I need snack ideas...

moonangel12
moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
edited December 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Snacks are my pitfall, and I have recognized a flaw in my current mentality that I am working on changing. Starting out with MFP (Sept 2019) I literally ran for chocolate some days - it was a way to earn a few extra calories when my daily budget was fairly low. Now that my mileage (running and biking) is increasing I need to shift from reaching for the treats and focus on better/proper refueling. Current go-to’s are hard boiled eggs, banana and PB, PB toast, and cole slaw. I need some variety though. Definitely need to up my protein and nix the sugar (it’s a big trigger for inflammation/fibro flares for me and the heat and humidity have set my body off - hoping to control pain and stiffness with diet). Would love some quick, easy, and maybe even out-of-the-box ideas to try!

ETA: thought I put this in food and nutrition... my bad.

Replies

  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    My list of snacks....

    Porridge.
    Crispbreads with dairylea, marmite or low sugar jam.
    Apple.
    Grapes.
    Muller Light or Light and Free yogurt.
  • Courtscan2
    Courtscan2 Posts: 499 Member
    Almonds
    Carrots and celery with hummus
    Rice cake with a bit of tuna on top
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    Individual string cheese (I like the 2% kind, not everyone does) or other cheese at the lower-calorie end, crispy chickpeas (homemade or purchased) or crisp broad beans (purchased), dry-roasted soy nuts, lupini beans, miso broth made with actual miso (not the powdered gunk), Yasso Greek yogurt bars (frozen), frozen fruit + plain Greek yogurt + Chocolate peanut butter powder, puppodums.
  • gewel321
    gewel321 Posts: 718 Member
    I like 2% string cheese and balanced breaks. There are a lot of different kinds of balanced breaks. Some have a little bit of chocolate to meet that sweet tooth craving.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    Keto bread with guacamole and smoked salmon on top!
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Fun! Thanks for the ideas! Keep ‘em coming! I am going to make a list for when I go the to store next... forgot about string cheese, I was buying bags of it each trip, then my kids grew bored of it so I haven’t lately. Out of sight, out of mind. And grocery store trips are so weird thanks to COVID it’s not like I can cruise and scan now. Like hearding cattle through the aisles 🙄
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Dried sugar snap peas. They are sold in or near the veggie aisle at the grocery store, and possibly on the chip aisle also. I like the flavor (several options available, and I think the company makes dried lentils also) and there is a decent quantity in 28 grams for 140 calories.

    Prepackaged cheese/nuts/fruit - about 180 cals. I've seen them in name brand and store brand at the grocery store, and more recently buy a Costco brand that is a pack of 16 for about $9. Better than paying $1+ at the grocery store.

    Pickles. Dill are lower calorie than sweet. At one point my local store sold a store brand no added sugar gherkin that was lower cal, but they stopped carrying it.

    Buffalo chicken dip on crackers.

    Chips & salsa - just portion out your chips and have a reasonable amount.

    Apple slices w/ a dab of peanut butter on each.

    Gold fish crackers.

  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    Also looking for snacks, keep 'em coming. I eat an apple, banana and clementine most days.

    My go to snacks are: two water biscuits and 10-15g of cheese. But it gets a little dull.

    Very occasionally if I have time- 200ml oat milk with a banana and a big handful of spinach (or a 5g spoon of hotchoc instead of the spinach in the blender if I need something sweet!)
  • Oneka5
    Oneka5 Posts: 106 Member
    I need to up my protein too so I got the little tuna packs and sardines for a little extra boost when my meals don't cut it. Can eat with crackers if you like.
    I also got boars head turkey pepperoni, they are really good. I eat them with a bit of aged Parmesan cheese. You just have to watch the sodium intake
    Apple slices and sunflower butter is tasty too
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    I just learned a local grocery store carries boar’s head, turkey pepperoni and cheese would be tasty!
  • joshchapo
    joshchapo Posts: 186 Member
    Oneka5 wrote: »
    I need to up my protein too so I got the little tuna packs and sardines for a little extra boost when my meals don't cut it. Can eat with crackers if you like.
    I also got boars head turkey pepperoni, they are really good. I eat them with a bit of aged Parmesan cheese. You just have to watch the sodium intake
    Apple slices and sunflower butter is tasty too

    The tuna packs are great!!
    I have cupboard full of them , they are quick just tear and eat loaded with protein low fat between 60-80 calories depending on flavor. I always have sweet+spicy, original, lemon pepper and salmon in same style packs.

