need snack ideas in place of fruits

bluejayyy
bluejayyy Posts: 18 Member
I eat a lot of fruit. I go over in sugar EVERY DAY. but that's always my go to snack in between meals and I need some new ideas...but low fat/low carb preferably. I eat a lot of carrots, peas, and yogurt for snacks but I need something else...healthy and high in protein. Does anyone have some good snack ideas? I tried searching it and it brings up a lot of stuff like peanuts, almonds, pistachios but those are all high in fat and I have too much fat on my body!

Replies

  • Cottage cheese. :)
    Oatmeal is good, too!
    About the nuts... In moderation, nuts have good fats. Eating a handful of nuts is a tasty, relatively low calorie snack.
    I like an open-faced sandwich with one slice of a good wheat bread, a slice of cheese, and a few slices of turkey. That's usually under 200.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    nuts, cheese, pepperoni chips, cut up veggies.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    also, eating fat doesn't make you fat.

    greek yogurt.
  • laurie858
    laurie858 Posts: 91 Member
    I'm having the same problem. Usually eat fruit 3-5 times a day! I'm trying today to cut out fruit for a few days to see what my sugar levels equal. I'm also eating no bread, pasta, crackers, pretzels, chips, etc.

    - Turkey Jerky - little indivicual packs. But I'll have half the pack as a morning snack, half as an afternoon snack.
    - Fresh Veggie Slices: Red bell pepper, tomato (yes, technically a fruit), carrots, zucchini.
    - Wrap the veggie spears in turkey or lean ham
    - Chicken - Any time I cook chicken or order chicken at a restaurant, save some. Put it in one of those MINI tupperware containers to snack on later.
    - Mini Baby Bell light wedges - 35 calories per wedge.
    - Yogurt - Read Labels!! I try not to have yogurt over 100 calories, and look for sugar amounts too. It's way better to get light plain yogurt and mix in fresh blueberries, instead of getting light blueberry yogurt. When they make "blueberry" yogurt, they add so much more than just blueberries. Why not make your own!? :)

    Combo these things listed above for your own creations:
    1 mini babybell wedge, 2 slices of tomato, 1/2 slice thick-cut turkey. Less than 100 calories of YUMMINESS!
    Today for a morning snack I had some leftover chicken breast that I dipped it in 2% cottage cheese.

    I pay for the "good stuff" now when it comes to lunch meat. It's totally worth the extra money. Less processed, thicker cut, less sodium, etc.

    Also, when I was eating breads and things like that, I would have half servings. So, 5.5 pretzel crisps (a serving is 11), etc. That way you still get the crunch, and you have something to put the cheese on, but it literally cuts the calories in half.

    Even with all the changes I've made, my carbs are still around 45%. But that's basically all veggies, an occasional slice of bread here and there, etc. I'm shooting for 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.
  • I'm addicted to cilantro jalapeno hummus with a few pita chips.
  • becki1815
    becki1815 Posts: 51 Member
    Carrot fries!

    I use baby carrots and slice them. Spray with pam, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Bake in the oven about 350 for about 45 minutes. They get to a really nice texture and taste great dipped in ketsup! My kids love it.
  • lil_bit_crazy
    lil_bit_crazy Posts: 161 Member
    I'm an oddball ...I like tuna in water..drain it, add mustard. Zero fat 50 calories and that's for the whole can.
    Yesterday I ate half a pineapple. Bad move. Mouth broke out inside from the acid.
    low-fat vanilla ice cream and fresh sliced fruit. Get dairy and sweets that way and since you like fruit ....
    I like cottage cheese plain.

    Going for my snack now...will think of more later
  • As someone else mentioned eating fat doesn't make one fat.

    For snack ideas - 1oz of almonds, string cheese, hummus w/ red pepper strips (or baby carrots, whatever veggie you like to dip), greek yogurt, peanut butter on apple slices, popcorn, deli turkey rolls
  • lil_bit_crazy
    lil_bit_crazy Posts: 161 Member
    If you prefer regular foods by all means go ahead! I was just mentioning what I use.
    What about steamed veggies? Baked potato with (low-fat) sour cream or just some steamed broccoli?

    Ohhh chopped low sodium Ham (again, use what you like) in a baked potato is good.

    Experiment ...you should see what I make for my kids...all kinda weird stuff! :blushing:
  • maryloo2011
    maryloo2011 Posts: 446
    What everyone else has said... and sugar in fruit isn't bad. I love keeping fruit as a snack because there is so much water in it so it's kind of filling as well.

    But if you're looking for protein ideas, these are what I like...

    • Fage 0% Greek Yogurt (or any GY). I mix in sugar-free, fat-free jello mix (white chocolate, cheesecake, butterscotch, etc...). Total it's about a 125 cal snack, 13g carbs, 18g protein but a little higher in sodium (375g-ish)

    • Turkey Jerky, it take a little bit of chewing and high in protein

    • Bring in some egg whites - 4 servings is 100 cals and 20g protein. Mix in a couple veggies like mushrooms or green onions

    • Peanut butter (check out Bell Plantation's PB2 - it's 45 cals / 5g C / 2g F / 5g P for 2T and pretty delicious. Dip with apples, celery, etc

    • String cheese

    • Hard boiled eggs

    • Edamame
  • bluejayyy
    bluejayyy Posts: 18 Member
    thank you all for the great comments/recommendations :)
  • bluejayyy
    bluejayyy Posts: 18 Member
    Carrot fries!

