Snacks and Meals in the common supermarket?

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Rouchiha
Rouchiha Posts: 19
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone know of really healthy snacks and meal options in the supermarket. The ones that blatantly say there healthy aren't always healthy or they do not seem that appetizing. For snacks I like to buy rice cakes and the special k 100 calorie crisps because those are usually the only ones I can find. For meals I can find anything really healthy other than the frozen vegetables. Are there anymore healthy meals and snacks that I am missing out on.

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  • Silver14
    Silver14 Posts: 141
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    Can you cook or do you need a microwave option?
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    I usually go for the pre-cut fruit and vegetable route for snacks because I am lazy. I dip the fruit in almond butter or fat-free Cool Whip (or just eat them plain), and the vegetables usually get dipped in hummus or Laughing Cow cheese.
  • ch3st3rch33tah
    ch3st3rch33tah Posts: 1
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    I'm a fan of the roast chicken. Buy some brocolli, romaine lettuce, and pita wrap.... you'll have several meal options with that chicken!
  • muktyfitness
    muktyfitness Posts: 59 Member
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    I'm a fan of the roast chicken. Buy some brocolli, romaine lettuce, and pita wrap.... you'll have several meal options with that chicken!
    yes I like the roast chicken too for emergency food, good protein I guess if you get rid of skin.
  • lallaloolly
    lallaloolly Posts: 228 Member
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    for the past couple of months, i've snacked only on fruit (variety), dry roasted unsalted almonds (great flavor and crunch), or sliced, raw veggies with hummus. i'm a huge fan of the roasted/rotisserie chicken, too. lots of meal/snacks/recipe options with one.

    i've always been a convenience food lover (i.e. snack bars, etc.) but i've had much more success making headway on "the last 10 pounds" by cutting out the majority of packaged/processed foods and snacks and keeping focused on natural foods. at dinner, i tend to let myself eat whatever i want in moderation, but for breakfast/lunch/snacks, i stick with natural foods or foods that have been processed as little as possible.
  • Rouchiha
    Rouchiha Posts: 19
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    Can you cook or do you need a microwave option?

    I can cook a little but I'm kinda lazy with food so I microwave a lot that's probably why the really healthy options are more difficult to find
  • ScarlettLeto
    ScarlettLeto Posts: 4
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    I find good snacks are Nakd bars, they're filling and they're gluten/dairy free and vegan c:
  • shellbatronic
    shellbatronic Posts: 193
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    It takes like, 2 minutes to slice strawberries. Or grab some cheese sticks in the market, those are a good snack and quick.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
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    Cook your meals! Then you have control over the whole shebang! Why rice cakes? They have no nutritional value. I would try to make every calorie worth the time it takes me to eat it. My suggestion is to make emergency snack packs. Cut up fruit, and freeze in individual servings. Pack nuts in a bag throw them in your, purse, desk, car. Grab a string cheese, small apple, and a couple piece of lunch meat. Grill up some chicken tenderloins, bag in single servings. Grab some Birds Eye single serving veggies, or break up a big bag. Take the two along and there is a protein, nutrient packed snack. Planning ahead is the best.
  • katinachaos
    katinachaos Posts: 90 Member
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    I've had a lot of luck snacking on cucumber slices and the salsa you get from the deli (or whatever less processed type you can find). I add extra cilantro cuz I love it. I bought the snack packs of Wholly Guacamole and had that yesterday, 100 calories and super tasty! I find that if I snack on something with a little kick I don't overeat as much (I've also started keeping Atomic Fireballs by my desk—I can usually only have one because more than that will hurt my tongue, they take forever to dissolve, and the middle gives me a sugar fix, all for 20 calories).

    For lunches I will occasionally just eat a whole container (2 cups) of Green Giant vegetable medley. The sodium is higher than I like, but it has potatoes, which I've cut back on so it's like a treat. And I totally agree with the roasted chicken. The local market has them on sale one day a week, I can shred the breast up for salads and wraps (can usually get 2-3 meals out of that) and then have the thighs/wings as my protein for 1-2 dinners (or just thighs and have the wings as a snack).
  • Rouchiha
    Rouchiha Posts: 19
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    All great suggestions so far, but how do I go about finding which foods are not so processed.
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
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    Due to my schedule, I don't like to cook in the evenings when I get home from the gym. I crockpot 1 or 2 recipes each week and divide them into individual containers and freeze. When I get home, I pop one into the microwave when I'm ready to eat.

    Your less processed foods are fresh foods - veggies, fruits, meats, some dairy - the outskirts of most supermarket stores. The fewer the ingredients, the easier to read ingredients, the less processed. So fish from the meat section is going to be less processed than frozen fish sticks.
  • mommytoaiden
    mommytoaiden Posts: 75 Member
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    Usually the foods that aren't processed are on the outside perimeter in the grocery store. Fish, poultry, meat, veggies, fruits...

    Avoid the crap in the aisles.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    DH and I like beef jerky, but it's pricey and not good if you're watching your sodium. It's lean protein, though, and thus more filling than most snacks.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
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    All great suggestions so far, but how do I go about finding which foods are not so processed.

    Shop the whole foods aisle, and the outer ring of your grocery store. Stay away from the interior aisle where the convenient foods are. Read the label if there is an ingredient in which you need a doctorate in chemistry to understand it's a no go on that product.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
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    DH and I like beef jerky, but it's pricey and not good if you're watching your sodium. It's lean protein, though, and thus more filling than most snacks.

    Make your own from grass-fed beef in the oven there are a ton of recipes out there. If you make your own they will be nitrate- free, and then you control the sodium in it too.
    Needless to say your best investment is a big set of tuperware.
  • Alexandra289
    Alexandra289 Posts: 330 Member
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    I find good snacks are Nakd bars, they're filling and they're gluten/dairy free and vegan c:

    Yes! Love these - always have one in my bag when I go to uni because they're so filling and natural/healthy.
  • Rouchiha
    Rouchiha Posts: 19
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    I like the nakd bars suggestion but they are really hard to find. Also I think these foods are processed but are any of them better alternatives for snacks than regular chips and candy bars (goldfish, ritz chips, special k pastry bars, cheerios, kix, baked cheese doodles, kudos snickers or m&m granola bars) I know there not as healthy as the suggestions mentioned above but I wanted to know if they even remotely healthy and are oranges and green apples just as good as strawberries and nuts for a snack.

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