Is there a healthy substitute for crackers?

katielynnlynnlynn
katielynnlynnlynn Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, all. I'm trying to limit how much I depend on crackers with food. Growing up, my family ate Ritz crackers with almost everything, so limiting how much I eat leaves me feeling like my meal is incomplete. Especially when it comes to soups. I'm not sure if it is the crunch of the cracker or the buttery-ness that I'm missing, I'm just trying to cope with the deficit and I'm left feeling a little empty (Enjoyment-wise when it comes to my meal, not food-wise).

I was just wondering if there were others out there with a cracker-dependence issue :wink:

Replies

  • daniii756
    daniii756 Posts: 51 Member
    Like above poster said eat them in moderation dont deprive yourself that is where you might binge a bit. I love crackers and tuna fish, sometimes instead of rits i eat wheat thins or something similar
  • katielynnlynnlynn
    katielynnlynnlynn Posts: 3 Member
    BarbieAS wrote: »
    A serving of Ritz crackers (5) is only 80 calories. Can you not find a way to work that into your day? Using MFP is not about depriving yourself, it's about exercising moderation and balancing the foods you eat each day such that you are both meeting your nutritional goals as well as learning to eat in a way that you can sustain for the rest of your life. If you love Ritz crackers that much, don't eliminate them from your diet. Reduce/monitor your portions and find a way to fit them into your day.

    I'm used to eating 1/2 a rack to a rack at a time (I know, bad). That's why I'm trying to limit how much I eat and I'm afraid, at least at this beginning stage, that if I allow myself 5 crackers I'll end up going back for more.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    What's unhealthy about crackers? Everything in moderation is the key. If you enjoy eating Ritz crackers, don't stop as long as you can work them into your goals. I have ice cream now and then and work the my eating habits around that. Eating right doesn't have to mean that you can't enjoy what you like.
  • katielynnlynnlynn
    katielynnlynnlynn Posts: 3 Member
    wilsoncl6 wrote: »
    What's unhealthy about crackers? Everything in moderation is the key. If you enjoy eating Ritz crackers, don't stop as long as you can work them into your goals. I have ice cream now and then and work the my eating habits around that. Eating right doesn't have to mean that you can't enjoy what you like.

    I guess my thinking was to cut it out until I'm no longer dependent on it to feel satisfaction from eating. And then work it back in. I'm new to this so I'm sorry if I'm coming off as ignorant.
  • svkalra
    svkalra Posts: 10 Member
    you can try Carr's water crackers or KA-ME rice crackers but I'm not sure how they level up wit Ritz.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Hmm, lots of substitutes out there but very difficult to find one that you'll find as "satisfying" as Ritz. I'm guessing that it's the taste of texture of the cracker that appeals to you so much. I love Ritz myself but don't particularly crave them. Maybe just down your portion size or just go cold turkey.
  • commanderval
    commanderval Posts: 187 Member
    Mary's organic crackers! they aren't salty or anything, but they are super crunchy and very satisfying.
  • chewyxrage
    chewyxrage Posts: 56 Member
    Ritz makes smaller containers - "Fresh Stacks" - you could try those for portion control. Even if you eat the entire Fresh Stack, it's under a couple hundred calories.
  • lolitax789
    lolitax789 Posts: 2 Member
    I get what you mean by not being able to eat just one mentality....one of my favs is slicing a sweet potatoe in thin slices, bake in oven intil they become chip like...Season...you can even spray with I can't believe it is not Butter.... yummy :)
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    Crackers are great! I like them with PB2. Maybe you could eat 1 or 2 servings that way, as it's more of a treat and more filling.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited May 2016
    When I have a food I have a tough time controlling myself with, the first thing I try is making my own "portion packs". My thing is pretzels - give me a big bag of crunchy little pretzels and I swear I could eat my weight in them! So as soon as I get home from the supermarket, I open the bag, get out my food scale and portion out the whole thing into serving sizes. Then when I have some, I just grab a little container with one serving in it. Sometimes if I REALLY want more, I may get up, go to the cupboard, and get a second pack, but that's usually it. Still way less than I would otherwise have hoovered down :). I always find completely avoiding something just makes me want it more!

    Some people do say they need to completely cut out certain foods, but honestly, figuring out how to eat the foods you love in a reasonable way so you can get to and maintain a healthy weight is such a great skill to learn, it's worth giving it a solid shot. Good luck!
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    I think your best bet will be to try to keep it to a serving and work the calories into your day. You don't want to feel totally deprived of your favorite stuff.
  • drop30lbs
    drop30lbs Posts: 12 Member
    I love the new gluten free Breton herb and garlic crackers with low fat cheese or PB2
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Try Finn crisps, 22 calories a cracker.

