Healthy Snacks for Busy Women (and even Busy Men!)
By Rochelle Caviness
Face it, you're busy and on the run all day, so how are you suppose to find time to fix snacks for yourself, let alone healthy ones?
The task can be greatly reduced if you keep a ready supply of handy, healthy snacks around the house. In addition, by preparing, in advance, a variety of snacks you'll always have one on hand when needed.
Be sure to package some of these snacks in small containers that you can easily throw in your purse or car, so that you will have a ready supply of things to nibble on, while you're on the move.
A Healthy Diet
According to the American Dietetic Association, snacking can actually be a valuable component of a healthy diet, if you snack on the right items.
Snacks will help 'hold you over' in between meals.
Snacks can help ward off hunger pangs when you're dieting.
Snacks can give you an extra boost of energy when you most need it.
Energy Snacks
For an energy boost, snack on foods high in carbohydrates. Namely, bread items such as bagels, tortillas, popcorn, or pretzels. Aim for products that are made from whole-grains and have little or no salt.
Stay away from sugary snacks. While they might give you a quick burst of energy, they retaliate by quickly plummeting you back to where you began.
Don't forget to include some proteins in with your carbohydrate snacks. The carbohydrates will give you a boost, but you also need to eat some proteins in order to help maintain the higher energy level. Some good sources of protein sources include:
Tuna
Precooked chicken or turkey
Skin milk or skin-milk cheese
Things to Avoid
For a snack to be considered healthy it must be low in fat and cholesterol and have little or no salt or sugar. Also, try to stay away from caffeine - it will tend to make you hungrier.
Be sure to check product labels to determine the salt content of the potential snack. You want to be sure to eat items that are heart healthy - and for a healthy heart - salt and sodium are a no-no.
Healthy Snack Ideas
Beware of foods that you think are healthy, but really are not. For instance, granola bars sound healthy, yet many derive up to 35% of their calories from fats.
Keep a supply of cut-up vegetables handy for spur of the moment nibbling. Also, keep some fat-free dip on hand to zest up your veggie sticks.
Fruit is also a nutritious snack, and the preparation time is only the few seconds it takes to wash it.
For an added boost, spread a little peanut butter on a slice of apple or celery stick for a mini-meal.
Low fat yogurt
Low fat cheese made from skin milk; such as cottage cheese and ricotta are healthy alternatives to the high calorie and high fat content of hard cheeses. Try spreading a little ricotta cheese on a cracker or rice cake for a low calorie treat that is also high in fiber.
Pre-prepare salads for eating on the go. Topped with a low fat dressing and you have a quick and nutritious snack.
Try putting some tomato sauce on a bagel, English muffin, or other bread, and topping it with the veggies of your choice and a little skin-milk mozzarella cheese to make a quick 'pizza' snack. Pop the pizza in a toaster for a few minutes, and you are set to go.
Low salt nacho chips dipped in salsa also makes a quick snack. For a change, try dipping matzo, breadsticks, or whole-grain crackers in salsa.
If you don't already have a hot air popcorn popper, get one! Popcorn if quick and easy to prepare. When cooked in a hot air popper or by any method that does not use oil, popcorn has zero calories (assuming of course that you don't add any butter).
Popcorn can easily be flavored with any number of non, or low calorie, ingredients.
For a Cajun flair, sprinkle freshly popped corn with some paprika and garlic.
For a desert snack, try sprinkling the popcorn with cinnamon.
Last, but not least, drink water! Not only will it help fill you up, but is also has zero calories and no fat.
