Eat It: Healthier Snacks to Satisfy Your Cravings

When it comes to eating healthier, often all it takes is a few simple tweaks to your usual food choices.  Make the Right Choice is about showing you simple changes you can make when choosing your meals and snacks to boost nutrition and lose weight.  Here are some great ideas for healthy choices when you feel a snack attack coming on—ideas that will work during the day or when curled up on the couch watching TV at night.

Instead of:  One ounce of tortilla chips and a half-cup of nacho cheese dip

Nutrition Information:  390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 5 grams protein, 1405 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber

Choose: One ounce of baked tortilla chips (about 20 chips) topped with 1 ounce of Kraft 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese.  Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until cheese melts.  Serve with a half-cup of chunky salsa.

Nutrition Information:  241 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 9 grams protein, 1002 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber

Why:  The real cheese and chunky salsa make this crunchy snack much more satisfying, which is ideal when trying to improve eating habits.  On top of that, you save the fat equivalent of five strips of cooked bacon. This snack is high in sodium so save it for a day when you’ve monitored your intake carefully

Instead of:  Four cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Nutrition Information:  213 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram protein, 240 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber

Choose: Ten Nabisco chocolate graham cracker sticks dipped in three tablespoons of non-dairy whipped topping, like Cool Whip

Nutrition Information:  130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram protein, 121 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber

Why:  In addition to saving you calories and fat, the process of dipping the sticks into the whipped topping prolongs the eating experience (as opposed to popping four cookies in your mouth).  The result is increased satisfaction and decreased likelihood of overeating.  Plus, 10 graham sticks is way more food than four measly cookies.

Instead of: Six hot and spicy boneless Buffalo wings

Nutrition Information:  520 calories, 25 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 30 grams of protein, 2520 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber

Choose: Five Perdue fully cooked chicken breast nuggets mixed with two tablespoons of spicy buffalo sauce.  Heat the nuggets in a 400-degree oven for 8-10 minutes and then mix with sauce.

Nutrition Information:  211 calories, 10 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 13 gram protein, 1465 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 0 gram of fiber

Why:  The deep-frying is part of the reason those little chicken wings turn into heart-stoppers, literally.  One serving has as much fat as a fast food double cheeseburger and more sodium than a teaspoon of salt.  Using all white meat nuggets to prepare your own takes less time than waiting for the delivery man, plus you cut the calories and fat by more than half. The sodium is high, though, so watch  your intake for the rest of the day.

Instead of: A half-cup of super premium chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

Nutrition Information:  270 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 4 grams protein, 85 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber

Choose: a half-cup of Edy’s (or Dreyer’s) Slow Churned Light cookie dough ice cream

Nutrition Information:  130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams protein, 60 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, fiber N/A

Why:  If you’re an ice cream addict these new light slow churned versions are the way to go.  You still get a rich and creamy treat but save more than 100 calories!  Plus the fat you lose is equal to the fat in almost 2 tablespoons of butter.