Americans need to eat more whole grain products, vegetables and fruit. You should try to include these foods regularly in your snacks. Eating three small meals a day plus a few nutritious snacks throughout the day will keep your metabolism running all day long. Here are a few great reasons to snack:
1. Healthy snacking keeps you feeling energized during your busy day and helps you beat afternoon fatigue.
2. Healthy snacking helps you get all of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and protects you from heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
3. Healthy snacking is a good way to manage your hunger. It prevents you from overeating at the next meal.
4. Healthy snacking can help you control your weight.
Plan to Snack Every Day
• Fill your fridge with foods such as cut-up vegetables and fruit; lower fat yogurt; and lower fat cheeses
• Stock your pantry with whole grain cereals and crackers; nuts; lower fat cereal bars; rice crackers; fig bars; low-fat microwave popcorn; and fruit cups
• Keep the higher fat items such as cookies and chips out of the house!
At Work
• Keep a small bowl of fruit on your desk; keep cut-up veggies and lower fat yogurt in the fridge
• Set aside a drawer in your desk to keep your healthy snacks such as lower fat cereal bars; dried fruit and nut mixtures (portion it into individual serving sizes); fruit cups; and whole grain crackers.
On the Go
• Take food with you to curb those urges to eat high-fat snacks
• Pack snacks in individual serving sizes to avoid overeating.
A Few Healthy Snacks Ideas to Get You Started
• Popcorn: Three cups of airpopped popcorn is only 93 calories and gives you nearly 15% of your daily requirement of fiber
• Almonds: Crunchy almonds make a filling protein packed snack. Just be careful with the portion. Ten raw almonds contain roughly 100 calories. Don’t like raw almonds? Roasting them only adds a few more calories
• Egg: Eggs have a bad rap. They are a great source of iron and protein. One medium egg delivers a host of essential vitamins and is only 80 calories
• Cherries: A cup of this antioxidant-rich fruit has only 95 calories
• Pudding: Easy to grab, on-the-go fat-free puddings come in delicious flavors like chocolate, mocha, vanilla and dulce de leche. Pudding contains only 100 calories and is delicious
• Graham Crackers: For a crunchy and sweet snack. Two sheets of this classic treat have 100 calories
• Peanut Butter: Top half of an English muffin with one teaspoon of protein-packed peanut butter and you will have a healthy and filling snack with only 95 calories
• Whipped Cream: For a decadent treat, top sliced fruit with a light whipped cream. A half cup of fresh berries paired with four tablespoons of light whipped topping equals 90 calories
• Chocolate: Hershey’s Kisses are a perfect choice if you are looking to curb a chocolate craving. Creamy and full of flavor, these morsels are satisfying. Three pieces are only 100 calories.
If you watch your portions, you can eat almost anything and still follow a well balanced healthy plan.
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Laura Sasson Shammah has completed her master’s degree in nutrition at Brooklyn College. She is currently a nutrition counselor practicing in Brooklyn.
