Snack ATTACK!
1. Aim for snacks with no more than 100-200 calories.
2. Check out the snack video on the CHS LiveWELL website under Healthy Weight
Toolkit “Videos” for simple snacks.
3. Smart choices will help you feel fuller longer. Keep in mind, a snack is just a
little something to keep your blood sugar up until the next healthy meal.
The pictures below show a 100-calorie portion for some
healthy vs. traditional snack options.
Other “Tool Kit” resources at:
http://livewell.carolinasmedicalcenter.org/body.cfm?id=133
Questions or concerns? Call us at: 704.355.8136 option 3 or email
[email protected]
Mindless snacking
can be very
dangerous to your
waistline! It’s easy to
eat 500 calories of
chips from the bag
lying on the counter!
But if you measure
out your portion and
avoid distractions
while eating (like
reading, working or
watching television),
you’ll eat less and
you’ll be more
satisfied.
Snacks aren’t
necessarily
unhealthy. Snacks
that include a food
rich in protein, such
as cheese, yogurt,
milk, meats and nuts
will stop hunger
longer than a snack
that is just starch or
sweet.
Too much sweet or
starch in your snack
will just lead to more
hunger later.
Before you grab a
snack, ask yourself
two questions: “Am I
really hungry? Do I
actually feel hunger
pangs?” If you really
need a late evening
snack, keep it small!
SNACK ATTACK!
☺ Whole grain toast (1 St) with Peanut Butter (1 Tbsp) (2 Fat) 160 Calories
☺ Apple Slices (Medium) (1 Fr) with Peanut Butter (1 Tbsp) (2
Fat) - 166 Calories
☺ Hummus (1/4 c) (1 Grain) and 1 cup Raw Veggies (peppers,
celery, etc) (1 Vg)- 120 Calories
☺ Shredded Wheat (3/4 c) (1 St) and Skim Milk (1/2 c) (1/2 Dairy)
- 173 Calories
☺ Baked Tortilla Chips (10) (1 St) and Chunky Salsa (1/2 c)
(2 Vg)- 124 Calories
☺ Sugar free pudding cups or Pudding made with skim milk
(1/2 c) (1 Dairy)- 70 Calories
☺ Triscuits (6) (1 St) and 2% cheddar or other low fat cheese (1
oz) (1 Dairy)- 169 Calories
☺ Fresh veggies (carrots, broccoli, etc) (1 Vg) & light ranch
dressing (1 Tbsp) (1 Fat)- 68 Cals
☺ Dried fruit (2 tablespoons) such as raisins, apricots, apples (1
Fr) with 2 tablespoons nuts (2 fat)- about 150 Calories
☺ Cherry Tomatoes (6) (1 Vg) and Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
(1 oz) (1 Dairy)- 99 Calories
☺ Half sandwich: 1 slice whole grain bread (1 St) with 1 oz lean
turkey or ham (1 Pr) - 95 Calories
☺ Pear slices (Medium Pear) (1 Fr) and 6 Whole Almonds (1
Fat)- 166 Calories
☺ Light yogurt (6 oz) (1 Dairy) and Granola Cereal (1/4c) (1 St)170 Calories
☺ Fruit any kind, fresh or try Fruit cups (1 Fr) 50-100 Calories
☺ String Cheese (1 oz) (1 Dairy) and Mandarin Oranges (1/2 c)
(1 Fr)- 117 Calories
☺ Black Bean Dip (1/4 c) (1 St) and Baked Tortilla Chips (8) (1
St)- 123 Calories
☺ Hard Boiled Egg (1 Pr) and V-8 Juice (1 Veg)- 80 Calories
☺ Low fat Cottage Cheese (1/2 c) (1 Dairy) and Pineapple (1/2 c)
(1 Fr)- 140 Calories
☺ Trail Mix: 2 Tb. Dried fruit pieces, 2 Tb. Nuts, and ¼ c cereal
(Using Dried Cranberries, Almond slivers and Kashi 7 whole
grain puffed cereal) (1 Fr, 2 Ft, 1/2 St) - 156 Calories
☺ Light Yogurt (with fruit) 6 oz (1 Dairy) 80-100 Calories
Super Snacks
H
aving the right stuff on
hand is very important
for making fast, healthy
snacks. If your snacks are based
on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, with a little fat-free
dairy and lean protein, you will
be on your way to better health.
Here are some items you may
want to keep on hand:
Grains:
• Low-fat, whole-grain crackers
• Whole-wheat pita bread
(100%)
• Whole-wheat bread (100%)
• Baked tortilla chips
• Whole grain cereal
• Air-popped popcorn
Vegetables:
• Raw vegetables
• Salads
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Vegetable juice (100%)
• Vegetable soups
Fruits:
• Fresh fruit
• Dried fruit
Heart-Healthy Protein:
• Nuts and nut butters
• Bean dip
• Bean soup
• Bean salad
• Canned tuna or salmon
• White chicken or turkey, skinless
Heart Healthy Dairy:
• Nonfat, light yogurt
• Skim milk
Easy Snack Ideas
For healthy snacks, think out
with the bag -- that is, out with
foods that are sold as snacks in
all those cute packages and
bags. Refined carbohydrates
such as pretzels, crackers, cookies and chips are often high in
sodium and fat, and low in fiber.