    Another quick snack is just eating cereal like a snack with no milk (good cereals lol) oats
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    I have never tried flavored tuna packs... might have to branch out!
  • 1FitBabe
    1FitBabe Posts: 111 Member
    Kind mini bars have a nice dose of chocolate and nuts, taste delicious, are easy to tote, 100 calories and low sugar.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    High protein and no sugar? Problem solved: High-end sardines. These are 125 calories, packed with natural Omega-3, filling as all get-out, no skin no bones. I eat one 3-4 times per week, love them. They're a little off the grid because sardines are kind of not in the trend, but these are better than tuna.

    https://www.amazon.com/Portuguese-Skinless-Boneless-Sardines-Olive/dp/B01BXD503O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
  • 1FitBabe
    1FitBabe Posts: 111 Member
    Some of my favorite low cal treats are sugar free popsicles, string cheese, laughing cow cheese, popcorn, Lays honey BBQ poppables, Mini nilla wafers, teddy grahams and chocolate Pocky!
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    What are the best ways to eat sardines? I bought a few cans to try, but haven’t gotten up the nerve to open a can.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    edited July 2020
    moonangel12 wrote: »
    What are the best ways to eat sardines? I bought a few cans to try, but haven’t gotten up the nerve to open a can.

    Open can. Insert fork. Bring fork to mouth. LOL

    You just need the right kind of sardines. Go buy some skinless, boneless ones and there will be nothing to fear. You're thinking of the little ones with the heads in a slimy oil broth. The higher end ones are larger (3-6 to a tin) and much more like a can of tuna without the mercury than a low-end sardine.

    EDIT: I've also been known to squirt some Schiracha on them, throw a few of them into an omelete, put on toast, or roll into sushi. But I do really enjoy them straight out of the can unadorned.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    1FitBabe wrote: »
    Kind mini bars have a nice dose of chocolate and nuts, taste delicious, are easy to tote, 100 calories and low sugar.

    Oooo: I didn't know there were minis. I'm not usually a "healthy bars" gal because so many (in macros & flavor) are just sub-par candy bars, but I like some of the Kind ones. But a regular Kind bar is more calories than I'd usually want to spend on that sort of thing, and once that packages is open . . . . :lol:
  • Carp614
    Carp614 Posts: 191 Member
    I found plain beef jerky and meat sticks (like organic grass fed stuff) to work well. Almonds can be good, but they might make you feel a bit bloated. The meat sticks are good because there's no stretching into additional servings. One stick is one serving like 90 calories I think.
  • caitlinbc87
    caitlinbc87 Posts: 58 Member
    Some snack ideas:
    Hummus with some sliced up red pepper or cucumber slices
    1 serving of fruit
    Beef jerky
    Hard boiled egg with a little salt and pepper
    Low fat cottage cheese
    Boom Chick Pop popcorn
    if you want something with chocolate, I like the SnackPak sugar-free chocolate puddings. Only 70 calories.


  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Today has been better for me food wise - my usual breakfast (egg, cheese, thin sliced bagel), a very tasty bean and cheese burrito for lunch, then grapes, buffalo chicken breast lunch meat, and a few corn puffs for a snack. Better than reaching for the candy, and even more of a victory because I was sitting there watching webinars all afternoon (for homeschool prep) so it was prime time to graze (bored, idle hands). If I have calories left after supper it will be PB toast, not a bowl of sugary cereal.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Upped the bar on the PB toast tonight - oh my yum! I toasted the bread with a little butter on each side in a cast iron pan, put the crunchy PB on it while it was still hot so it got all melty gooey but the bread still had a crip bite to it... and of course salty Irish butter. Calorie dense, but I had plenty to spare tonight.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 600 Member
    https://presidentschoice.ca/product/pc-erfruit-skyr-icelandic-style-yogurt-bars/21074199_EA these skyr bars are tasty and have sexy nutrition ;)
  • Goingagain
    Goingagain Posts: 30 Member
    Salt & Vinegar rice cake with light cream cheese and cucumber
    Celery sticks with hummous
    Popcorn
    Mini Meringue with LF greek yoghurt and strawberries
    Boiled eggs
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