Sometimes I'll pack little snack bentos. There is one style that is made to hold two onigiri (rice balls), so it is fairly small. I put a dip or cheese in the bottom section, which has a lid, and stuff the top section with fruit, veggies, or crackers. My typical go to is hummus with veggies or rice crackers, but I've been know to do veggies and dip, fruit and dip, cheese and crackers, even chips and salsa.
When I have a sweet craving, I may reach for a pudding or jello cup. At just about 100 calories* (80 jello, 110 pudding), they don't dig into my daily allotment too much and that takes care of that sugar craving. I also keep small pieces of dark chocolate (Hershey's Bliss or Dove) on hand, and one piece is usually enough to tide me over if I savor it instead of chewing. Plus at 35 and 40 calories respectively, I can afford to have 2 or 3 pieces if I want. I have also found the Weight Watchers Mint Cookie Crisps rather satisfying. They are about the size of a fun size candy bar, but they are very filling and taste just like Thin Mints. As a bonus, they are only 70 calories!
When it comes to other store bought snacks, I often grab rice crackers. Trader Joe's savory rice crackers are my favorite, but I found some sesame rice crackers at Fresh Market that were pretty comparable. The fulfill that salty craving and at just 3.5 calories a piece, you can eat quite a bit. I also like Sensible Portions' Cinnamon Apple Straws. They are all natural and 38 (or 1/6 the bag) is only 130 calories! The serving size is huge too--38 straws fills a cereal bowl, so I often eat half a serving or less as a snack.
I try to make my snacks whenever possible. I really want to learn to make hummus and rice crackers, but for now I settle for cookies (I know, not healthy but I don't make them often and only pack 2 as a snack), kale chips, and hard boiled eggs. I find with a little salt & pepper, the egg itself fills most cravings and is chock full of protein and usually tides me over (although they are now becoming a lunch staple for me). Kale chips have got to be the easiest thing in the world to make, and they are so tasty. The kale loses its bitterness when you bake it, and the seasoning choices are endless. My favorites are seasoned salt and garlic powder/salt/cracked black pepper. Here is a quick little recipe if you want to give it a try:
| Kale Chips 1 bunch kale 1 Tbsp olive oil (approximately) seasonings of your choice Wash and dry the kale (a salad spinner is helpful here, or pat dry between paper towels). Trim the leaves from the bitter stem. Tear or cut kale into pieces (they will shrivel up, so I would say go at least 1.5 times larger than you want the chips). Toss kale with olive oil--you want them coated with oil but not soaked. I usually just throw it into a bowl and drizzle a little bit over the top the toss. If you have a spritzer, you could also lay them out first then spray the olive oil (I should try this--my mom has a few of these that are going unused...) Lay the kale on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sometimes placing the curled side down helps with air circulation and to prevent sticking. Sprinkle with as much or as little seasoning as you want (just remember a little goes a long way). Bake at 350F (175C) for 12-15 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. I just store these in a paper bag with the top folded over. They will stay good for at least a week, but to be honest I rarely have them go that long without being eaten n_n |
What's even better about these as a snack, is that one batch is only about 175-200 calories (depending on the olive oil you use). I would say you end up with about half the volume you started with, so maybe 2-3 cups of chips. Although my sister and I ate a whole batch in one afternoon, they were so good! I felt guilty until I found out it was only 100 calories. You may find these hard to stop eating too. I recommend packing them up in baggies so that you can grab one each day during the week. They are also really easy and fast to make, so if you run out it is easy to replenish your stock.
*I am of the camp that the best "diet" is counting calories. It's all about what goes in and what goes out. Some days you may break your diet, and I agree that 1 free day a week is incredibly helpful, but counting calories allows me to be a little less restrictive than some of these other diet plans (e.g. low carb, no carb, low protein, high protein, paleo). I do on occasion refer to some of these diets for food ideas. For example I am really fond of the South beach Diet recipes.
I use My Fitness Pal to track my calories eaten and calories burned, and I will also use Map My Run if I am out about walking instead of in the gym. My username for both is caitinc, so feel free to add me if you want to get fit together n_n
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