Say ‘Aaah’ : StayWell : Snacks Round Out Those 3 Squares

Used to be we were told to eat three square meals a day, with snacking in between discouraged. But times have changed, and today snacking is not only encouraged but recommended.

Why? For several reasons: Snacks and smaller meals are easier to digest. Snacking throughout the day keeps the hunger pangs away, making you less likely to overeat at meals, which in turn helps control weight.

Of course, eating healthy is the key. Snacking should be a healthy choice of foods, not a pound of chocolate, handfuls of cookies or bunches of doughnuts. But you need not stick to cottage cheese and fruit, although they are excellent choices.

What do you crave? Sweets? Try raisin toast, angel food cake, raisin bread or low-fat muffins, in addition to fresh or dried fruit.

In the mood for something salty? A small handful of dry-roasted nuts might do the trick, or perhaps water-packed tuna with sardines, or reduced-fat cheese or cottage cheese.

For crunchy snacks, think dry cereal, low-fat crackers, air-popped popcorn, rice cakes and raw vegetables.

Other choices might include smoothies made of fresh fruit, fruit juice and fat-free yogurt; applesauce, peanut butter on whole-wheat bread, vegetable or bean soup, fat-free or low-fat milk or frozen juice bars.

Some things to remember when you’re hunting down a healthy snack:

* Labels, labels, labels. Read them so you can pick the food with the least amount of calories, fat, sodium and sugar.

* When you pass the vending machine, keep on walking. Most are packed with snacks laden with too much fat, sugar and calories.

* Choose foods that contain whole grains. Eat more fresh fruits and raw vegetables.

One last thing: Take snacks with you to work, school or on other outings so that when hunger pangs hit, you’ll have something healthy at the ready to munch.

Source: StayWell Co.