Snacking while eating healthy can be a challenge. This post will show you the best snack foods for healthy eating.
Americans have lost touch with the real connection between food and good health. Our busy, stressful lifestyles are taking a toll on our health and our eating habits.
We grab a doughnut and coffee on the way out the door in the morning and call it breakfast. We juggle a burger and fries while maneuvering through traffic to run errands.
We shovel down dinner in front of the T.V. and an hour later we can’t even remember what we had for dinner so we head to the kitchen for a snack.
When you go to snack do you inevitably head for the greasy potato chips, fat-laden fries, or artery-clogging candy bar? Unfortunately many people sabotage their diets through snacks more than their main meals.
There are way too many people out there that think snacking is a bad thing. The truth is that it’s not snacking that’s the bad part, it’s what you eat while you’re snacking that can be bad for you.
It’s true that most snacks found in vending machines will not be good for your body, and thus the bad rap for snacking. If thought out, however, health snacking done right can be extremely beneficial fuel for a long day of work.
Here are some tips for healthy snacking at home or on the go.
Don’t Snack Unless You’re Hungry
One of the reasons that snacking gets a bad rap is that some people believe you should snack whenever you want.
The purpose of a snack is to tie you over until it’s time for lunch or dinner, or whatever your next meal will be. Don’t snack because something just looks good, or because you’re bored. Only snack when you’re hungry.
Give Some Healthy Snacks A Try Before Throw In The Towel
You might be surprised when you find out what healthy snacks are available and what they taste like. Though they may appear unappealing, there are some great choices for healthy snacks out there.
Not only is eating healthy snacks better for your body, but it can also give you the extra energy you need to get through your day.
Here are a few snack foods for healthy eating:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Yogurt
- Healthy cereal
- Anything that says reduced fat on it, like reduced-fat triscuits, crackers, etc. Reduced-fat triscuits only have 120 calories and 3 grams of fat.
- Baked Tostitos
Vegetables
Vegetables are extremely healthy for you. Many of them can cut your risks of many serious conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
There are some such as broccoli and spinach, which are very healthy for you. Why not snack on these? It is not very difficult to get a bunch of carrot sticks to munch on.
You can get a frozen mix of vegetables, stick it in the microwave for a minute and you have a variety of healthy food.
Most vegetables have very few calories so you can feel like you are eating a lot but will still probably not gain weight.
Fruits
Most fruits are very healthy for you, with nutrients and minerals that can promote good health and cut down on diseases.
They are also very sweet, so most people love one type or another. It is also easy to eat them. Just peel a banana and you are ready to go (it even comes with its built-in handle!)
You can pick on some grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, or more. Many of these are also relatively inexpensive, especially when they are in season.
You can also consider dried fruit like raisins, but be aware that some dried fruits do have added sugar.
Yogurt
Yogurt can be very healthy for you. Yogurt can have a lot of sugar, however, so you will want to be aware of that and perhaps look for the ones with less.
Look for low-fat or fat-free versions for a healthier option. They make organic yogurt as well, and some come in convenient tubes so that you can snack while on the go.
Healthy Cereal
Healthy cereal can be an inexpensive and healthy food to snack on. Even Cheerios are fairly healthy and you can eat quite a bit of them without getting too many calories.
There are many organic cereals. Look for ones with a low amount of sugar.
Look Carefully At The Labels
When you go to the grocery store make sure you look at the labels on your snack boxes or containers. Don’t just buy food based on the front advertising pictures.
Labels will tell you what a serving size is compared to what you may think it is, as well as calories, grams of fat, saturated fat, and sometimes how much sugar is in it.
You might be surprised the first time you read a label on how much extra junk you’re getting when you eat it.
Energy Bars Aren’t All They Say
Some people swear by them, and others just eat them because they hear other people swear by them. There are several different types of energy or power bars to choose from, but try to remember that energy and power bars are made for a specific reason.
Yes, they are extremely handy as they will fit in any bag, some are high in protein, fat, sugars, etc. It just depends on what type of power bar you eat.
Some taste good and others taste bad; generally, if it tastes good there is probably at least 12 grams of sugar per serving in it. So when choosing a power or energy bar, look at the label and pick carefully.
Healthy snacking done right isn’t as hard as it may seem. Look at your Food Guide Pyramid as a starting point.
It will tell you exactly how much of each food group you should be eating, and you can judge what snacks to get based on that. Then head to the grocery store, look at labels, and try to steer clear of the sweets aisle.
If done right, snacking can become a healthy part of a well-balanced diet.