healthier versions of chips, ice cream, and candy?

carlxo21
carlxo21 Posts: 143 Member
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
I am addicted to chips, ice creams, and candy.
But I haven't been buying them because they are so high in trans fats and calories.

Chips are one of my favorite snacks ever. I know I will not be able to last if I don't have some kind of chips soon.
Same with ice cream and candy.

Are there any low-cal types of these snacks I can reach for instead of grabbing cheetos and a hershey bar?

Replies

  • Bake apple chips! Slice apples really thin and bake in a 250 degree oven for about 2 hours until nice and crisp. Add cinnamon if you wish!
  • Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn usually works best for me. I think 1 cup = 100 calories. I also enjoy dark chocolate (studies say it helps benefit your cardiovascular system - yay!). I like having the Yopliat Source Dessert Selections. Some people may find it disgusting how yogurt can taste like chocolate, parfaits, or cafe lattes, but I find they help curb my sweet tooth. Frozen yogurt may be a good idea, but just watch the sugar content, it's usually lower in fat than regular ice cream I think.

    Hope this helps! :)

    *Remember the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time, and indulge yourself 20% :)
  • alisonbank
    alisonbank Posts: 43 Member
    my new favorite snack is Townhouse Flatbread Crisps in Sea Salt & Olive Oil with a Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

    6 crackers are only 70 calories and a cheese wedge is 35 cals. LOW CAL AND DELICIOUS :)
  • em1976
    em1976 Posts: 119 Member
    Jelly and dessert yoghurt,microwave popcorn and i adore cottage cheese with chives.
  • Also, for ice cream, buy skinny cow French vanilla truffle bars. A decently sized ice cream bar that's yummy and drizzled in chocolate for 100 calories. Instead of chips, snack on a 100 calorie pack of kettle corn popcorn sprinkled with cinnamon and splenda
  • I eat sorbet or frozen yogurt for my ice cream. :) I don't really like diet ice creams, they have a lot of unwanted chemicals. For chips I go for the baked chips or gluten free :)

    For candy...well this really isn't candy, but I get fiber one bars. :P Hope I helped!!!

    Also this is an awesome web site full of recipes that are healthy...there is a lot of sweats. :P But remember too much of a good thing can be bad. :P Haha

    here is the website: http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/default.aspx
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I'm not much for salty snacks but if I happen to have a craving, I eat 100 calorie bags of microwave popcorn (butter flavored).

    For ice cream, I either eat a no-sugar-added Fudgecicle or go to the McD's drive through for a cone.

    And if I really want candy, I get some good dark chocolate - everything else just isn't worth the calories IMHO
  • FabCheeky
    FabCheeky Posts: 311
    Banana "ice cream" is amazing. It's also pretty versatile. Freeze a banana in chunks. Then throw it in a food processor until it's creamy. Eat immediately.
  • Monica_has_a_goal
    Monica_has_a_goal Posts: 694 Member
    I like pop chips but im also big on low 100 cal packs of everything.. Yogurt pretzels.. Popcorn... Trail mix... Pudding cups... brownie bites.. Sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles ... and cheese and breadsticks. I love to choose one snack a day with my left over calories.
  • FabCheeky
    FabCheeky Posts: 311
    Also, check out chocolatecoveredkatie.com She makes healthier versions of decadent treats. Good stuff there.
  • I love skinny cow ice cream and the skinny cow candy. I love Pop Chips and just found Baked Kettle BBQ chips. Both are awesome. Infact my entire family eats them and doesnt even know they are lower in calories. :happy:
  • annielarson
    annielarson Posts: 20 Member
    sour cream and onion pop chips!
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
    For Ice Cream, there are any number of brands who have low fat and fat free frozen yogurt. A great alternative to regular ice cream. For chips you can try the baked chips although the sodium levels are still pretty high (of course if you're working out and sweating a lot that may not be a bad thing). My wife bought some brand of candy bar (might have been skinny cow) that she really likes. Around 150 cal per bar so not too bad, maybe check that out.

    My personal opinion is that the worst thing you can do to sabotage your diet goals is try to completely give up a food that you really love. That never works and ultimately results in you cheating or binging. I do one of two things, either I replace those foods with something that I consider equally as enjoyable or I find a way to fit those foods into my overall diet in a way that doesn't compromise my daily intake goals. By way of example I have two foods I really love that really are killers for keeping a good diet, ice cream sandwiches and Qdoba burritos. I was able to replace the ice cream sandwiches with a healthier alternative from skinny cow that uses frozen yogurt and lower calorie "cake". Qdoba burritos I haven't been able to find a good replacement for that's more healthy, so what I do instead is I still go get my regular burrito (total of 1025 calories!!) on a much less frequent basis than I used to. I only allow myself to go on days where I have a large calorie deficit from heavy exercise (I do 1.5 - 2.0 hours of high intensity biking on Saturdays and Sundays) and then each the burrito in three separate sittings throughout the day. This forces me to eat small more frequent portions like we're supposed to and the side effect is that I actually enjoy the burrito more by eating it slower.
  • giaciccone
    giaciccone Posts: 257
    I bake my own sweet potato chips & that usually helps me.
    They are so tasty :) mmm.
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
    I have been having Trader Joes skinny fries but even those can cause some damage if you dont watch your intake. Also, I bought the hold the cone mini ice cream cones from Trader Joes, they are small and one should not have more than one. Portion control is key! :D
  • AllieB
    AllieB Posts: 73
    my new favorite snack is Townhouse Flatbread Crisps in Sea Salt & Olive Oil with a Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

