Opinions/reviews on these snacks?

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I'm actually trying to find more of a side item than a snack, so I've been looking for something in the 200 calorie range, to fill my meal plan.
I already have a light salad as my lunch, and I'm currently having 150 calories worth of crackers on the side but I just don't like crackers very much haha. So I've found a couple of alternatives online and I was wondering if anyone had tried any of them and had any opinions (taste and filling level since its going with my salad).

1. Bagel Fuls- I was specifically thinking the strawberry and cream cheese ones where it's half cream cheese and half filling on the inside but they all look delicious.
http://bagelfuls.com/product-info.html

2. Lean Cuisine Baja Style Queso Dip with Pita Bread- http://www.leancuisine.com/Products/Details.aspx?ProductID=11161

3. Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Dip with Pita Bread- http://www.leancuisine.com/Products/Details.aspx?ProductID=11080

Any thoughts?
Thanks!

Replies

  • flechero
    flechero Posts: 260 Member
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    Personally, I'd skip the prepackaged sides you mentioned... just from a cost and freshness standpoint I think you can do much better, unless you just love those.

    Lots of ways to fill 200 cals decently...

    2 of the 3- Banana, apple, orange

    bunch of strawberries and a handful of almonds.

    **If it were me, I'd add a chicken breast to the salad and then still add an apple.

    You could eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, greek yogurts and the list goes on.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
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    Nakd bars are low cal and nutritious :)
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    i find when i eat processed foods as a snack i end up more hungry, and with more sodium than i'd like.

    i have almonds and sunflower seeds at my desk, and also will eat some yogurt with fruit and granola.

    or a side salad, with lettuce, bell peppers, carrots and cucumbers.

    weight lifting is amazing because it's reduced my insulin sensitivity, and most days i find i can go from lunch to dinner with no need for snacks. if i do need something, a T of sunflower seeds does the trick.
  • peaceloveabby
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    I already have a bunch of fresh foods like bananas all day, it's pretty much all I eat. I just like the looks of those three items and wanted to see if anyone had tried them.
    Chicken breasts to the salad would be perfect except that I'm a vegetarian :) It does sound good though, sometimes I miss meat, particularly chicken.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    i agree with anyone saying skip the packaged made meals. full of unnecessary additives and things that you just don't need.

    i have had the bagelfuls before, they're meh. just go get some bagels, bagel thins, whatever you prefer and put low fat or whatever kind of cream cheese you like on them ahead of time, then grab it from the fridge.

    you can also make your own artichoke dip using spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, greek yogurt and some parm cheese. then portion those in snack size containers. you can also use it in a filling in portobello mushroom caps and make stuffed mushrooms as a dinner with the extra filling.

    sunflower seeds are good to eat plain or on a salad. roast your own chickpeas and munch on them. with extra chickpeas, throw together a hummus, cut up pita bread and can make your own pita chips or dip carrot and pepper and cucumber slices in the hummus. i also enjoy chickpeas on a salad as well.

    string cheese is always a tasty snack as well.

    i absoulutely love spinach, and with saute up some spinach as a snack or as a side dish, with some olive oil and garlic. good tossed with some ricotta cheese and red sauce. i want some now, drool!

    if you do have to get packaged snacks, just check the sugar, sodium content first. same with protein bars, there can be a lot of hidden sugars in them. i prefer to make my own.

    chocolatecoveredkatie.com has some awesome snack ideas that usually are just a few ingredients and fairly easy to throw together (more desserty, but she does have other things as well).

    cottage cheese is a really good side dish with a meal or by itself, add some fruit to it or some salt and pepper on it.

    you can also google some recipes (not sure offhand) for a queso dip made from cashews and nutritional yeast that is sooooo good, you can easily portion it to bring with you for lunch snack.

    maybe take a day off that you have at the begining of the week and get things together, so you can grab them later on

    i also love apple slices warmed in the microwave with cinnamon sprinkled on.
  • meganrae09
    meganrae09 Posts: 10
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    I've had both of the Lean Cuisine dips, and really liked both! :]
  • flechero
    flechero Posts: 260 Member
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    Chicken breasts to the salad would be perfect except that I'm a vegetarian :)

    Oops, I didn't realize that. How about a baked sweet potato? (quick and easy in the microwave)
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
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    Those snacks you posted are all bad fat, high carb junk - have a handful of almonds instead - they're tasty, filling, cheap, don't need cooking, can be carried around with you, high protein, high mono fat, high fibre, high calcium and have omega 3 acids. They also contain micro nutrients such as vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Also the calcium and EFA's help with fat loss.

    A handful of almonds (25g) has 160 cals