Smart Snacking

One frequently asked question is should you snack between meals? Yes! There’s a myth that you should never snack, which is certainly not always the case. Sometimes it is necessary to snack, but do so wisely. The secret is to keep healthy snack alternatives on hand and make them accessible. For example, fill up on vegetables and fruits because they have high water content and dietary fiber, which helps make you feel full. Here are some other ideas for snacks:

• Sweet fresh fruit or small cans of fruit in natural juices, or a ¼ cup or less of dried fruit
• Snack on graham crackers, a couple of ginger snaps or a fruit bar instead of high fat cookies
• Club soda with lemon or lime, 4-6oz can of 100% fruit or vegetable juice, or water
• 100 calorie bag of popcorn
• Whole grain crackers made without hydrogenated vegetables oil
• Pre-cut vegetables like carrots, cauliflower or broccoli to dip in salsa or low-fat salad dressing
• Low fat cottage cheese and fruit, or low-fat cheese slices and whole wheat crackers