"Healthy" Junk Food...

kristynicole4
kristynicole4 Posts: 40 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
Hey all. I will firstly say I'm a bit sad to live in Canada sometimes, because I feel those of you in the US have a lot more food variety when it comes to snacks. I know these are mostly processed foods I'm talking about, but still...
Anyways, I've stopped popping into this organic/vegetarian/vegan shop near me, and I keep finding little goodies... Shirataki noodles, a low-cal pasta option I've used for ages... pop with stevia instead of aspartame... tofu bbq bites which are AWESOME, and I just bought some seaweed chips - 80 cals a bag! I have a salt weakness, so I love them. Unfortunately they're so expensive...
I've seen people talk about Arctic Zero, an icecream wannabe that clocks in at 150 cal for a pint...I wish we had it here!
Anyways, I was curious. For those of you with junk food weaknesses (salt, sweet, anything),
have you found any foods/snacks around that you just love and that don't kill the calorie bank? Please share!!

Replies

  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    I slum it with a protein bar from time to time.
  • KitkatcuteNYC
    KitkatcuteNYC Posts: 150 Member
    Quality Dark chocolate over 60% is good..
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Just out of curiosity, how exactly do you think soda with stevia instead of aspartame is better for you?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how exactly do you think soda with stevia instead of aspartame is better for you?

    60de282935774577b991aaba5c1b8f5c7f5a16fcd0187dd8e65952f98c586240.jpg
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    There are Canadian bars at Costco and elsewhere that our American friends don't have. I love Simply Protein and the Taste of Nature bars.

    The Bulk Barn has a huge selection as well.

    Kale chips
    Nuts of all kinds
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    I second kale chips, but they are waaaaay to expensive to buy. I make my own.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Kale chips instead of potato chips - no fat, lo cal, crunchy. But yes, way expensive.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how exactly do you think soda with stevia instead of aspartame is better for you?

    60de282935774577b991aaba5c1b8f5c7f5a16fcd0187dd8e65952f98c586240.jpg

    EfaqOhA.gif
  • scaryg53
    scaryg53 Posts: 268 Member
    I just got some kale ships today for free, they're 7.99 for two servings, I love them but I'd rather make my own also, although mine aren't as good.
  • jdori2015
    jdori2015 Posts: 6 Member
    I've been snacking on Smith's Popped - Sour Cream & Chives Single Serve, 16 g.
    - 69 Cal, 24lb carbs, 4lb fat, 2lb protein & sugar, 207lb sodium.

    I don't know if you get those, but we have them in Australia.
  • DeliVibes
    DeliVibes Posts: 67 Member
    Flavoured rice cakes! Lightly salted, chocolate, Apple & cinnamon etc.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    If I'm going to eat junk food, I might as well eat the real thing and try to limit it to no more than once a week. The "healthy" alternatives are never as good, and just make me want the real thing even more.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
    PB2 is a powdered peanut butter you reconstitute with water. It contains 45 calories and 1.5 g of fat per 2 tablespoon serving. It tastes pretty good. Not as good as regular, but good enough for me. I have a serving with an apple in the afternoon. I buy it on Amazon.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    kristynicole4 wrote: »
    I've seen people talk about Arctic Zero, an icecream wannabe that clocks in at 150 cal for a pint...I wish we had it here!

    No, you don't.

    You really don't.
  • ksmi141
    ksmi141 Posts: 72 Member
    As others have said - baby kale chips. I prefer them to potato chips and they take like 12 minutes to make. 10 minutes of that's in the oven. I tried roasting my own chickpeas, but haven't had any success with that. Blegh. Also, I like baking my own donuts/Muffins with healthy alternatives. So, my stomach thinks it's getting this amazing sugary donut, but my brain knows it's only banana, honey and oats. :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, how exactly do you think soda with stevia instead of aspartame is better for you?

    60de282935774577b991aaba5c1b8f5c7f5a16fcd0187dd8e65952f98c586240.jpg

    EfaqOhA.gif

    +1
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    No, because I don't really look at the calories of the food I want to buy. I just buy it and eat it if it fits my calories. Or I eat a custom serving weight to fit my calories.

    But uh, why is this thread title about junk food when you didn't even mention anything that is perceived to be junk food?
  • 00_Staarling
    00_Staarling Posts: 12 Member
    I am becoming less of a picky eater and find some things I didn't think of as 'treats' sort of like junk food substitutes :) I love fruit yogurt, bananas and creamed rice. Having oats with apples sauce for breakfast almost feels like having dessert for breakfast since it almost tastes like apple pie and it fills me up so much!
  • AllAbtSoccer
    AllAbtSoccer Posts: 3 Member
    Tried & true: real peanut butter & apples or banana.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    I don't worry overmuch about calories or fat, but I do try to pick snack foods with a few more micronutrients when possible. I like dried coconut for sweets, and dried soy nuts or chickpeas for crunchy salty snacks. I also really, really like fresh fruit mixed with some sunflower seeds or almond butter. You get all the the sugary, fatty goodness, plus some protein and vitamins :)
  • dragthewaters
    dragthewaters Posts: 62 Member
    edited February 2015
    Right now I'm eating 1/2 cup of frozen organic raspberries and 1/4 cup of coconut flakes...I think that counts. For me with raspberries it's more about breaking the monetary bank...one bag has 2.5 cups and is about $3.69. But they're sooooo good (my favorite fruit ever), and still cheaper and less moldy than fresh raspberries.

