I had a request last week from my dear friend Jennifer to offer up some snack-on-the-go ideas. I’m soooo boring with snacks and don’t really snack much - – I swear. I mean, there’s times when I graze on everything in my cupboard (which isn’t much), but that’s not PLANNED snacking.
Just the same, I’m going to offer three tips today for snacking and then ask the readers to give us some of their best “throw-it-in-the-bag-to-eat-for-later” ideas. Sound good? I need everyone to participate (especially YOU, because you never leave comments!)
1. NEVER EAT THE WHOLE MEAL ALL AT ONCE
What the heck does that mean? So, let’s say it’s lunchtime and you order one of these bad boys.
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| Subway Veggie Delite on Wheat toasted with Pepper Jack = Mouth Watering |
You’re going to be tempted to get chips. (Note: I TRY to get chips ONLY if they have Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles. Other chips pale in comparison.) So, if you get said chips, you NEVER eat them with the sandwich. You save them for later and eat them as a snack. Same can be applied with a side of fruit that comes with lunch, or even save half of your sandwich. It works. Small “meals” keep you from getting hungry and diving into the junk.
2. A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
When I need a snack and I’m not eligible for any eating, I hit up Starbucks. I get a Skinny Latte (any flavor) and enjoy 16 ounces of tasty goodness for about 100 calories (depending on the flavor and toppings).
There’s something about coffee that makes me not hungry. Not sure what it is, but it works.
Year-to-Date Workout Stats
An average week with three days at the gym, and Team Green is still winning!
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If I get a sub I never get the meal, I just get a drink – usually water or diet coke. I love skinny lattes for starving off hunger too.
Oh mannnnnnn the cute cup at Starbucks?! I'll definitely be going there this weekend to snag one of those. I agree with you about coffee staving off hunger. I actually drink tea and that does it for me as well. Though I love a Starbucks Chai (grande = 6 PointsPlus…. or a lot of calories!) and that does fill me up, but 6 PointsPlus for a drink kind of sucks. I have recently been attracted to the skinny mocha latte and it's only 3 PointsPlus for a grande (I think they promise 110 calories for a tall?)
Anyyyyhowww.. about those snacks. I am a huge snacker and I'm always trying to find things that will fill me up for not very many PointsPlus. I definitely enjoy the 2-3 PointsPlus bars that WW specifically sells. Additionally, I like the Kashi TLC Cherry Vanilla Bars (sold at Target). Lately I've been addicted to blueberries and they definitely stave off hunger and sweet cravings. I also like cheese, whether that be string cheese or cheese squares (again, sold at Target in their Market Pantry brand).
Check these out:
http://www.questproteinbar.com/
I love them. The strawberry cheesecake (seriously) is only 160 calories. Has 20g of protein, 17g of fiber and is all natural. They have lots of other flavors too including chocolate brownies for 170 calories. I love that they are chewy and last more than 3 bites.
1) Wedge of WW Jalapeno Pepper or Lite Laughing Cow with 7 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins, w/ slice of jalapeno pepper.
2) Non fat yogurt with Bare Naked Granola (2 TBLS. – MEASURE! Non-fat Greek yogurt if possible, and just eat half if you can, save rest
3) 1/2 Banana w/1/4 cup new Cherrios Peanut Butter
..and with all of them… 16 oz of water and supplement of calcium, Vit C
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I love snacks, and those 90 cal peanut butter bars are my fave. Well anything with PB is my fave anyway. I live on those. I eat one every day. Another snack that I like when I'm craving ice-cream is Arctic zero you can find it in many whole food stores, here is the web site http://www.myarcticzero.com/ I love the Vanilla one the whole pint is only 150 CALORIES!!! I wont recomended the PB kind it was a dissapointment for me
I buy also sometimes little packages of idividual nut mix and those 100 cal snacks. Now, when we talk about Strabucks I could have some stocks in there since I go EVERY DAY, I feel like half of my income get spend in there. My fave is Caramel Light Frappuccino with non fat milk, sugar free syrup no whip of course with extra shoot of coffee. When I don't feel like spending $5, I will have an iced coffee with non fat milk and sugar free syrup. I get a Venti since I barely put milk and I count it as one of my milk for the day. Also, the sugar free syrup is 0 calories.
Lately, I have been lacking of strenght and have eat lots of thing that I'm not supposed too. Which made me gain 1.5 lbs
Snacking is so critical for me to keep my blood sugar and energy up throughout the day. I snack mid morning, late afternoon and around 9 pm. Morning is usually fat free sugar free yogurt and a piece of fruit. Mid afternoon is a slice of cheese or nuts or Luna bar with a ffsf yogurt but no yogurt if I'm havin the Luna bar. My evening snack is where I get more adventurous… Smart pop mini bags, skinny cow bars, Snyder big pretzels with lite laughing cow, granola has, pies of chocolate, pepperidge farms 100 cap Milano cookie pack, granola bar, ww snack cakes or brownie… I save my teats to end of day as it is a more challenging time of day for me so having something more yummy keeps me satisfied. Hope my ideas help others. All the best Marion
Okay I really need to use your blog preview function before I publish my comments teats are on animals I meant treats Marion
Ok, I'm a salt addict. When I NEED a salt fix, I grab pickles and the hot cauliflower mix (gardiniera) is the brand. Not the healthiest,probably, but it fixes my salt craving with almost no calories.
I love baked cheetos or Pop Secret Homestyle 100 calorie popcorn as a salty snack. And I love ice cream so I buy the skinny cow ice cream sandwiches. I always have some fruit and carrots around because I LOVE to snack!
Thanks for all of the snack ideas! You are the BEST!!!
So if you haven't tried Fage Greek yogurt…you need to! It is A-mazing!!! I have been using it like sour cream for a healthy alternative. When I was little my Grandma used to make me one of the unhealthiest snacks… Sour Cream with cut up banana's mixed in, it was soooooo yummy and reminds me of her. I just tried the Fage with the cut up banana's and it was yummy!!!!
The other thing I like is frozen berries, they taste like little popcicles and I can eat a bunch of them.
Before eating outside of meal time, I try to always drink a big pint glass of water to make sure I'm not just thirsty.
My standard afternoon snack is a 7 oz. Fage 2% Greek yogurt. I often add 1/4 c. of walnuts or a serving of fruit (blueberries or strawberries). Sometimes, when I've had a big day exercise-wise, fruit AND nuts!
I sometimes need a mid-morning snack, so have a little wheel of the mini Babybel cheese (they come wrapped in wax) & either a small orange or a handful of baby carrots.
Rarely, because I like it so much I think it can't be good for me, I have 2 stalks of celery with natural/organic crunchy peanut butter, about 2 TBS.
My nutritionist coaches us to pair protein and carbs for snacks – the yogurt, cheese, and peanut butter all fill that bill.
When I look at various bars, I look for ones with at least half as much protein as carbs. So, if a bar had 15 g protein and 30 g carbs, it would pass my nutritionist's test. Few have that ratio, so I tend to avoid them. I wish I did not know about the caramel coconut chocolate one …
Sometimes I feel like we're the same person. I feel the EXACT SAME WAY about the baked cheddar and sour cream!
My favorite go-to snack lately has been raspberry chobani, it's quick, it's small, it's delicious, and it's super filling. Plus the sweetness really helps to satisfy my occasional craving for sweets.