    I use baby carrots and slice them. Spray with pam, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Bake in the oven about 350 for about 45 minutes. They get to a really nice texture and taste great dipped in ketsup! My kids love it.

    never heard of these but definitely sound really good! I might try that sometime if I pick up some Mrs. Dash,, can you only order that online?
  • Mix it up.

    Instead of eating the whole fruit eat half of it, and add a handful of nuts or a 1/4 cup of yoghurt.

    Can of beans or peas or avocado in a food processor/blender to make a dip. Then celery/carrots/chips for dipping.
  • reddingaz
    reddingaz Posts: 39 Member
    My snacks usually consist of hard boiled egg whites (4-6 depending on how hungry), maybe 1/4cup of nonfat low sugar greek yogurt and/or some fruit. Recently I've been making some homemade protein bars from the Jaime Eason recipes. I've tried, pumpkin, chocolate & most recently lemon. Also made a batch of quinoa berry bites.
  • hawsem001
    hawsem001 Posts: 2 Member
    I go over on sugar too . I would like to keep track on here how much I eat per day , can you help me , I'm kinda new & I don't know how this whole thing works . I would appreciate it if you could help me .
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I eat a lot of fruit. I go over in sugar EVERY DAY. but that's always my go to snack in between meals and I need some new ideas...but low fat/low carb preferably. I eat a lot of carrots, peas, and yogurt for snacks but I need something else...healthy and high in protein. Does anyone have some good snack ideas? I tried searching it and it brings up a lot of stuff like peanuts, almonds, pistachios but those are all high in fat and I have too much fat on my body!

    Fat doesn't make you fat. Excess calories make you fat. All calories consumed (carbs, protien, fat) have the potential to turn into fat if they aren't used (because you are sedentary and/or have an excess of calories).

    Sugar from fruit isn't a problem IMHO. Eat what you like as long as it's below your calorie goal.

    My favorite snacks are:
    1. Almonds
    2. Pistachios
    3. Plain greek yogurt with frozen fruit and honey
    4. Veggie Straws or Popchips
    5. Protien shakes
    6. Kashi pita crackers with Laughing Cow cheese and spinach
    7. Graham crackers and Nutella
    8. Fruit
    9. Air popped pop corn with real butter



    Good luck!
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    Love the roasted carrots idea! We need fats in our diets, that is why it is included on MFP. Also, sugar is sugar BUT if you are getting your sugar from fruits I don't think it's bad as I was told that it metabolizes differently then 'added sugars' in processed foods. I don't look at my sugar at all anymore. Just fiber. I shoot for 30 grams a day :)
  • bluejayyy
    bluejayyy Posts: 18 Member
    all your messages are really useful, I am grateful that everyone on MFP is always so supportive! I am excited to try these new snacks when I get the chance :)
  • colleenreid4
    colleenreid4 Posts: 41 Member
    I also was eating a lot of fruit and my sugar stats were way too high. I looked up some "superfoods" and I found this one snack that I now love - it is low in fat and carbs - dry roasted edamame. It may sound gross, but the lightly salted ones from Seapoint Farms - man, they are awesome!! These are high in protein so it helps me reach my protein goals! They taste like nuts but without the fat! :smile:
  • sprinkle a little salt on your pineapple next time and your mouth won't break out.

    I also like dipping carrot sticks (from real carrots, not the slimy baby ones) in Hummus.

    celery cut into small slices. I pop them into my mouth like chips. Also, dipped in a tiny bit of hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce. mmmm.

    I also like raw radishes and parsley served with a bit of hummus. (i really like hummus, can you tell?)

    I also like to steam edamame. I get them in the frozen section of my local Meijer. They are good warm or cold (pop them into a tupperware to take to work the next day and eat them at my desk as I scroll through reports).

    One of my fave snacks - tomatoes. I eat them with a tiny bit of salt. Or cut up with cucumbers and drizzled with balsamic vinegar - another regular snack I bring to work... thank goodness I have my own office!! Or sliced with fresh basil and fresh mozzerella. MMM! (that last one's for when I'm feeling fancy and want a bigger snack).
  • Jesse_Hunter
    Jesse_Hunter Posts: 162 Member
    Too much fruit?

    I don't think so.

    Check out my food diary, ha ha.

    http://www.icallthisliving.com
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    maybe switch up the fruits

    blueberries are low in sugar & high in fiber
    same with blackberries & raspberries
  • allyjoy83
    allyjoy83 Posts: 176 Member
    lettuce/cabbage wraps with turkey and a slice of cheese. yum! You'll feel full longer because of the protein.