    6 crackers are only 70 calories and a cheese wedge is 35 cals. LOW CAL AND DELICIOUS :)

    This sounds good!
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    I am addicted to chips, ice creams, and candy.
    But I haven't been buying them because they are so high in trans fats and calories.

    Chips are one of my favorite snacks ever. I know I will not be able to last if I don't have some kind of chips soon.
    Same with ice cream and candy.

    Are there any low-cal types of these snacks I can reach for instead of grabbing cheetos and a hershey bar?

    Chips... make your own. Use a spray oil (minimal calories) on thin sliced potatoes or corn tortillas, bake for 10 min.
    Ice Cream... If Dreyer's didn't have their no sugar added 1/2 fat ice creams I'd have gone nuts before getting my ice cream maker.
  • nimik
    nimik Posts: 10
    I'm liking the sour cream and chive special K chips. Kind of like a pringle if you can think outside the box.
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    My new favorite is Blue Diamond nut-thins instead of potato chips. Also skinny cow ice cream singles are just the right amount of ice cream for me at 150 calories.
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    Try:
    Ice cream --> Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt bar
    Chips --> Food Should Taste Good brand
    Candy --> dark chocolate
  • MiladyMetal
    MiladyMetal Posts: 184 Member
    my new favorite snack is Townhouse Flatbread Crisps in Sea Salt & Olive Oil with a Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

    6 crackers are only 70 calories and a cheese wedge is 35 cals. LOW CAL AND DELICIOUS :)

    This sounds good!
    Umm, I agree with what she said! ;p
  • MiladyMetal
    MiladyMetal Posts: 184 Member
    Also, I stay away from processed foods as much as I can. The only junk food I really allow myself is soft serve ice cream and dark chocolate. Everything else is like a trigger to me. However I usually make pita chips. I take a 1/2 TBS. of Marie's Lite Chunky Bleu Cheese dressing and brush it on Joseph's Flax, oat and wheat small pit bread and then cut it into small triangles and sprinkle with a slight dash of garlic salt or parmesan cheese and toast in my toaster oven on medium till crisp enough and lightly golden brown. I dip them in garlic hommus. So yummy! ...or baby carrots cold in garlic hommus is good too.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Sun Chips aren't bad and actually taste good. I can't stand baked chips.
    Skinny Cow Ice Cream. Ice cream cones from McDonalds (helps with portion control).
    GOOD expesive candy in moderation. I like Dove dark chocolate.
  • AllieB
    AllieB Posts: 73
    I am addicted to chips, ice creams, and candy.
    But I haven't been buying them because they are so high in trans fats and calories.

    Chips are one of my favorite snacks ever. I know I will not be able to last if I don't have some kind of chips soon.
    Same with ice cream and candy.

    Are there any low-cal types of these snacks I can reach for instead of grabbing cheetos and a hershey bar?

    Chips... make your own. Use a spray oil (minimal calories) on thin sliced potatoes or corn tortillas, bake for 10 min.
    Ice Cream... If Dreyer's didn't have their no sugar added 1/2 fat ice creams I'd have gone nuts before getting my ice cream maker.

    How many calories do those chips end up being? Sound good.
  • AllieB
    AllieB Posts: 73
    My new favorite is Blue Diamond nut-thins instead of potato chips. Also skinny cow ice cream singles are just the right amount of ice cream for me at 150 calories.

    I love the Blue Diamond wasabi almonds. So delicious!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    For savoury crunchy things - roast soy beans, wasabi peas or wasabi bean mix.
  • Kagard11
    Kagard11 Posts: 396 Member
    I'm liking the sour cream and chive special K chips. Kind of like a pringle if you can think outside the box.
    THIS!!!!! 27 for 110 calories!
  • mackenzg
    mackenzg Posts: 37 Member
    I love Pop Chips...small bag has a LOT of chips and its only 100 calories! tons of flavors too...

    For ice cream, skinny cow is delish, and they also have new candy out that is SO yummy!
  • For my "crunchy food" cravings~~I do Weight Watcher Dijon pretzel thins(110 cal pack pouch--I buy at my WW meetings) or WW Mutigrain cracker thins w/ a 35 calorie light Laughing Cow cheese wedge or a Wholly gaucamole 100 cal.gauc pouch.

    Emerald dark cocoa roasted almonds--100 cal pack.

    Ice cream~Either Weight Watcher or Skinny Cow

    candy~Weight Watchers,sugar free Russell Stovers or Skinny Cow's newest chocolate candy line.I eat only 1 piece occasionally.
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