    Try slices of cucumber.
  • Pinkylee77
    Pinkylee77 Posts: 432 Member
    soft corn tortillas that you cut into wedges and bake in the oven until crisp, it may give you the crunch you want without the food trigger. I love oyster crackers for soups and snacks. Small round and crunchy.
  • OyGeeBiv
    OyGeeBiv Posts: 733 Member
    I slice up a cucumber (with the skin on) and use the rounds instead of crackers. This works best with thin cucumbers, or the really long ones that are sometimes called English cucumbers - fewer seeds.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    When I have a food I have a tough time controlling myself with, the first thing I try is making my own "portion packs". My thing is pretzels - give me a big bag of crunchy little pretzels and I swear I could eat my weight in them! So as soon as I get home from the supermarket, I open the bag, get out my food scale and portion out the whole thing into serving sizes. Then when I have some, I just grab a little container with one serving in it. Sometimes if I REALLY want more, I may get up, go to the cupboard, and get a second pack, but that's usually it. Still way less than I would otherwise have hoovered down :). I always find completely avoiding something just makes me want it more!

    Some people do say they need to completely cut out certain foods, but honestly, figuring out how to eat the foods you love in a reasonable way so you can get to and maintain a healthy weight is such a great skill to learn, it's worth giving it a solid shot. Good luck!

    I vote for this. Also the following mantra: "There will always be more Ritz crackers. The world is not going to run out of them."

  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
    If you really like them and enjoy them, I would save the calories and count out how many Ritz Crackers you will want to eat ... then before you eat, put the rest of the crackers back in the box and enjoy them w your soup!
    :-D
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    I don't think your plan to eliminate Ritz crackers to cut the cravings is a bad one- it's just one type of cracker, not an entire food group. I feel ya - I can't have pretzels in my house or I eat the whole bag. It's honestly like the one thing I won't buy. I exercise my self-control at the grocery store so I don't have to be a hero in my own kitchen (dramatic, yes, but I love them that much, and that makes me a little sad but also human). If I have just soup or just salad for dinner, I often eat a measured and good quality piece of bakery bread (like whole grain baguette) on the side. If you're doing meat and veg for dinner, start having some type of potato or rice on the side. Add some salt and butter if it's the flavor you are missing- just make sure you measure. Sometimes I use whipped butter as it has less calories for the volume. If you have to have crunch, try popcorn. You can search our varieties with relatively few calories for the volume. For crackers I buy nut thins. Good luck!
  • withoutasaddle
    withoutasaddle Posts: 191 Member
    Mmm, besides some dehydrated veggies (cauliflower, kale, or zuccini), try baby food! Ferber graduate puffs are 1/2 cup (about 60 pieces) for 25 calories!
  • babyxfangs
    babyxfangs Posts: 14 Member
    I would suggest a butter popcorn or cheddar rice cake? Somewhat less calories, but still salty and crunchy. It could at least help you wean yourself off the Ritz.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
    There's nothing wrong with not bringing home a food if you don't feel in control around it.
    We used to plow through sugary breakfast cereal like mad- no bowl was too big for cereal!
    Stopped buying it, stopped eating it. Been years and I don't miss it at all.
    So maybe you take a break from crackers and realize they aren't really that wonderful. Or you realize you can't live without them. Won't know unless you try.
  • ddavenport63
    ddavenport63 Posts: 74 Member
    i dont know which country you are in but here in australia we have lower fat versions like salada or breton otherwise you could try rice crackers
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    I like the 34 Degree crackers. 9 crackers for 50 calories and 11 carbs.
  • sylkates
    sylkates Posts: 173 Member
    If the issue is that specifically rich, buttery crackers are so tempting for you to binge on, then switch to less attractive crackers, so that it's easy to stop yourself after just a few since they're not as delicious. Saltines, or rice crackers (found usually in the gluten free section), both lack that richness, and should be easier to limit yourself with.
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
    I would just stop eating them completely - maybe it's because I don't get the appeal of crackers but I'm sure you will get used to it in a couple of months or weeks. These things are just habits really and once you don't do them for a while your brain forgets all about them.
  • rldeclercq4
    rldeclercq4 Posts: 269 Member
    katielynnlynnlynn wrote: »
    BarbieAS wrote: »
    A serving of Ritz crackers (5) is only 80 calories. Can you not find a way to work that into your day? Using MFP is not about depriving yourself, it's about exercising moderation and balancing the foods you eat each day such that you are both meeting your nutritional goals as well as learning to eat in a way that you can sustain for the rest of your life. If you love Ritz crackers that much, don't eliminate them from your diet. Reduce/monitor your portions and find a way to fit them into your day.

    I'm used to eating 1/2 a rack to a rack at a time (I know, bad). That's why I'm trying to limit how much I eat and I'm afraid, at least at this beginning stage, that if I allow myself 5 crackers I'll end up going back for more.

    It's like these people have never had Ritz before. Lol
    I've had to cut them out completely because like you I'd eat a whole sleeve with a whole lot of peanut butter.
    I've liked eating Pirates Booty, or Air popped popcorn. Gives a nice salty savory crunch but low calorie for the volume in a serving
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited June 2016
    You clearly have Ritzy taste. I'm more of a Wheat Thins man myself, they're sturdier and wheatier. Little lower in calories I think, and they fill me up more than Ritz.
  • PearBlossom9
    PearBlossom9 Posts: 136 Member
    Flackers. Crackers that you make out of flax seeds. Lots of recipes out there.

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