Snacks should contain 150 to 200 calories for women and 200 to 250 calories for men.
To keep portion size under control, don’t snack from the box. Read nutrition labels to determine how many crackers, rice cakes, nuts, etc. counts as one serving. Then measure out one serving and put it on a plate.
Choose low glycemic
Snacks should have a low rating on the glycemic index (GI). Low-GI foods are digested slowly, leading to a gradual rise in blood sugar, helping you feel energetic and satisfied longer.
Low-GI snacks include dried apricots and nuts, yogurt and berries, a smoothie made with milk or soy milk and frozen berries, a cup of bean or lentil soup, half a pita with tuna, Ryvita or Wasa crackers with almond butter, or yogurt topped with a quarter cup of bran cereal.
Make it count
Choose snacks that increase your intake of nutrients or food groups that your meals don’t supply enough of. For example, many women – and men – don’t get enough calcium in their diet. Calcium-rich snacks include yogurt, low-fat milk, soy smoothies, non-fat lattes, and part-skim cheese.
Snacks are also a good way to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables. Add blueberries to yogurt, pair your cheese with an apple, or puree frozen strawberries and banana with milk or soy beverage to make a smoothie.
Pack red pepper strips, broccoli florets, grape tomatoes and cucumber slices to munch on with a quarter cup of hummus mid-afternoon.
Pack your snacks
To prevent hitting the vending machine – or the candy bowl on your co-worker’s desk – bring snacks to work. It takes no time to throw an apple, an energy bar or a small package of nuts into your purse or briefcase.
TRY THESE 150-CALORIE SNACKS
•1 small apple + 1 Lite Babybel cheese (20 grams)
•1 medium red pepper, sliced + ¼ cup hummus
•1 medium (16-ounce) non-fat latte
•2 Ryvita crispbreads + 1 tablespoon almond butter
•¾ cup plain 1% yogurt + ½ cup blueberries
•21 plain almonds
•4 dried apricots + 6 walnut halves
•¾ cup 1% cottage cheese + ½ cup crushed pineapple (water-packed)
•Small tin of tuna (85 g) + 1 Wasa cripsbread
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV’s Canada AM every Wednesday. Her website is lesliebeck.com
