"Can't Live Without" Snack

cc11395
cc11395 Posts: 121 Member
Hi!

In light of all this planning-fall-school's in session-moving-travelling-hormones-football-crazy life chatter, I thought it would be good to get some ideas from the group for "Can't Live Without" snacks on the go and why you like them! I have heard so much about planning being the key, and I couldn't agree more. Planning keeps this girl's car from auto-piloting into the fast food drive-thru!

I'll start the list:

Apples: I like these because they can literally be thrown into my purse without worry of making a mess!
Popcorn: I can make ahead and leave in my car for my 2 hour commute.
Crystal Light: I don't know if it counts as a snack, but it sure helps with the soda cravings!
Gum: Sometimes, just having a piece of gum will steer me away from eating when I am commuting or bored.

Ok, what's yours? I can't wait to have some new ideas to try!!

CC

Replies

  • BACKTOCHRISSY
    BACKTOCHRISSY Posts: 73 Member
    Ok here are my loves (LOL):

    1. Half cup strawberries w/a wedge of laughing cow swiss cheese

    2.Rice cakes with half tablespoon of peanutbutter (and sometimes some orange marmalade)

    3. Think Thin Fudge bar (it's got a lot of protein and keeps you fuller longer)

    4. Cheese stick 2% mozzerella
  • mdgivens
    mdgivens Posts: 206 Member
    You hit the nail on the head (for me) with gum. I give credit for all of my weight-loss success to squats and gum.

    Right after I typed that, I grabbed a stick of spearmint Extra.
  • Gnawcraft
    Gnawcraft Posts: 775 Member
    Well I would have said crisps but I ditched them for that daily challenge and haven't looked back! I don't really snack any more but I cannot cut fries out of my life altogether (unlike those pesky crisps they weren't being consumed 24/7 luckily haha) but looking forwards to a meal where I include them every few weeks makes me feel much better about the days that I'm being really well behaved hehe.
  • I just recently bought this "trail mix" Archer Farms (target brand) Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix and I portioned it out the day I brought it home and they are sitting conveniently in Ziplock snack bags just waiting to be picked up and tossed into my bag. BTW... DELISH!!! You DEF have to try if you like chocolate, or coffee, or even nuts... SOOOOOOO GOOD!!!

    Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Fiber One's new Protein Bars with Fiber... The Almond Coconut flavor is my FAV.

    I also buy the 100 calorie popcorn bags which can be tossed into a bag also and then popped later at work, or school in the student caf. Well, I have LOTS of snack ideas so I'm going to stop talking now... These are some of my favs at the moment, that are easy for "on the go" people.
  • Hard boiled eggs not so good to sit around but great for an I'm starving gotta grab food before I leave the house kind of snack
    Granola/breakfast bars: keep at work for mid day want to run the vending machine worked through lunch kinda days
    Crystal light should be a snack: I make my with carbonated lemon or lime water - way better then soda and I must start doing that again
    Crackers and hard cheese - calories depend on your cracker choosing but since I love cheese it's always a hit!
  • cc11395
    cc11395 Posts: 121 Member
    @ Alana - Definitely need to look for that Trail Mix, sounds right up my alley! I like the Fiber One Bars too, Peanut Butter is tasty.

    @ Holly - I never thought of using carbonated water for the Crystal Light, what a great idea! I think I will make mocktails for dinner this weekend!

    CC
  • m23prime
    m23prime Posts: 358 Member
    Popcorn! Love it. Always have. Won't live without it. With oil and butter, thank you. (I just don't use the whole bottle or pound for a batch anymore...just a half tablespoon and a pat.) Give me a movie and a bowl of my home popped corn and a bad day disappears in a contented crunchy grin.
  • cc11395
    cc11395 Posts: 121 Member
    M23 - do you cook directly on the stove? I would love to know the secret to that! I use micro pop - not nearly as satisfying! Love popcorn, satisfies the crunchy salty munchy need!!
  • slh0307
    slh0307 Posts: 50 Member
    I gotta try the trail mix and the Fibre One bars for sure, anything chocolate and coconut and I am in!

    Okay, my snacks are not traditional at all. I eat like an "earth muffin" or "neo-hippie" if you will.

    I love dry roasted Edamame and raw pumpkin seeds mixed. 1/8 cup each.

    Luna Protein bars any flavor for when I must have chocolate.

    Beanitos original bean chips any flavor. Yum!

    I also found a dairy free yogurt yesterday called So Delicious. It is made with coconut milk and has live cultures. I tried Passionate Mango flavor-very, very good.

