave it for 1 minute (I do mine for slightly less because then the sides are still a little gooey, yum). The thread says it's 42 calories but I haven't actually figured it out myself. I just trusted the recipe.

This sounds great thank you for sharing.

taunto

slice of bread with honey on it. Heavenly and great for your immune system if you buy local honey (from farmers market) but curbs your sweet tooth.

Also, a banana because i'm a chunky monkey

InvidiaXII

I just discovered a deeeeelicious, fat-free, my-new-favorite thing to eat for dessert. Raspberry fat-free Greek yogurt (I used Chobani) with some Walden Farms calorie-free chocolate syrup poured on. The raspberry/chocolate combo tastes so decadent and rich, yum! It's low calorie, fat-free, high protein, and the chocolate sauce really makes it taste like dessert without adding extra sugar or calories. If you don't want the extra sugar from the raspberry, the chocolate sauce tastes really good in plain yogurt too.

bono

Things that work for me...

Babybell cheese light
Nuts - try different types. You can eat more pistachios I believe than some of others, but always watch serving size
Ricotta cheese with light hot chocolate mixed in or cocao and a sprinkle of sugar
New fav! Almond milk to replace regular milk for cereal or oatmeal (unsweetened) or on fruit
yogurt with berries ( love oikos with honey)
Spoonful of natural peanut butter
Popcorn small microwave bag
Hummus mmmm with veg
Frozen edamame beans - so good with a sprinkle of salt just don't eat the shells
Kale chips! If you can master a recipe they are really good. I have had good ones but have yet to master it...

Oh I haven't had some of these in awhile... Sometimes we forget the things that work or that we like

Trallaurrum

I love to make fresh hummus, but I make it with olive oil instead of water. Does water do the job of olive oil? Olive oil adds so many calories and fat! The next batch I will try with water instead of olive oil. Idea: what if you use spray butter instead of olive oil or water? Don't know. I may try that too.

It works really well, just ends up a little thinner, which is not a bad thing for dipping! Even better, reserve some of your chickpea cooking water, then you're still adding flavour without the fat.

AirCircleI

I make these and have them with some fruit:

85g whites jumbo oat flakes
½ cup peanut butter
1 banana
25g protein powder
1 tsp vanilla
25g ground flaxseed (optional)


Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

If you roll into 16 balls, it is about 54 calories per ball, so one or two with a peice of fruit is a good snack.

I also like protein shakes for a snack, fills me up for several hours between meals.

jfluchere

I snack on cold cooked chicken breast cut in half thin way so its easy to chew. I even put it in zip lock baggies like a snack food. I also love pistachios. Plain vreek yogart and frozen berries sometimes.

tammy0901

Reduced fat Graham cracker with fat free cool whip. you freeze it and it's a great sweet tooth satisfier.

MOS3

I look forward to a cup of low cal hot chocolate and a dutch crisp bread in the evening. Sometimes I also have oatc cakes and pate. Not many calories and satisfying.

Lizel007

Ouch I only struggle with salt stuff, once a month I crave sweet then I can easily open a can of condense milk, not a good thing, maybe you guys can try natural's 97% fat free soft lollies those are really nice and not all that fating.

Any ideas to scale down on the salt?

annabellj

bump thanks for the ideas!

serendipity22

Baby Carrots, cherry tomatoes, string cheese, hummus, grapes, homemade chex mix, pistachios, dried fruit, grapes, air popped popcorn, pretzels.

There are many more but that is what I can think of off the top of my head.

deegeyspazms

Frozen blueberries straight from the freezer are like sweets!

jmitchell1228

To everyone...thank you so much for these ideas!! Now that I've read it all I need to go back with a pen and take notes! Can't wait to give these a try!