Healthy Snacking Tips

Healthy snacking is all about size and balance. A snack should be a part of your total intake of food for the day, instead of ‘in addition’ to large meals. When eaten out of hunger, versus boredom or as an emotional crutch, snacking can be healthy! Snacks should fill in nutrition gaps, act as a bridge between meals that are (too) far apart and be nutritious. Snacking gets a bad rap because many snacks are processed, unhealthy carbohydrate choices with too much fat, sugar, salt, calories, or all of the above.

Tip #1: Pair protein with carbohydrate for lasting energy and balance. Good pairings include fruit and nuts or yogurt, cereal and milk, lean meat and whole-grain bread, veggies with cheese, nut butters with fruit, to name a few. A small portion of leftovers works well too.

Tip #2: Don’t let snacking be your downfall. Limit the 5 C’s: chips, cookies, crackers, candy and cakes. Homemade, lower-sugar versions are acceptable. And there are healthy crackers…but most are highly processed and include unhealthful ingredients.

Tip #3: Snack for the right reasons. Include a snack in your meal plan because you are hungry, have missed out on a meal (or had a light meal), have a long block of time between meals or to tame hunger before a meal (and prevent overeating later). Learn to identify true hunger and when boredom strikes, or you are tempted to eat for emotional reasons, replace the snack with something that will nourish you in another way, like talking with a friend.

Snacks: Best Low Calorie Dairy Snacks

Snacks are no longer considered to be ‘bad’ or a diet taboo. These days, as long as you watch your calorie intake and choose wisely, you can graze on small meals and low calorie snacks several times daily and still maintain or even lose weight. So, what is the criteria for ‘healthy’ snacks? Keep the following in mind when choosing your snacks:

• Offer between 100 and 200 calories
• Are fat-controlled, providing 0g trans fats and 3g saturated fat or less per serving
• Are relatively low in sodium; strive to limit the sodium in your low calorie snacks to 400mg or less
• Are nutrient-rich: a good food source of protein, dietary fiber and/or key vitamin and minerals (such as iron, vitamins A, C or calcium)
• Offer a little something extra: are available in calorie-controlled portions, contain no high-fructose corn syrup and little added sugar; are gluten- or lactose-free, have added omega-3 fatty acids, etc…

There are low calorie snacks for every craving: sweet, smooth and creamy, crunchy and salty and everything in-between. For part 1, we will concentrate on those that fall under the ‘dairy’ category, such as cheese, milk, puddings, etc. Unless you are lactose intolerant, or have an allergy to milk, there is no reason to avoid dairy products. These snacks are all about convenience – they are widely available and take no preparation time/work.

Dairy: Top 5 low calorie snacks

Cheese snacks

• Cabot 75% reduced-fat sharp cheddar (block) or Laughing Cow mini Babybel light cheese rounds (individually wrapped, comes in small bags). These cheeses offer less fat but lots of flavor without being rubbery. Cheese is rich in both protein and calcium. A 2-oz. serving of the 75% reduced-fat Cabot sharp cheddar (lactose-free) provides 120 calories, 5g fat, 3g saturated fat, 18g protein and 400mg sodium. Two Babybel cheese rounds provide 100 calories, 6g fat, 3g saturated fat, 12g protein and 320mg sodium.

Fermented dairy snacks (yogurt & kefir)

• There aren’t many snacks that compare in texture and flavor to Greek yogurt. Though more expensive than other varieties, the difference is substantial. Choose plain or flavored, non-fat varieties and you’ll stay under 150 calories and take in more protein that you would choosing regular yogurt. If you like a little crunch try YoGreek vanilla + granola. It comes in a 4.6-oz. cup with a little ‘sidecar’ of granola. The snack provides 140 calories, .5g fat, 11g protein, 22g carbohydrates and is a good source of calcium.
• Kefir is a thick dairy beverage (like ‘drinkable’ yogurt) made by fermenting milk with kefir grains (lactic acid bacteria, yeast and polysaccharides). It’s a tangy, slightly effervescent drink that promotes digestive health and supports a healthy immune system. Choose non-fat or low-fat plain or flavored for snacks that are high in protein and  calcium. This fermented dairy beverage also contains magnesium, riboflavin and vitamin B12. One cup of low-fat strawberry kefir provides about 140 calories, 2g fat, 11g protein and 20g carbohydrates.

Sweet snacks

• All Kozy Shack puddings are made with only all natural ingredients. They come in a variety of sizes (including ‘snack’ packs) and many flavors though the original rice pudding was the first and is a favorite. A 1/2 cup serving provides 130 calories, 2.5g fat, 4g protein and 24g carbohydrates. It’s also a good source of calcium and is a treat. They also make ‘no added sugar’ puddings that are sweetened with Splenda and offer only 70 calories per serving.
• Who doesn’t love chocolate milk? It was good for you when you were a child and is still a great choice, especially as a post-workout snack. Obviously regular chocolate milk does have lactose and sugar…to cut back on the sugar try Nesquik ready-to-drink no sugar added reduced-fat chocolate milk (comes in 8-oz. bottles). One serving provides 100 calories, 2g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 8g protein, 13g carbohydrates and less than 200mg sodium.

Snacks are back in vogue – stay tuned for best low-calorie snacks part 2!

Fuel Your Workout

Engaging in regular workouts doesn’t give you license to eat significantly more food! The best way to balance diet and exercise is to plan your menu in advance. You need fuel in the form of food, just like a car needs gas, to have the energy to press through your workout. During an average, moderate-intensity workout, a woman burns approximately 350 to 400 calories.

After Burn – extra fuel needed?

What about after burn? Doesn’t your metabolism stay elevated for the next 12 to 24+ hours? One research study found that women burned more calories for up to 67 hours following an intense 40-minute cardio workout. That sounds impressive, however, that after burn effect added up to only 50 additional calories expended (in total). One Oreo cookie (only one) has about 50 calories. Thus, the after-burn effect is pretty insignificant when you look at it from that perspective.

Pre-workout fuel

About an hour before you head outside for your run or to the gym, have a light-to-moderate-sized snack, about 150 to 250 calories on average. It should be a carbohydrate-rich snack with a bit of protein. Stear clear of high fat fare or too much protein or fiber as these nutrients delay gastric emptying and digestion, which may cause abdominal cramping. Great workout fuel snacks include a slice of whole-wheat bread with 1 TB of peanut butter, a light yogurt mixed with a 1/4 cup of reduced-fat granola or 10-oz of low-fat chocolate milk.

Post-workout fuel

Fuel properly post-workout to replace depleted glycogen stores with a meal that is composed of simple and complex carbohydrates. Healthy simple carbohydrates include fruits and dairy products. Healthy complex carbohydrates include vegetables and whole grains. Your post-workout meal should also contain a moderate amount lean protein (10 to 20 grams) and a bit of healthy fat; plus plenty of water. Again, in addition to providing your body with glucose (quick fuel) to build up the glycogen stores in your liver and muscles, a post-workout meal rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants helps to repair muscle tissue, ease post-workout soreness and replenish body fluids.