Snack Time

Today, it is cold and raining. The rain has not stopped for what seems like a solid 24 hours, and my foodie self wants to crawl into bed and eat a pint with my old friends Ben and Jerry while I study. Alas, the nutrition major part of me has overridden the unhealthiness of that longing and I decided to share some of my healthier snacks that I munch and crunch guilt free!

[ordered from light to heavier snacks]

1 cup of popcorn - a lot of the bagged popcorn at the store is air popped and therefore has very low fat content, but the salt and crunch is deeply satisfying (I like Angie's Boom-Chicka-Pop brand).

1/4 cup(ish) of mixed nuts - nuts are high in good fats and also have that salty crunchy thing going on. Plus, their fat content keeps you full longer if you got a while until lunch.

Apple with 1Tbsp peanut butter - it's a classic, and is sweet and filling. Plus, it takes a while to eat so it makes you feel like you're getting more (at least that's how my brain works).

Cottage Cheese - either alone, salted and peppered, or mixed with a little spoonful of jam or compote. Cottage cheese is just honestly really good, sometimes I put it mixed with peach preserves on a lightly salted rice cake...HEAVEN.

Hummus Plate - If you're home and being tempted to eat that entire bag of Doritos your friend left at your apartment last weekend...hummus with some green and red pepper slivers, carrots, broccoli, or even a couple pita chips is a great and tasty snack. The rich vitamin content of the veggies along with the fat from the chick peas in the hummus will hold you over for a while.

yogurt - plain and simple. Yogurt is awesome, flavorful, and can hammer out sugar cravings! I like to mix in some granola or breakfast cereal in mine as well (just enough to cover the top layer of yogurt) (my favorite yogurt is Siggi's...lot's of protein and little less sugar than, say, Yoplait).

If you just HAVE to have chips...
I know the feeling. Vegetable root chips are my vice. They are so crunchy and delicious and, although a little high in fat, full of awesome vitamins and nutrients. Not just carbs!

If you just HAVE to have chocolate...
I am a choco-holic. And sometimes, with your oh-so-healthy snack you just want some chocolate dammit. I keep 70% dark chocolate bars in my freezer at all times, and occasionally chocolate covered cherries (from Trader Joes) in my pantry. A couple squares of the bar or a few cherries aren't going to kill your progress, and they are rich enough to do the job! The thing to stay away from is the milk chocolate- processed stuff. It's icky for you and definitely not as satisfying.


Foodies, I hope this helps narrow down on the kinds of snacks you could pick up at the store next time instead of the Crispy M&Ms...amirite?! I also hope these are slightly more appealing than the celery-and-carrot snack diet that is often pumped up. I plan to write another post soon about pre and post workout snacks as well, so stay tuned!!
xoxo




[Funny thing from today to make you feel better about your luck vs mine: My $5 umbrella broke on the way home in the torrential downpour and I came home looking like a wet rat. Lesson learned: you get what ya pay for $$$$$]