What do you eat for snacks?

[txveggie]

I usually eat a granola bar about 3 in the afternoon with hot tea, if I don't eat anything I get really hungry and sometimes a bit shaky. Veggies just don't seem to do it for me either. The Kashi bars aren't too bad but aren't McD approved so I need some new ideas. Also is there a current list of approved foods? TIA

[MaryW]

Baked potatoes are a great portable snack for me. Very satisfying. If I sit down for a meal with a potato on a plate, I cover it with something deliciously messy. But for an on the go snack, I'll split it in half and sprinkle it with Mrs Dash or a spritz of Braggs.

Another snack I love (which I actually haven't made in a long time) is air popped popcorn. I now love the taste of just plain popcorn. And since it is dry, it's hard to get flavoring to stick anyway. But it's especially good with a spritz of Braggs. If I feel VERY ambitious, I'll spread the Braggs popcorn on a baking sheet and re-toast it in the oven so it's crisp. So good!

[talkingmountain]

Here are some of my favorites:

- 2 slices of Wasa krispbread with half a banana sliced lengthwise on each (the wholegrain sourdough rye krispbread is very sturdy & travels well).

- An orange, presliced so it can be eaten easily.

- An apple, washed & wrapped in a paper towel so it can be eaten on the go.

- A snack-sized package of dried plums, or 4-5 cherry-essence dried plums in a snack-sized ziplock. A piece of Wasa krispbread goes great with this, or a small handful of raw cashews or almonds, if you can have nuts. I actually keep all this in my desk for "emergencies."

- A small boiled or baked potato, whole and in the skin (i like them plain).

- A small, whole sweet potato, cooked & still in the skin, and sealed in foil or a plastic bag (careful, these can leak their sticky sweet juice if not well sealed).

- A small container of unsweetened applesauce (can get them prepackaged if you want). A wholegrain, fat-free cracker (like Wasa) or piece of toast goes well.

- A few chunks of tofu that have marinated all morning in tamari.

- Cauliflower flowerettes or button mushrooms w/hummos.

- Sugar snap peas, plain or with hummos or another dip.

- A quarter-head of boston lettuce. I don't know why, but this stuff is so crispy and sweet it tastes good just to bite right into it!

- Homemade salsa... on anything (a potato, baked corn chips, cucumber slices, pita bread, rice...)

- A small bean burrito (make a bunch in advance & freeze them individually, then microwave one for a snack, or put it in your briefcase frozen & it will be thawed by snacktime).

[SactoBob]

These are my goto snack. Bake a bunch and put them in the refrigerator. A couple minutes in the microwave and they are delicious.

I would avoid popcorn. Since it is a dried food, it is quite calorie dense, so you need a lot of calories there to satisfy you. Jeff has discussed this in reference to any foods that are dried out. By removing the water in the food, you increase the calorie density, and that is why you want to avoid things like popcorn, rice cakes, and crackers if you are trying to lose weight.

Another fallback is oatmeal. You can eat it plain uncooked, or with a bit of fruit. That is how Dr. Esselstyn often eats oatmeal, and it is not bad.

[Letha.]

Fresh Fruit and Leftovers.
Letha

[stormie]

I make microwave potato chips.

Slice a potato in even - not to thin, not thick - slices (I use an accordion style slicer to cut evenly, therefore, cook evenly). Spread them in one layer on parchment paper and nuke 'em for about 6-8minutes. Keep an eye on them they burn quick.

[SactoBob]

Will taste great, but once again, when you dry the foods, you increase the calorie density, which promotes weight gain rather than weight loss. If a person needs to lose weight, a good snack would be something with a low calorie density. So although these could be a tasty treat, they would not be the best "goto" snack.

[txveggie]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I will put Wasa on my grocery list, I forgot about those.

I did buy some frozen cherries which I think are really good straight out of the freezer and think I will make some veggie soup today just to keep on hand.

What do you eat for a snack SactoBob?

[langerangersquared]

If you do Kashi bars use the cruchy ones as they have no milk on the ingredient list as the chewy one does. My preference though is to bake my own snack bars using a modified muffin receipe off of the package on Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran. Just omit all the proscribed ingredients, substituting more applesauce (the receipe calls for some). Use whole wheat flour and soy milk. I alternate between using Bob's wheat bran and rolled oats just to add some variety. I bake 'em in a cake pan in parchment paper, the cut to desired size bars. If you want to scrimp the fat and calories omit nuts. "good eatin," Don

[Faith in DC]

I'm pretty sure that McDougall does allow potato 'chips' just baked potato slices like described and also air popped pop corn. I know I love snacking on popcorn, as long as I am not doing so mindlessly. With all fiber (and picking teeth) it keeps me busy.

Mornings, I use fruit for the snack. I always start the day really hungry. By lunch, after I have my salad, I am usually fine until dinner.

One thing I've found if flavor does tend to stop the hunger monster. So I often will use mustard on popcorn or other highly flavorful things, and that'll cut down on the amount I snack on.

[MadcityVegan]

These suggestions were very helpful!

Some of my snacks that promote weight loss:

Sushi
Popcorn with nutritional yeast
Hummus (no oil, no tahini) and vegetables
Baked french fries
Baked corn tortillas with salsa, or bean mix
carrots--I do not like them, but if I can't control a food craving I will sit and eat and eat them.
can of whole kernal corn
fruit--an expensive one (like berries) I wouldn't normally buy. This way I can go out for a 'treat'
italian ice
potato sandwhich--rare
toast--rare
garbonzo beans

[Faith in DC]

garbonzo beans is actually a very very good one. I keep them around for salads, and often will pop a small handfull when I'm getting hungry. They really curb an appetite.

[eaufraiche703]

frozen bananas, grapes, cherries

and potato chips! i bought a mandoline at target the other day (9 bucks)and finally got to try making chips! it was a fun little workout to shave that spud, and your 1 potato makes a nice little stack of chips. They're just awesome!

[langerangersquared]

eaufraiche703, I've been wanting a mandolin for years and after reading your post I went out and bought one. I'm still learning to use the thing which, as you say, is a bit of a workout. Any hints appreciated. "good eatin'," Don

[LauraA]

I have trouble with snacks - that's when I tend to want things that I could overeat on. Now I'm trying a plan of 4 meals per day - basically, every 4 hours- like 7,11,3,7. The meals are still pretty good size, I'm just having no snacks at all. Today was oatmeal with fruit and flax seed, salad and veggie soup, another bowl of veggie soup at 3, then at 7 I had a sweet potato and broccoli. I'm going to see how this works for me. Take care, LauraA