Healthy Snack Ideas - Norwich,CT

I can tell you from experience that junk makes you crave junk. Once you stop the junk, you start to feel batter and crave junk much less.

In my mind, I've reclassified my cravings as crunchy, sweet, salty, hot, creamy, smooth, etc instead of thinking I'm craving chips and salsa, ice cream, heath bar. That way when I think, hmm I'm craving something salty and crunchy, I can get a handful of almonds, or apple slices sprinkled with salt. When I'm craving sweet I can get a handful of berries. When I want ice cream, I'll make oatmeal with berries and chill it.
I also eat cheese cubes with little slices of pepperoni. It feels like you are being so bad, but you're not.

GOOD granola bars.
String cheese.
Yogurt.
Fresh fruits.
Fresh veggies.

Sliced avacado with a dash of salt (avocado has GOOD fats, still esentil when trying to lose weight)
Hard boiled eggs
cheese stick (mozzerrella is the lowest fat cheese out there)
peanut butter and raisins on celery
peanut butter on apples
trail mix (premade or make your own. I get cashews, almonds, peanuts, crasins, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, dried blueberries and a few chocolate chips, mix then together and put in jars... so good!)
oatmeal with fresh berries and ground flax seed(strawberry, blueberry, blackberry...)
laughing cow cheese wedges spread on whole grain crackers
sliced cucumbers dipped in a little bit of ranch and topped with bacon bits (I know, those aren't major healthy)
rice cakes
low sodium pretzels with topped with a small hunk of cheddar cheese (not melted)
low sodium pretzels dipped in freshly melted dark chocolate (just a little bit)
fresh veggies dipped in small amounts of dressing. I love Girards low fat ceaser

Go to the health food store/section... tons of healthier snack options available. Be sure you pair a carb with a protein for the maximum energy absorption!

Have handy, lots of fresh fruit cut up to pick at! Some plain or vanilla yogurt would be great to throw the fruit in for a protein pick-me-up.

If you eat carrots/celery/peppers, they make the quintessential dippers. I recommend humus!

Almonds are also very healthy (in moderation) and Quaker makes a great, whole grain rice cake.

Make fruit accessible. Clementines are easier for kids to peel, but have bowls of oranges, apples, pears and bananas - to eat, not just for decoration. Try string cheese, laughing cow cheese, low-fat yogurt, carrots and dip, slices of red or other bell pepper. I like peppers dipped in hummus.

When I think I'm hungry, I try to drink a glass of water first. A lot of hunger is really thirst.

I also try not to buy junk food or if I do, in small amounts. Once the small bag of chips is gone, it's gone. No family sized bags here.

Veggies dipped in hummus. You should start forcing yourself to eat more veggies! seriously! Greek yogurt (you can get the zero fat kind). Apples dipped in peanut butter. Homemade popcorn w no butter (don't eat the microwave kind).

Grapes
Just leave some grapes sitting out on the counter and you notice that you pop some in your mouth here and there and dont need a true snack. And they are sweet.
The other thing my mom used to do is leave out a block of cheese. Knock of a hunk and you are good to go and getting some good calcium

The challenge with fruit is that it's very high in sugar, so it gives you immediate energy, but it doesn't last very long in keeping me satisfied. I'd recommend if you do eat fruit as a snack, be sure to eat the WHOLE fruit with peels, pith, etc. Also, be sure to set expectations for portions. Some of the calorie counters assume that you have a "medium" apple but if you measure it in oz or grams, the medium apples at the grocery store are really "extra large".
I like to have snacks that are about 250 calories with a mix of flavors. Be sure to control portion, and pair it with a lean protein and/or whole grains.
Some things I really like are:
whole wheat crackers with a bit of deli turkey, asiago cheese and pear
greek yogurt with berries & some kashi high protein cereal
2 clementine oranges & a few almonds
apple slices with peanut butter
watermelon - I think 2 cups is about 100 calories!
citrus salad (grapefruit, oranges over salad greens, with grilled chicken)
veggies with hummus & whole wheat pita

I don't buy junk food because if it is in the house, I will eat it.

I try to cut up a bunch of veggies (and yes, you can learn to enjoy veggies, just keep trying new ones) cut up in the fridge. It is way easier to snack on carrot sticks and green peppers if they are sitting there already to go, than if I have to prepare them when in the grazing frame of mind.

Almonds - 1/2 ounce has 80 calories, 3 g of protein and almost 2 g of fiber. That is approximately 12 almonds.

Laughing cow lite cheese wedges. Somehow these are real cheese not processed cheese food. 35 calories a wedge.

Veggies with light ranch
reduced fat wheat thins with a laughing cow wedge (laughing cow cheese is SO good!)
baby pickles (zero calories)
Make a fruit salad, leave a big bowl in the fridge to snack on
greek yogurt with organic granola
string cheese
Tomato slices
Whole grain cereal bars (kashi has good ones)
Whole grain english muffin and peanut butter
Apple slices with peanut butter (so yumm!)
Frozen grapes

I second the vote for greek yogurt-it is really delicious and more filling than regular yogurt, and it has lots of protein.

Our whole family loves pita chips and hummus (but only roasted red pepper or the tri color one for Trader Joes). I also like the Healthy Picks applesauce that has fiber added.
Saving Dinner is a good resource- I have the cookbook and love it! SHe also offers email- menu mailers and has a daily newsletter with lots of healthy tips in it.
I am treadmill hater! Check out a zumba class- I just started one through parks and rec for only $30 for ten weeks. It is SO FUN!

I often slice up several apples and put them in a ziploc back for everyone to share when we are driving home from school. Baby carrots are great too because they are sweet, crunchy, and small. I stumbled upon a couple fabulous smoothie recipes when I discovered the temperature in my refrigerator had been turned way down and my watermelon and mangoes froze. Mix frozen watermelon with lime juice, a little vanilla extract, and a little sugar (if desired) in a blender. I could drink that every day. Or mix mango (doesn't have to be frozen. can even be too mushy for slicing well), vanilla yogurt, and orange juice in a blender. Sometimes we just blend the mango and yogurt and serve in bowls. Yum! I think I will make that today.