[Hurleyboy05]

I found this article on MSN Health. It's got some creative ideas on giving some flavor to the snacks that get kinda boring after awhile. Hope this helps someone.


Snack Smarter

7 ways to instantly improve your eating habits.
By the Editors of Prevention

Snacks can make or break the quality of your diet. Even if your meals are generally healthy, if you eat a handful of chips, a couple of fun-sized chocolate bars, and sneak a few spoonfuls of ice cream, you've added hundreds of extra empty calories to your day. But snacking doesn't have to destroy your healthy eating habits.

"The word snack has a negative connotation, but it can be a good thing," says nutritionist Cynthia Sass, RD, MPH. "Snacking helps us get more of the nutrients our bodies need."

Cynthia gives you low-calorie snack ideas to treat your sweet tooth, stave off hunger, and provide the energy you need to get through the day.

Print program to pin on your fridge.

1. Fruit is nature's perfect snack, but variety is the key. The nutrients and protective phytochemicals found in red fruits differ from those in yellow or orange. Vary your intake by buying a rainbow of colors, and eating at least two different colored fruits each day. Reds include apples, berries, grapes, red pears, and pomegranates; for yellow/orange try citrus fruits, gooseberries, Calimyrna figs, mangos, papayas, persimmons, and pineapple; whites include bananas, pears, and dates; for great greens try green apples, grapes, kiwi, and pears; and for purple/blue eat berries, currants, plums, Mission figs, grapes, and raisins.

2. Looking for an after-dinner snack that's low in calories but feels decadent? Try a juicy baked apple or pear. Just wash, core, and drizzle with one tablespoon each of water and maple syrup. Then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and bake or microwave until tender.

3. If you need a snack to get you through a long stretch between meals, keep an emergency supply of dried fruit and nuts on hand. Stash them in your desk, bag, or car. A golf-ball-sized portion of each makes a filling, nutrient-rich snack that will get you through to the next meal. Look for dried, no-sugar-added apricots, apple rings, pineapple, cherries, figs, dates, blueberries, prunes (dried plums), and raisins, as well as unsalted roasted almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds.

4. One of my favorite mid-afternoon snacks is a freshly sliced apple with a tablespoon or two of peanut or almond butter for dipping. Give it a kick by mixing in freshly grated ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, or by sprinkling some toasted oats on top!

5. For a low-cal after-dinner snack, try frozen juice bars made from 100% fruit juice. They count as a serving of fruit. Or you can make your own by filling Popsicle molds with your favorite sliced fruits and 100% juice. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, dip fresh fruit into low-fat whipped cream, vanilla yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, low-fat pudding, or melted dark chocolate chips.

6. Fresh veggies dipped in hummus, pinto or black bean dip is another perfect low-cal, nutrient-rich and filling snack. If baby carrots are too crunchy for your taste, soften them up just a bit — microwave a cup for 4-5 minutes and then chill in the fridge.

7. Whole-grain dry cereals you can eat with your hands (like "O" and square shapes) make a great low-calorie snack. One cup, about the size of a baseball, provides about 100 calories and at least 3 grams of filling dietary fiber. If you have trouble with portion control, invest in a few 8-ounce plastic containers with snap-on lids. Keep several filled up so you can grab one when you need it — it'll keep you from dipping back into the box.

Provided by Prevention

[CryingEmo]

Cereal is candy.

[nelix]

Frozen juice bars? Why not just eat candy...

[rpen22]

You gotta remember, these are meant to be heathier alternatives for people who actually do snack on candy. It's obviously not directed towards bodybuilders.

[nelix]

Crazy idea, instead of removing the sugar from a few fruits and freezing it, just eat actual fruit, pretty easy and healthy alternative.

[Hurleyboy05]

Yeah Nelix, I did sorta' post this for the M&M munchers that frequent out little site looking for ideas. Although, I did have a baked apple last night, and it was quite tasty!