Eating Healthy At Snack Time

Eating healthy at snack time can be a bit of a challenge if youve not given it a bit of research and thought. There is certainly no lack of items available to snack on, however, many of those readily available are not the healthy choices that we should be making.

Eating healthy or even dieting is not about going hungry and starving your self. It is about making healthy decisions on what we choose to eat and enjoying those choices. Variety also adds to your ability to maintain your goal of eating healthy. Consistency may be good in some areas, but youll start looking askance at that wheat puff by day three.

One of the hardest parts many people find is that many healthy foods are also the ones that spoil quickly. In our busy lives it is so much easier to grab something on the go rather than make the effort to stop at the grocery store and pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables to munch on. Not only are they harder to fit in a purse, but they seldom come conveniently wrapped and of course the checkout lines take longer at the grocery store.

Having said that, the best foods are ones that are fresh and unprocessed. Keep a supply of snack size ziplock Baggies handy to add to their portability.

A great healthy snack is air popped popcorn. Air popped popcorn is low in calories and high in fiber. It is all the butter and salt added to it that takes it out of the eating healthy list. Stove top popped popcorn ranks next, however, take care to use oils like canola or olive oil. Take care to read the labels if choosing microwavable popcorn as it is often high is both fat and sodium.

A teaspoon of peanut butter will help you stave off the pangs of hunger between meals. It can be taken straight or added to something else such as fruit or crackers. It is an excellent source of protein and very filling. You do want to limit it to a couple of teaspoons though, as it is a high calorie food.

Weighing in a 70 to 80 calories, a gram of fat and 12 grams of protein per ounce, beef jerky is yet another healthy snack choice. Check out the neighborhood health food stores for brands that are low in sodium.

The last item on our list today isnt a food. We are often tempted to grab a can of soda to quench our thirst. Plain water is just so blas. Try adding a splash of Real Lemon to your glass of water. This small addition turns regular water into a refreshing way to quench your thirst and it adds 0% calories, fat or carbohydrates to your daily intake.

These are just a few snack ideas for you to work with. I am sure there are many more and I would be happy to hear your ideas. In the meantime, these will get you started on the road to eating healthy at snack time.

Warmest regards,

SherryD