FitSugar

Holiday Survival: 10 Healthy Snacks For Road Tripping

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

"Over the river and through the wood, to grandmother's house we go." I love a Thanksgiving road trip, but I don't love the unhealthy food options on the road. I could splurge a little and order a Whopper, but truthfully, I know if I eat it, I'll feel like crap. With a little planning, you can avoid the dieting pitfalls associated with road tripping. The trick is to have a travel-size cooler with you since healthy foods often need refrigeration. Here are some of my faves.

Edamame: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before and put it on the fridge. It'll be defrosted but not soggy and ready to pack in the morning.
Veggie sticks: Chop your own the night before and place in ziploc baggies, or buy precut carrots, celery, and broccoli florets at the store. Pack a container of hummus in the cooler for dipping.
Apples and cheese: A simple snack packed with protein and fiber. You can preslice them or bring a knife with you. If you're not into apples, pack some whole grain crackers like Kashi TLC party crackers or Doctor Kracker flatbreads instead.
Fruit slices and yogurt: Cut up apples, pears, pineapple, and nectarines and place them in a container. Pack them in the cooler with vanilla yogurt for dunking.
Banana and peanuts: This is always a satisfying combination and very convenient since you don't need utensils. Just stick the peanuts in the banana before you take a bite.

To see more healthy snack ideas read more.

Trail mix: Make a big bowl of your favorite nuts, dried fruits, dark chocolate chips, and granola. Then place half cup servings in individuals baggies.
Cereal mix: Choose whole grain cereals that have at least three grams of fiber per serving. Some of my favorites are Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Barbara's Shredded Oats, Kashi Honey Sunshine, and Barbara's Puffins. Mix them up, measure out serving sizes, and bag them.
Rice cakes with almond butter and cinnamon: These can be premade right before you leave. Place them in a plastic container so they stay fresh and mess-free.
Air-popped popcorn: It'll satisfy your crunchy, salty cravings. Pack a bag; it's easy to munch on whether you're the passenger or driver.
Energy bars: These are so convenient and satisfying, but be sure to choose ones that contain nuts, fruit, and whole grains. Some great choices are Larabars, Luna Sunrise Bars, Bora Bora bars, or Odwalla Bars.

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Snack Attack: Chocolate Ice Cubes

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0800

We are always looking for yummy and healthy things to snack on but it is easy to run out of our own ideas. Sick of the same old thing? Well, thanks to user, mandiesoh, you can try a new snack! Her light snack idea for Chocolate Ice Cubes is so simple, yet sounds so good. Chocolate ice cubes are something that make you think, why didn't I think of that?

"Here's something i do just in case i get a sudden craving for something cold, icy and chocolate-y.

Buy a carton of low-fat chocolate milk (it's only 150 calories per 200 ml), pour into an ice cube tray and freeze it!

Seeing as you'll only eat a few at a time (I THINK!) you'll only consume very few calories while eating something so delish!"

Thanks mandiesoh! Great idea so when you're reaching for ice cream, reach for a few chocolate cubes!

Do you have a snack that is healthy you'd like to share? Maybe bumps on a log or rice cakes with natural peanut butter are your thing. If so, share your ideas and recipes in the Snack Attack Group! I'd love to feature your fabulous ideas on FitSugar's upcoming healthy snack post!

Snack Attack: Nutty Craisin Cottage Cheese

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

If you're looking for a snack that'll fill you up, give you energy, and also satisfy your need for something creamy, crunchy, or sweet, then have I got the snack for you. It's made with only three ingredients, so it's super simple to whip up, and has become my new favorite afternoon snack.

To learn how this snack is made and find out how many calories and grams of protein it contains keep reading

Healthy Eating Tip: Have an Apple After Your Evening Workout

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:00:02 -0700

You may have heard that eating apples can help you cut back on calories. According to one study, participants who chomped on this crispy fruit 15 minutes before a meal consumed almost 200 fewer calories than those who didn't.

Since I often go straight home for dinner after my post-work gym session, I've started eating an apple as my post-workout snack. It's a healthy food - one medium apple delivers 10 percent of your daily fiber intake - that satisfies my immediate after-exercise craving and ensures I'm not starving by the time I sit down for supper. Just be sure to keep the skin on for even more nutrients. What's your post-workout, pre-dinner snack?

Healthy Habit: Don't Forget to Snack

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

If eating healthier is one of your goals for 2009, I have some good news for you about snacking. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, encourages folks to eat two healthy snacks a day. In fact, it is one of her 12 healthy habits. Today, she explains the science of snacking. Stay tuned for more tips, and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Now, for Alexa's snacking advice:
Aim for a midmorning and a midafternoon snack every day in addition to your three regular meals. This may be the single most important tip out there. So many of us think that calorie restriction is the way to lose weight and so try to not eat in between meals. In reality, your body needs fuel consistently through the day for energy and to keep your metabolism working for you. Incorporating two healthy snacks each day, one midmorning and one midafternoon, is the key to fueling your body and staving off cravings that lead to overeating at meals or late at night and subsequent weight gain.

To see Alexa's suggestions for snacks, read more.

Make it simple - choose two of these three snacks every day for optimal health: a single-serving yogurt (I love nonfat Greek with fruit), an ounce of nuts (I love almonds and pecans), and/or a piece of fruit or a cup of cut fruit or berries. Not only will these snack options improve your weight profile (I promise) - they will also add to your nutrient profile by giving you the fiber, calcium, and vitamins your body needs, and from whole foods, not supplements.

