If you are looking to lose weight or maintain your current healthy weight, include snacks in your daily food plans. Snacking helps you to stay satiated between meals and can help you to consume fewer calories at lunch or dinner. Eating regularly throughout the day allows you to maximize your metabolism and keep your energy levels elevated. Pairing whole-wheat tortillas with proteins, fruits and vegetables makes it easy to snack healthy.
Pair with Protein
Though tortillas are associated with Mexican dishes, they can actually be substituted for bread and used to make a healthy snack-sized sandwich. Fill a 6-inch tortilla with fresh, sliced turkey, lettuce leaves and Dijon mustard. Alternatively, spread horseradish-flavored mustard on a small, whole-wheat tortilla, and layer it with fresh roast beef. Hummus with sliced, green peppers on a whole-wheat tortilla can be a satisfying vegetarian option.
Add Fruit
Peanut butter spread on a whole-wheat tortilla and topped with sliced apples gives you protein, magnesium, potassium, fiber, iron and healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, all in one snack. For a sweet treat that stays on the healthy side, roll sliced, ripe pears that are sprinkled with cinnamon inside the tortilla. Try strawberries mixed with low-fat ricotta cheese in a tortilla for a decadent-tasting -- yet healthy -- snack or dessert.
For Dips
Kids love to dip food, so if you’re looking for a way to get healthier snacks into your young ones, slice a whole-wheat tortilla into finger food-sized triangles and serve them with several dipping options. Salsa, low-fat ranch dressing, hummus, homemade guacamole or even homemade jellies or jams can keep your kids, or yourself, busy snacking for a while. Toast the tortilla triangles on a baking sheet in the oven and turn them into chips to pair with your dips.
With Cheese
Pair whole-wheat tortillas with cheese to make a snack that will keep your energy high throughout the afternoon. Cheese contains protein, calcium, vitamin D, potassium and phosphorus, which are all energy-boosting nutrients. Place low-fat, shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla and melt it under the broiler. Or make a homemade pizza and top your cheesy tortilla with olives, mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh, grilled chicken; bake it in a 400-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes. For a nutritious breakfast dish that can be eaten at any time of the day, scramble one to two eggs with cheese and roll the scrambled eggs into a tortilla for a mini egg burrito.
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