    For me I wouldn't consider "healthy" junk food to just be low-calorie...it also has to be, well, healthy, like without artificial stuff. And hopefully with some sort of nutritional value, like protein or antioxidants or whatever.

    *Raspberries, as mentioned.
    *Dark chocolate (like 72%), either plain or flavored. The Endangered Species brand is my favorite.
    *The Back to Nature creme cookies (they're basically like an all-natural version of Oreos). They make several other types of cookies as well.
    *Any baked goods from the store that are made with real, all-natural ingredients. My store (Stop & Shop) actually has quite a few and even its own line of all-natural cookies.
    *Snapea Crisps or Lentil Crisps instead of chips (sadly, they don't have them at my supermarket :( But I guess it's not so sad because I tend to eat the entire bag at once when I do get them.)

    *This has artificial ingredients, but I also love sour cream and onion chips, so I get the baked Lays when I go to Subway...unfortunately they somehow think the healthier version = "put less flavoring on it".

    *I am a fiend for Honest Tea and Teas' Tea, although both are expensive so I try to limit my consumption of those. Honestly I am a fiend for tea in general. I usually have it instead of dessert because the flavor tricks my brain into thinking it's getting sugar. My favorite tea is Twinings Green Jasmine tea, and favorite herbal tea is Tazo Cocoa Mint Mate.
    *Unsweetened coconut milk is like a staple food for me, but I also have it for dessert sometimes.

    *This is my greatest trick though. Whenever I'm really craving chocolate, but I don't want any additional sugar for the day, I make my own hot chocolate. 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa in water, microwave for 2 minutes, it's completely sugar-free and tastes way better than commercial hot chocolate (to me at least). And if you really want you can add a bit of sugar, and it will still be less than commercial hot chocolate. I'm going to go have some now....
    kristynicole4 wrote: »
    I've seen people talk about Arctic Zero, an icecream wannabe that clocks in at 150 cal for a pint...I wish we had it here!

    I've never tried it myself, or had a desire to, but there was a thread on here of "worst foods you've ever eaten" and it came up SEVERAL times.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited February 2015
    dragthewaters wrote: »
    kristynicole4 wrote: »
    I've seen people talk about Arctic Zero, an icecream wannabe that clocks in at 150 cal for a pint...I wish we had it here!

    I've never tried [Arctic Zero] myself, or had a desire to, but there was a thread on here of "worst foods you've ever eaten" and it came up SEVERAL times.

    It tastes like anorexia and tears.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »
    dragthewaters wrote: »
    kristynicole4 wrote: »
    I've seen people talk about Arctic Zero, an icecream wannabe that clocks in at 150 cal for a pint...I wish we had it here!

    I've never tried [Arctic Zero] myself, or had a desire to, but there was a thread on here of "worst foods you've ever eaten" and it came up SEVERAL times.

    It tastes like anorexia and tears.

    omg

    Ok I vote for popcorn. And the snack I just had, which was half a peach from a can + a couple of tablespoons of whipped cream over a broken-up Dad's oatmeal cookie (corner store peach crumble!)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited February 2015
    A lot of people on here suggest just eating what you like, but a smaller portion. I agree and think that is great and ideal, but I have some substitutes that I actually love: popcorn or pops chips, stonyfield chocolate frozen yogurt (though I do buy talenti and eat 2 servings), arnolds bread-2 slices for 80 calories with laughing cow cheese or PB2, 99% cacao bars (lindt has one for 220 calories in the whole bar) eaten with a cup of coffee with cream and sugar, quest bars, white cheddar rice cakes...just to name a few.

    Edit: I disregarded your "healthy" suggestion. I think my diet is healthy, therefore any food in it is healthy.
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  • lotus_eater
    lotus_eater Posts: 11 Member
    My go to snack seems to be roasted seaweed, It fills the needs for something salty (and spicy if I get the wasabi flavor).
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    grilled chicken breast that's been marinated in girard's champagne salad dressing.
  • mauibeachbabe
    mauibeachbabe Posts: 8
    Try Special K There Yummy, Crackers, Chips, Bars, even protein shakes.They are 100 cal or under As for expensive I always look at it this way what do you spend on a drink in a bar $3.00 -$7.00 for just one, at least with snacks you get a whole bag.
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