    Dr. Oz posted a recipe in a magazine for roasted chick peas instead of popcorn and those were delicious.
  • cc11395
    cc11395 Posts: 121 Member
    BTL - You are what I affectionately refer to as a "Granola!" We have lots of neo-hippie types in Seattle/Portland area...and lots of Whole Foods and PCCs. LOL

    I would love to know the Dr. Oz chick pea recipe - looking for on the go snacks for my ridiculous daily commute!

    And btw, ain't nothin' wrong with a little granola in this country girl's life!!

    CC
  • m23prime
    m23prime Posts: 358 Member
    M23 - do you cook directly on the stove? I would love to know the secret to that! I use micro pop - not nearly as satisfying! Love popcorn, satisfies the crunchy salty munchy need!!

    Yes. Stove top. Now the reason I can use so little oil now and still get REALLY good popcorn is because I found an old mechanical popper in a thrift store. It has a hand crank and keeps the kernels moving so they don't burn. PLUS it is fairly small capacity, so it makes a modest, but still wholly satisfying serving.
  • I'm a sucker for string cheese. A lot of times I'll toss a stick in my bag with some fruit before heading to class. When I'm at home (or when my dog comes to class with me), I cut calories by splitting the cheese with my dog. I give her the white part, and I get the yellow part. She even sings for it =]

    Smoothies work well too, especially for a snack/meal. I make a big smoothie to last me through breakfast and class all day. Chia seeds really bump it up and help to keep you full. I take one with me everyday to class and sip on it the whole time, while all my classmates hit up the snack machines and bring fast food.
  • Carysta
    Carysta Posts: 152 Member
    I love cheese strings too, the Cheeseheads ones from Costco are only 50 calories each and are a nice, cheesy good snack.

    I also love apples, nectarines, peaches (in season only winter ones taste funny), any fruit that can be held in the hand and eaten is a nice snack. If I want a little extra salty I sometimes slice an apple and sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on the slices for the flavour, it's that sweet/salty/crunchy goodness.

    Individual serve cottage cheese pots (with fruit mixed in or plain).

    Greek yogurt - I get the fat-free plain one and add my own fruit, way tastier, and I usually only add a very little agave syrup or maple syrup for sweet.

    I love smoothies and have a flax/hemp/chia seed mix that I like to add to those and to other stuff.

    Caramel popcorn - I have to be careful to measure this or share a bag with friends. SO tasty!
  • just_jess7
    just_jess7 Posts: 271 Member
    Coffee. I do not comprehend how people survive without it.

    Also, peanut butter lately. Which is strange, because until this month, I only ate it maybe once every 6 months... Now? Can't get enough of the stuff.
  • Hummus and carrots, or celery, or cauliflower, or brocolli

    1/2 cottage cheese + 1 whole cucumber cut into pieces with some garlic.

    23 raw almonds

    Cheese sticks - the cheeseheads brand I love those

    apple slices

    frozen grapes

    1 c strawberries + 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 oz reddiwhip

    cauliflower bread
    http://detoxinista.com/2012/01/the-secret-to-perfect-cauliflower-pizza-crust/

    My favorite dessert!
    Cream cheese clouds
    http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/cream_cheese_clouds.html
  • Carysta
    Carysta Posts: 152 Member
    Coffee. I do not comprehend how people survive without it.

    I didn't list coffee because I consider it a staple not a snack :happy: MUST have my coffee, it is my thing-I-can-have that makes the whole everything else about the new lifestyle work :)
  • just_jess7
    just_jess7 Posts: 271 Member
    I didn't list coffee because I consider it a staple not a snack :happy: MUST have my coffee, it is my thing-I-can-have that makes the whole everything else about the new lifestyle work :)

    Agreed!! I will never cut my coffee. Or my creamer - regular, full sugar full fat creamer. Though I've started measuring my creamer and logging accordingly.
  • Carysta
    Carysta Posts: 152 Member

    Agreed!! I will never cut my coffee. Or my creamer - regular, full sugar full fat creamer. Though I've started measuring my creamer and logging accordingly.

    For me it is my double-double from Tim Horton's that keeps me going :) (Two cream, two sweetener). The nice thing is it's measured amounts that go in the cup. I cut back from a triple-triple with sugar so that was something :) Today we went to starbucks but I could afford the extra calories in whipped cream after all the walking!
  • m23prime
    m23prime Posts: 358 Member
    "They look like coffee addicts to me boys." Norwood in Alex Cox's 1987 classic Straight to Hell :drinker: