Healthy Snacking

One fairly universal question when you completely change your eating habits and go from carb-heavy choices to healthier options is "What snack won't completely undo all the good I'm doing?" There are good options, and here's a brief list that will expand as I figure out what I'm eating in the next weeks and months!

• Apple slices with nut butters and raisins
• Vanilla Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries, let thaw in the yogurt for a few minutes
• Veggies with roasted red pepper hummus
• Sugar-free cooked pudding (I use Jello's version) - I like chocolate.  Nothing better than home-cooked pudding!
• 2% cottage cheese
• a cup of broth-based soup
• Paleo mug cake
• Mini-cheesecakes (see my last post)
• 1/4 cup raw almonds or other nuts
• Thin-sliced Virginia ham rolled up with low-fat Alpine Lace Swiss cheese  
• Deviled egg
• Olives 
• Unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and a little sweetener (if necessary)
• Sliced cucumber in vinaigrette
• Banana chunks dipped in melted chocolate and frozen
• V-8 with a couple of shakes of black pepper
• Yogurt smoothie
• Dark chocolate (I like Dove Promises - little squares, 5 = 1 serving - I pack just 2 in my lunch)

Here are a few of my favorites of the ideas mentioned above:

These snacking ideas should hold you over for a little while until I come up with more!
Little to-go containers and zip snack bags are invaluable.

One thing I've learned:  if you are prepared, you won't make bad choices.  If you don't buy it or have it in your house, you won't have to resist it.  If others in your household are eating all those things you don't want, ask them to do without them and to enjoy the same snacks you're eating as a measure of support for you.  Maybe you can positively influence the eating habits of those around you as well, and that certainly is a good thing.

Enjoy!