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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5 Snacking Tips to Help You Lose Weight

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:30:00 -0700

I know the idea of snacking may seem like a great way to gain weight, but if you have a few smart snacking tactics under your belt, you'll actually be able to slim down. Check out these snacking tips from MSNBC.

Stop constant cravings: Most snackers reach for something unhealthy to nosh on but the problem isn't necessarily the type of food, but rather how much they eat. You can still satiate your sweet tooth, but just enjoy so in moderation. Enjoy one small square of dark chocolate instead of the whole bar, or two spoonfuls of ice cream instead of half the pint.
Liquid calories: Other beverages besides water can really rack up the calories. I'm not saying you should eliminate coffee, tea, or juice, but just be mindful of your calorie intake. Opt for water most of the time, so you can consume your calories in a more satisfying way with actual foods you crunch or chew.

For other great snacking tips read more.

Prepare for snack attacks: Sometimes your need to snack comes at you like a brick wall, and that's when you can end up reaching for the most convenient, and usually most unhealthy snack. So it's a good idea to stock up on whole grain, high-fiber, protein-packed snacks at home, in your purse, or in your desk drawer. Bags of nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, and fruit are easy to keep around.
Think baked, not fried: Choose healthier versions of your favorite snack foods. Baked potato chips or soy crisps are a much healthier option than regular potato chips, and nonfat yogurt is a better option than ones made with whole milk. Also, choose whole grain crackers and pretzels as opposed to the ones made with enriched flour.
Nutritious nibbles: If you get used to choosing healthy options like cheese sticks, yogurt, fruit, veggies and hummus, and nut butter on whole wheat toast, it'll become more of a habit. You'll soon realize that these kinds of snacks will give you more energy and curb your hunger more effectively than snacks filled with sugar and bad carbs. If your hunger is curbed, than you won't need to eat as much during the day, which will help you slim down.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Snack on Small Servings of Leftovers

FitSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Crackers, fruit, and granola bars are common snacks, but who says a snack has to be made from "snack food"? Smaller servings of leftovers make great snacks. Just prepare yourself a serving size that's 200 calories or less. Last night's soup, a piece of chicken on a small piece of bread, some pasta and cheese, or roasted veggies make great snacks. Not only will you be getting a unique and healthy snack pick-me-up, but it's a great way to make sure leftovers don't go to waste.

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Snack Attack: Inexpensive and Nutritious Snacks (and Meals)

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I've been a big Joy Bauer fan; she kind of has a tough love approach to eating. In her book, Food Cures, she gives great tips and tidbits on how to eat right, easily.

Joy has a little column/blog on Yahoo health, and her most recent entry about finding inexpensive, healthy snacks was right up my alley, particularly since I am always complaining about how expensive it is to be healthy.

Here are highlights:
Afternoon Snacks:

5 cups air-popped popcorn (2 tablespoons Jolly Time kernels) = 5 cents
1/4 cup raw almonds = 20 cents
1 Polly-O string cheese (from a large bag at a wholesale club) = 16 cents
1 apple = 50 cents
1 Nature Valley granola bar packet (from a large box at a wholesale club) = 16 cents

For some inexpensive and healthy meal ideas, just read more

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and English Muffin = $1.20
Two scrambled eggs cooked in nonstick spray; serve with toasted whole-grain English muffin topped with 2 teaspoons of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

Lunch: Taco Bell = $1.98
Two "fresco style" healthy chicken or bean tacos (extra salsa)

Dinner: Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Shrimp = $1.70
2 oz dry Mueller's whole-grain penne (1 cup cooked) with ¾ cup marinara sauce and 3 ounces frozen shrimp.

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Diet Tip: Stock Your Kitchen With Healthy Convenience Foods

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

If you're watching your waistline, you're probably watching what you eat, too, not to mention exercising regularly as well. Yay for you and your healthy and possibly new habits, but in truth they can sometimes leave you hungry. Set yourself up for success by loading your cupboards and fridge with healthy convenience foods. Stock your kitchen with ready-to-eat snacks that are healthy, delicious, and packed with fiber. These will satisfy your cravings and keep you feeling full longer, so you're less likely to return to the kitchen for more snacks. Here are some ideas:

Fresh fruits like bananas, apples, pears, and berries
Real fruit and veggie juices
Frozen edamame
Tomatoes (slice one and sprinkle a little cheese on top)
Hummus and whole grain crackers

What else makes for delicious and quick snacking ideas? To find out read more.

Containers of low-fat or drinkable yogurt
Granola bars
Dried fruit and nuts
Whole grain bread and real nut butter (peanut or almond)
Mini carrots
Cans of soup
Cooked brown rice (store it in the fridge)

What else do you keep in your kitchen for healthy snacking in a pinch?

Source

Don't Let Traveling Get You in a Bind

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:31 -0800

The stress of traveling and being away from home can really mess with your bathroom schedule. Changing times zones, eating foods you're not used to, and skipping out on exercise doesn't help either. To prevent tummy issues, here are some tips on how to stay regular when traveling.

Drink water whenever you can as your choice of beverage. Not only will it keep you hydrated, but it'll also keep things moving.
When traveling, bring your own snacks that are high in fiber. Nibble on carrot sticks, apples (with the peel), trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, granola bars, and high fiber cereal. Having healthy snacks on hand will prevent you from eating processed foods that can tie the digestive system in knots.

For more helpful tips keep reading.