The word “snack” seems to conjure sugar-laden cookies, salty chips, or other bad-for-you foods consumed as you run from one appointment to the next. It is true that mindless snacking can pack on the pounds. But with our Healthy Snack Guide, you can avoid the familiar and fattening and make “healthy snacking” your buzz phrase. Have these options in your pantry or whip up the snack recipes and stash them in your family’s lunches.
On the go? If you’re hungry, you’ll eat whatever’s available, even if that means fast food. Keep these quick picks on hand to tamp down the munchies:
- 1 banana
- 5 olives
- 1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, in shell
- 10 frozen grapes
- 10 strawberries rolled in confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk
- 3/4 cup mango tossed with lime juice and red pepper flakes
Recipe Alert: Guacamole-Stuffed Eggs
6 large eggs
1/2 cup Quick Guacamole (recipe below)
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Quick Guacamole
3 avocados, diced (about 3 cups)
1 cup salsa
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and run a constant stream of cold water over the eggs until completely cooled. Cut each egg in half; remove and discard yolks. Fill each half with 2 teaspoons guacamole. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serves 6
Nutrition analysis: 55 calories; 3 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 223 mg sodium; 48 mg potassium
Go protein packed to take the edge off hunger pangs and for an energy boost:
- 2 pieces of string cheese
- cheese and crackers
- wholegrain, unsweetened cereal with soy or skim milk
- apple slices with peanut butter
- 1 snack roll-up (1 slice low-sodium turkey, Dijon mustard, 1 slice of reduced fat Swiss cheese)
- low-fat cottage cheese with diced cucumber, radishes and dill
- boiled edamame
Recipe Alert: Feta and Herb Dip
(Serve with baby carrots, bell peppers, radishes, snow peas)
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 8
Nutrition analysis: 32 calories; 1 g fat; 4 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 167 mg sodium; 77 mg potassium
Fight a sweets craving with a healthy snack:
- sugar-free pudding with a graham cracker for dipping
- 1 square of dark chocolate
- pear slices with crumbled blue cheese
- low-calorie (or frozen) yogurt
- watermelon wedges
- 1 whole-grain bagel with honey and sliced banana
Recipe Alert: Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a non-insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 6
When you want something crunchy, instead of grabbing a bag of potato chips, reach for these alternatives:
- baked blue corn chips with salsa
- 1 small handful of walnuts or almonds
- veggie sticks with low-fat dip (yogurt blended with curry powder and lime juice)
- whole-grain cracked with low-fat cream cheese and smoked salmon
- air-popped popcorn sprinkled with chili powder, cumin and lime juice
