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Snack Alternatives
Picking the best snacks for your children’s lunch, or for yours, isn’t always easy. Nowadays, grocery stores are stocked with pre-packaged snack foods that are touted as low-carb, low fat, or a healthy alternative. However, many of these snacks are still high in calories and often loaded with trans fats. Below is a list of some healthy alternatives for snacks and lunch foods:
- Graham crackers: They have less fat and sugar than most cookies.
- Fruit: Instead of fruit juice in the morning, or fruit juice boxes for your kids with their lunch, drink water and have a piece of the real fruit instead. The skin provides more fiber than juice alone, and many juices substitute added sugar for the lost nutrients.
- Hummus: Instead of onion or ranch dip, hummus is packed with fiber, and contains many more important vitamins than dips made with sour cream. Enjoy with whole wheat tortillas instead of chips.
- Rye crackers: Instead of chips, pretzels, or even wheat crackers, rye crackers are made with little fat, and once again, high in fiber.
- Fruit salad: Ideally, cut up fruit at the beginning of the week, and package into single-serving Tupperware. If you buy canned fruit, avoid fruit packaged in syrup.
- Low fat sliced turkey on a whole-wheat pita. Use a smaller sized pita rather than two slices of white bread. Substitute spicy mustard for mayo.
Below is a list of small changes to your everyday diet that can help you cut calories while maintaining a healthy diet:
- Switch from margarine or butter as a spread to apple butter to save around 70 calories.
- Switch to whole-wheat or rye toast instead of a bagel and save up to 175 calories.
- Eat fresh fruit instead of dried fruit or raisins to save anywhere from 50-200 calories.
- Substitute to a dinner of half pasta, half steamed veggies instead of a full portion of pasta to save 150 calories.
- Ask for steamed veggies (not drenched in butter) instead of fries to save 150-300 calories.
- Order chicken breast instead of steak to save 200 calories.
- Using Pam instead of cooking oil can save 120 calories.
- Substitute fresh popcorn for potato chips to save 220 calories.
- Satisfy a chocolate craving with a cup of hot cocoa instead of a Hershey’s bar and save 130 calories.
Whether you simply need help mapping out a successful exercise program and getting a little kick-start, or you need someone with you for each important step, I can help. Please call me at (609) 304-7598 for a free consultation and body composition analysis.