Snacks

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22_taylor
22_taylor Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started watching what I eat and food that's good for me isn't my favorite. What are some alternative options for snacks that aren't fruits or vegetables.

like some "comfort foods" they won't be the best but are definitely better than eating McDonald's

Replies

  • JullzGood
    JullzGood Posts: 62 Member
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    Clif bars, those are so good. And high in carbs, so great after a workout. Although it does have a bit of fat in it, but not too much where it wouldn't be good for a post workout option. I know you said no fruits, but you ever try frozen berries? They taste great frozen. As well as banana with peanut butter. But peanut butter can add up very quickly so measure out before hand to make it fit your macros.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Mostly, I'm grabbing 50-calorie veggie dogs, string cheese, and popcorn. I've also been giving my ice cream maker a workout and usually have some homemade fat-free (note: not sugar-free; most recipes call for a simple sugar syrup, but a 1/2-cup portion usually comes in around 100-150 calories depending on the flavor) sorbet or granita around. Depending on how many calories you want to allocate, hummus on crackers or bread also works.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    22_taylor wrote: »
    I just started watching what I eat and food that's good for me isn't my favorite. What are some alternative options for snacks that aren't fruits or vegetables.

    like some "comfort foods" they won't be the best but are definitely better than eating McDonald's

    You may be looking at this in a way that makes what you are trying to do very hard.
    No food is inherently good or bad. All food can be eaten in moderation. All foods provide something to your body. Some food provides more of this, others provide more of that. We need all nutrients in a good mix. Variety provides the best mix. What you need, is enough of everything your body needs each day, but not too much of anything over time.
    You can eat whatever you like. What you like, can also change when you start discovering new foods.
    It's easier to discover new foods when you aren't afraid to eat "the wrong foods" of feel forced to eat "the right foods". For instance, fat and salt is necessary to make food taste good, and they are in fact important nutrients, and added sugar isn't "toxic". It's all about balance - you shouldn't eat too much, but that doesn't mean you should limit until food tastes blah.
    If you start cooking, with an attitude that food is good and to be enjoyed, it can be fun to cook, and you can make all kinds of foods. Lots of dishes can be "comfort food".
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    ^^ Amen!

    Although not surprisingly fitting an orange, apple, carrot sticks or the like will be easier to fit in your diet plan than a hamburger! But any food can really be a "snack food" as long as it all fits within your calorie budget.

    Here's a short list of my faves: protein bars, hummus & pretzels, yogurt, pre-portioned Rice Crispie Bars, light microwave popcorn (3.5 cups a PORTION!).
  • alexpriceonline
    alexpriceonline Posts: 17 Member
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    I really like snacking on nut butters. Be careful though, they are super calorific!
  • Annie0411
    Annie0411 Posts: 4 Member
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    I just descovered halo top ice cream. You can eat a pint for 280 calories. I'm trying to lose weight and not deprive myself, so I find if I let myself eat "junk" then this will become more of a lifestyle change. I sometimes will have a diet hot chocolate and a fiber one brownie bar as a treat too! Last night I had a pack of my kids little bites - yup the opposite of healthy but I still had calories left and somehow I feel like I'm not missing out.
  • success313
    success313 Posts: 100 Member
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    Right now I am all about the Kozyshack rice pudding cups with a sprinkle of cinnamon. It really satisfies your sweet tooth.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Sugar free chocolate jello pudding is about 50 cals per individual cup - thats a good option when chocolate is on your mind. There are other flavours which are good too, like dulce de leche. I also like rice Krispie squares, and fibre bars - they have reasonable calorie counts. Pistachios are good too - especially because it takes a bit of work to get at them! Yogurt is a good option too at a reasonable cost. Clementines are big for me right now, they are about 35 calories each. Special K cracker chips can satisfy my craving for potato chips, and for 20 grams, which is a good size serving, is less than 100 calories. Costco makes soft and chewy granola bars (chocolate chip - yum!) for 100 calories. Really, there are tons of options, just read the labels.
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
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    I eat for snacks whatever fits in my daily allotment even if it's a serving of ice cream. I always weigh whatever it is on my food scale but I don't rule out foods because I need to do this long term. No food is bad
  • GrinnyMae
    GrinnyMae Posts: 55 Member
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    I like a piece of toast with 1Tbsp of peanut butter.
  • subakwa
    subakwa Posts: 347 Member
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    Pre-sliced Soreen. 60 cals per slice. Chewy loveliness!

  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
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    Well, like others have said, if you're watching what you eat solely with the goal to lose weight, then it really doesn't matter what you eat. You may find certain types of foods trigger your hunger, or simply don't sate it, while others fill you up. So identifying those for yourself and snacking accordingly could be a huge help.

    You may enjoy snacking on smaller portions of meals. Like, having some meat and mashed potatoes for example, but keeping the calories to whatever's appropriate for your snack.

    If you like dairy, those products can be a nutritionally valuable snack and are often around 80-150 calories in a standard serving. For me, nuts are a great snack but I know many find them too calorically dense. Do you like sunflower seeds? My snack urge is satisfied with half a serving, so less than 100 calories. YMMV. For carbs, half a baked potato with a little butter or a small amount of chili would go in my book's "healthy snack" chapter. These are just examples; there are endless possibilities. Basically, if you're going for nutrition, choose whole foods as much as possible. Since weight loss is a concern as well, just keep the cals down.

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