Healthy You Snacks

An important part of your daily food intake is snacks. These should actually be considered small meals and not just food to mindlessly fill the empty hole. You want a vegetable or fruit to be present at every snack. Here are a few ideas:

~Raw veggies with hummus. There are so many different types of hummus you could never get bored trying them all!

~Apple or celery with almond butter- delicious!

~A handful of raw nuts with an orange, pear, apple or some snap peas.

~Brown rice cakes with either almond butter or 1/4 avocado.

~Crunchy green veggies with a small protein shake made from a scoop of protein powder and 1-1/2 cups skim milk of choice.

~1/2 of a peanut, almond or cashew butter(natural,organic, of course) and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread.

~Hummus, shredded carrots, and baby spinach on 1/2 of a whole-wheat tortilla.

~LARABAR's

~1 cup low-fat natural yogurt with 1/2 cup berries

~1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 of a banana or a 1/2 cup mixed berries

~1/2 banana with 1 Tbsp. nut butter of choice

~1/2 cup low-fat natural yogurt and 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal with 1/4 cup berries

~1/4 cup dried apricots with 14 walnuts

~1 low-fat string cheese with an apple

~1 cup green bell pepper slices and 10 baby carrots with 2 Tbsp. hummus

~1/2 cup low-fat natural frozen yogurt with 1/2 cup blueberries and 10 cashews

Snacks to avoid for obvious reasons:

Ice cream, chips, french fries, all deep fried foods, pretzels, preserved meats, sweet cookies, cakes, donuts, candies and anything that is found in a package loaded with chemicals, sugar and damaged fats. These type of foods only further interfere with your body's ability to utilize the healthy foods you are now eating.

I hope these snack ideas help you achieve your health goals! Stay tuned for the next installment of the Healthy You series: Lunch:)