When I last discussed what I was eating, I’d left off with discussing lunch. I’ve pretty much stuck to the same routine, though since my company I work for moved buildings, I now have tons more food options and have found some great healthy places to eat when I haven’t packed lunch (shocking, I know).
Anyway! I wanted to write a bit about snacks, because these are what really get me through my day, especially to avoid letting my blood sugar get too low between lunch and dinner. I often also have a snack after dinner if I have extra calories to burn, though not too late at night.
I’ve gotta say one of my absolute faaaavorite snacks is Pretzel Crisps and The Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges. Guys, these little cheese wedges are each only 35 calories and are delicious! The pretzel crisps are 10 calories each, but are essentially big crackers. I usually eat 6 crisps with a wedge of cheese for 95 calories. It’s a great little snack, the cheese throws in a little protein, and it’s absolutely delicious. I’m sure you could add other delightful things to your crisp, but for a quick snack either on the go or when you’re lazy, this is a goodie. Oh, and we buy the cheese at Costco, which saves a ton of money. Normally at QFC they’re around 4.50 per pack of cheese wedges. At Costco, you get 4 packs of cheese wedge for 8 bucks! That’s a pretty massive savings. The downside to Costco is you only get the original flavor (creamy Swiss), but I love that so much I don’t care. The Garlic Herb though is really tasty.
A really simple one? Fruit! It’s got plenty of fiber and can fill you up for way fewer calories. My personal favorites are pears and peaches. I tend to eat these in between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. Gotta fit in those fruits and veggies throughout your day and this is a really simple way to do it.
I am a pretty big fan of eating my Fage nonfat plain Greek yogurt (which we buy in 32oz. tubs at Costco) with honey for breakfast, but a half cup with a little honey can be a great mid-afternoon snack, too. One cup of this amazing yogurt is 130 calories, and has 21g of protein! Do a half cup with around 3/4 tbsp of honey, and you’ve got yourself a protein-packed and delicious snack for 110 calories total.
(not my photo, found on Google images)
When I’m really stretched for time or am at work and didn’t have time to prepare snacks, I always bring a FiberOne bar with me. They’re tasty (peanut butter and chocolate always wins), have great serving of fiber, and are 130 calories per bar, leaving you pretty full and happy. I also LOVE Vitamuffin/VitaTops. They come in tons of flavors, though I’ve only tried the Deep Chocolate. They have a ridiculous amount of fiber in them, taste amazing and are only 100 calories a piece. I usually get the FiberOne bars at Costco in bulk (and for crazy cheap), and the VitaTops I’ve only seen at my local Target. The downside to the VitaTops are they they’re a little pricey (just over 4 bucks per box, with 4 tops in each box), but I swear they’re worth at least trying (the chocolate ones anyway, I’ve heard the corn and berry are okay.)
Basically, there are tons of options for snacks, you just need to be smart about what you choose. I try to tend to stick with items that are high in fiber and protein, as I know I’m getting more bang for my buck with these foods, as they’ll keep me fuller for longer. I also really appreciate Costco and being able to pick up certain items in bulk, most specifically snack items.
I would love to hear about any snacks you guys are eating, including the calories, protein, etc. I am very open to adding in more of a variety to my snack routine (though it’s hard to give up the Laughing Cow cheese wedges; they’re too good and so low-cal!)
A Weighty Mix 