The main function of snacking is to satisfy natural cravings between meals and help keep your metabolism going strong. But you shouldn't grab just any food and start munching.
Instead, your first step should be to identify exactly what you have a craving for, which will prevent you from wasting calories on things your body doesn't really want. Your second step? Figure out what healthy food will satisfy that craving.
Use the below guide to help you make every snack healthier and more delicious.
Do you crave something...CRUNCHY?
Then try:
1. Raw almonds.
Today you can find them in so many different varieties, including plain, fresh almonds. Each is about seven calories, so eat about 15 for a healthy snack. Savor them, one at a time.
2. Kashi TLC Crunchy Granola Bars.
These bars have joined Nature Valley as the go-to granola bar for health and flavor. They contain two bars (per package) totaling about 180 calories and are available in different flavors, including Honey Toasted 7-Grain, Pumpkin Spice Flax, or Roasted Almond Crunch.
3. Cut vegetables.
To make things more interesting, try red peppers, green peppers, carrots, celery, cauliflower, radishes, jicama, green beans, cucumbers, and/or asparagus. Still not tempted? Another plus about veggies? Their calorie counts are generally so low, and nutrition so high, that it's hard to eat too many of them.
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Do you crave something...CHEWY?
Then try:
1. Dried fruit.
Dried apricots are probably the most popular, but have you tried dried mango or papaya slices? Like apricots, they're marvelously sweet and chewy. Too sweet? You can have roughly 10 rings of dried apple for the same calorie count, and they're even chewier.
2. Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bar (Fruit & Nut).
This popular choice from Nature Valley is 140 calories, 25 percent from fat. It's filled with oats, rice, almonds, sunflower seeds and more, held together with sticky corn syrup.
3. Edamame.
A half-cup of boiled soybeans is just 100 calories, but immensely satisfying and healthy. For a twist, sprinkle a little salt on top, and then several grinds of pepper.
Do you crave something...JUICY?
Then try:
1. Peaches.
A large peach might weigh a quarter pound or more, but it will only be 60 to 70 calories since it's mostly water. The trick: Buy locally grown peaches, or stop at a farm stand on your next summer road trip (we particularly love Carolina and Georgia peaches).
2. Clementines.
It's hard to believe that 14 years ago, hardly anyone knew about these marvelous citrus fruits, which are a form of mandarin orange that came in little crates from Spain each winter. Today, clementines are grown far more widely, so expect to see them available more frequently. At 35 calories per fruit, you can eat three and that's still a light snack, calorie-wise.
3. Cantaloupe chunks.
A classic choice that's always satisfying. An entire medium-size cantaloupe is roughly 200 calories, and that's a lot of melon! Cut a quarter of a melon into cubes, and you'll have eaten just 50 calories.
Do you crave something...SALTY?
Then try:
1. Pretzel sticks.
If you must have a classic American crunch, go for thin pretzel sticks over potato chips. Why? Pretzels are baked, and have next to no fat; potato chips are fried, making them far more calorie-dense. A single thin pretzel stick is around two calories; eat 50 for a filling snack that's just over 100 calories. Just be sure to check the package; pretzel size can vary by company.
2. Dry roasted peanuts.
An ounce of peanuts has about the same calories as an ounce of potato chips — around 160 calories — but the similarities end there. Delicious peanuts are packed with healthy nutrition, including the type of monounsaturated fat that is heart-healthy.
3. Baked Cheetos Crunchy 100 Calorie Mini Bites.
What you want when you eat Cheetos is that salty cheddar-cheese flavor, and their low-calorie, low-fat version makes good on that promise. No fiber, and 35 percent of calories still come from fat, however, they are far healthier than the original.
Do you crave something...SWEET?
Then try:
1. Chocolate-covered raisins.
Two dozen of them are just 96 calories. And talk about sweets: Raisins are naturally rich in sugar…and then there's that luscious milk chocolate.
2. Orville Redenbacher's 100 Calorie Kettle Corn.
The kings of microwave popcorn have come up with a version that is lightly sugared, as well as salted, to satisfy multiple taste buds. No transfats either.
3. Cooked fruit.
Cooking fruit brings out its sweetness and amplifies its flavors. Yet relatively few people give it a try. So grill pineapple slices or fruit kabobs; broil mango slices; sauté peach slices; roast pear or apple slices — the possibilities are endless! Serve as dessert or seal in a ziplock bag, and take along a few slices or chunks for a snack.
Do you crave something...SAVORY?
Then try:
1. Muffin pizza.
Spread one tablespoon of marinara sauce and two tablespoons of grated cheese onto half an English muffin, sprinkle with a little oregano and/or basil, and bake in a toaster oven at 350°F until the cheese bubbles. A real treat at just 120 calories!
2. Amy's Kitchen Mexican Tamale Pie.
You'd never guess that this frozen pot pie is a mere 150 calories. The pie is made of pinto beans, corn, zucchini, and crushed tomatoes, topped with polenta.
3. Garden Fresh Gourmet Mild Guacamole.
This nationally distributed dip is made from just six natural ingredients, tastes homemade…and is only 45 calories for two tablespoons. Just don't sabotage your efforts; eat with baked chips or fresh veggies.
Do you crave something...FILLING?
Then try:
1. Peanut butter and celery.
A tablespoon of smooth peanut butter is around 95 calories. That's all you'll need to fill a long stalk of celery, which has barely 10 calories. Crunchy, yummy, and very satisfying.
2. Hummus and pita.
Hummus is the peanut butter of the Mediterranean region, but much lower in calories. A tablespoon of this creamy golden spread made from chickpeas is around 26 calories. Have four tablespoons with unlimited raw veggies, or two tablespoons with half a pita bread cut into wedges.
3. Fruit smoothie.
They're so easy to make, delicious to drink, and thoroughly filling. Improvise with a banana, a cup of berries, a spoonful of low-fat yogurt, a splash of orange juice, and ice. Blend until smooth. A typical smoothie is around 150-200 calories, but you'll feel like you just had a big meal. You'll also have consumed two or three servings of fruit.
Do you crave something...HOT?
1. Baked apple with cinnamon.
Core a Granny Smith apple, put a sprinkling of brown sugar and a little margarine in the center, sprinkle the whole thing with cinnamon, and microwave, covered, for three minutes, or until the apple is soft. Truly delicious, with lots of food, and a mere 120 calories.
2. Homemade "ramen."
Most people don't know that instant ramen noodles are often fried in palm oil before being packaged, or that the spice packs are packed with sugar and salt. Make your own healthy alternative at home: Boil roughly one-twelfth of a pound of angel hair pasta strands in low-sodium chicken broth, chop in some carrots and celery, and add a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil for an extraordinary bowl of snack noodles for roughly 200 calories.
3. Banana Foster.
This is another warm dessert that makes a great snack. Slice a small banana into one-inch pieces and place in a microwavable bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar and add 1/2 teaspoon butter. Microwave until bubbly, about one minute. Hot, sweet pleasure, at just 115 calories.
Do you crave something...COLD?
Then try:
1. Frozen blueberries.
A cup of blueberries is around 80 calories, and full of nutrients. Frozen, they are wonderful to crunch on…or just let them melt in your mouth.
2. Chunks O'Fruti Frozen Fruit Bars.
Taste testers often put this brand at the top of the list, thanks to its generous amount of real fruit chunks, sweetness, and natural flavor. No fat, no preservatives, and just 90 calories per bar.
3. McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait.
This parfait, which is layered with low-fat yogurt, low-fat granola, strawberries and blueberries, is a reasonable and healthy 160 calories.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Food center for more articles and tips.
