You may think that healthy food means boring, tasteless food. If you are trying to improve the way you eat, set yourself up for success by choosing foods that are both healthy and tasty. Include healthy, delicious snacks in your daily nutritional plan to give you maximum nutrition and taste.
Snacking for Weight Loss
Snacking can be a key component of your weight-loss plan, but only if your snacks keep you within your target calorie range. One method you can use to plan your calorie allowance for snacks is to divide your planned daily calories and allot a quarter of your daily calories for each meal. Divide the last quarter into how many snacks you want each day. For example, if you plan to follow a 1,600-calorie diet, have a 400 calorie breakfast, a 400 calorie lunch and a 400 calorie dinner. Divide the remaining 400 calories into two snacks of 200 calories each. Snacking can help prevent hunger. If you go too long without eating, you might overeat at your next meal.
Fruits
Fruits make sweet, low-calorie snacks. Fruits like apples, bananas, oranges and pears are convenient to take with you. Keep one on hand at work for a quick, low-calorie snack. Fruits also provide important nutrients like phytochemicals and antioxidants. These chemicals may reduce your risk of developing certain types of cancer. Fruit is high in water and fiber, so you will feel full on fewer calories.
Vegetables
Like fruit, vegetables contain fiber, water, vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Vegetables are a key ally in your plan to lose weight. You can eat piles of leafy green salads or roasted vegetables for minimal calories. Snack on cut-up bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. Dip the cut up vegetables in salsa or measured amounts of hummus, guacamole or tapenade. A warm cup of vegetable soup makes for a hearty low-calorie winter snack.
Protein
Lean protein sources are another filling, low-calorie snack. Plan ahead and boil a dozen eggs on the weekend to snack on through the week. Add flavor to the eggs by smashing the yolk with chopped pickles, grated onion and spicy mustard and serve them deviled egg-style. String cheese, low-fat cheese wheels and cottage cheese give you a snack full of protein and calcium. Fold your favorite berries into cottage cheese and drizzle with lavender honey for a special treat. Experiment with snacks that combine protein and vegetables, such as wrapping a slice of turkey breast around an asparagus spear.
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