They are calorie-dense, which
makes it easy to eat too many
calories. Eating healthful snacks
is important if you are trying to
watch your weight, lower your
blood pressure and/or control
your blood sugar. Here are some
healthy ideas:
• Peanut butter crackers - An
old standby is healthy when
you place it on 100% whole
grain, lowfat crackers or even
100% whole grain bread. Keep
the peanut butter to 1 tablespoon. Top with no-sugaradded preserves or fresh sliced
fruit.
• Soup - Purchase low-sodium,
low-fat vegetable or bean
soup. It can be microwaved in
minutes in a coffee
mug.
• Rabbit bag - Put a few
raw veggies and fruits
together in a zip lock
bag. Use orange
wedges, apple slices,
raw cauliflower and raw
carrots. The orange
gives everything a nice
flavor and keeps the
© Food & Health Communications www.foodandhealth.com
apple slices white.
• Smoothie - Blend skim milk,
and fruit to make a delicious
drink that tastes like a milk
shake.
• Low-sodium vegetable juice
helps you get to 5-9 a day.
• Sandwiches - Stuff a wholewheat pita with turkey, lettuce,
tomato and a little vinegar for
a heart-healthy treat.
• Tuna on toast - Make a tuna
salad with low-fat mayonnaise.
Spread it on 1 slice of toasted
100% whole wheat bread and
top it with sliced tomato and
lettuce.
• Oatmeal raisin bowl - Make a
bowl of oatmeal with raisins
and cinnamon; top with skim
milk.
• Cereal parfait - Place light,
nonfat yogurt, fruit and wholegrain cereal in a plastic cup
• Baked sweet potato - Bake in
the microwave and top it with
reduced calorie pancake syrup
and a pinch of cinnamon.
How to Buy Whole Grains
How do I know if a product is a whole grain?
Use this easy checklist to determine if a product is
really made from whole grain(s):
• Package claim - Does the package say 100% Whole
Wheat Bread? Or 100% Whole Grain? Don’t be
misled by claims that hint being wholesome but are
not whole grain, e.g., 100% Stone Ground,
Multigrain, Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat, Wheat
Bread, etc.
• Fiber content - The fiber per serving for a wholegrain food should be at least two grams.
• Ingredients - Check ingredient lists. The first item
should always be a whole grain such as whole
wheat, whole rye, whole corn, oats, or brown rice.
Foods that contain at least 51 percent whole grains
can make a claim about that food's role in
reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. The
specific claim may state, "Diets rich in whole-grain
foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart
disease and certain cancers."
What are some common whole-grain foods I
can find in my grocery store?
- amaranth
- barley (hulled)
- brown rice—comes in long grain, short grain and
instant
- buckwheat groats—these are also called kasha
- bulgur
- corn
- millet
- oatmeal
- popcorn
- quinoa
- rye bread, crackers (whole)
- whole-wheat bread (100 percent)
- whole-wheat cereal, crackers
- whole-wheat pasta
© Food and Health Communications, Inc.
I want to eat more whole
grains. How do I get started?
Start with breakfast. Choose
whole grain cereals with no
added sugar. A few examples
include: oatmeal, Shredded
Wheat®, Cheerios®, Total® and Wheaties®.
Next, go whole grain for lunch. Be sure you use a
100 percent whole-wheat bread or pita pocket. Fill it
with lots of fresh veggies and a lean cut of turkey or
lowfat tuna salad. Consider having a lowfat wholegrain cracker such as Wasa brand. You can serve that
with a lowfat tuna salad on lettuce or a vegetable
soup.
Whole grain is easy for dinner, too. Purchase
brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Lots of veggies and
a thick sauce will camoflage the darker color of the
whole-grain pasta.
Exotic whole grains can be fun to experiment
with, too. Check out the grain or health food section
of your grocery store or visit a whole foods market in
your area. Choose amaranth, bulgur, millet, teff or
quinoa. Follow recipes on packages or do a search on
the Internet for more ideas.
Whole Grain Starter List
Are you new to the idea of whole grains? If so,
here is a simple list to help you get started:
• Whole grain cereals: Oatmeal, Shredded
Wheat®, Cheerios®, Total®, Wheaties® or
other no-sugar-added, whole-grain cereal.
• Brown rice—Buy long grain brown rice or, for a
time saver, consider instant brown rice.
• Popcorn—Use air popped.
• Whole-wheat pasta—Small shapes are best.
• Whole-grain crackers—e.g., WASA brand.
• 100 percent whole-wheat bread or pita pockets.
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