To Snack or Not to Snack?
It's an age old question
with no clear cut answer. For some, having 3 square meals is their preferred route but for many, smaller meals eaten and
a couple of smart snacks help keep energy levels strong and blood sugar levels even. Simple enough, right?
But what
snack and for how many calories? How do you assess a snack? It is always best to grab a piece of fruit or a handful of veggies,
no doubt! That way, you are not creating landfill waste, and no matter which you choose, you are sure to come out ahead with
nutrients. But, we are an on-the-go nation who loves our packaged convenience. So here's a rundown of the best Healthy Habits
options that are low cal, and still feel like a treat and won't do damage to the bottom, er, bottom line.
Carb craving?
• Popchips! Because the potatoes
are hot-air popped and not baked or fried, they are deliciously low in calories and high in flavour. Coming in all of the
traditional chip flavours and satisfying 100 calorie single serving sizes makes them a fantastic "I'm peckish but I don't
want to ruin my dinner" snack.
Protein
starved?
• Try Blue Diamond single serving 100 calorie packets. They are tiny and it would be easy to
eat 2 but let the pouch be your guide and stop there. 4 grams of protein in any one of the flavoured packets from Teriyaki
to lightly salted.
Need
refreshing?
• You could always pack a piece of fruit, that'd be your best bet, but, if you are worried
about the bruises here's an option. Motts has delicious unsweetened fruit cups in delicious fruit blends. Try the Country
Berry flavour and pop it in the freezer overnight. It's fabulous frozen and great as it thaws. The best part is that you
get 2 of the containers for a measly 100 calories. That ought to wake you up!
Time for a dip?
• There is nothing like hummus
and crackers but what a pain to pack! Luckily Summer Fresh has done it for you with their Snack and Go product. Best bet is
the Red Pepper hummus to get the most nutrients out of your 160 calorie snack.
Super Sweet?
• Dark Chocolate is the way to go,
no doubt about it. Look for formulations that say how much cocoa is used, you are looking for 70% or more for the most antioxidant
power. If you find it hard to stop at just two thin squares (which is what 100 calories looks like!) both Cadbury and Hershey
have new bars that wrap it up for you.
Full
disclosure: I like Popchips so much that I became their nutritional spokesperson.
THERESA ALBERT, DHN, RNCP, is a registered nutritional consulting
practitioner with a busy private practice in Toronto. Her new book Ace Your Health: 52 Ways to Stack Your Deck (McClelland
& Stewart) is a fun, practical guide to making healthy, weekly changes for improved health using morsels of information
and tasty, healthy recipes. Her television show "Just One Bite" aired on the Food Network for over two years in
a daily time slot and introduced her energetic style to millions. She is also the author of Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every
Day. Theresa is a recognizable news media and online face as a resource for consumers and marketers who seek to remove the
bologna from their lunchboxes and their news.
She prepares a free weekly newsletter to make you laugh, eat well and
be inspired www.myfriendinfood.com
