CHIP Alumni Association (PACAA)

CHIP Tip No. 4: Smart Snacking
From CHIP Clinical Manager Amy Lister, R.D.

When your stomach grumbles between meals, a healthy snack may be in order. However, you don't want to overeat.

Having a repertoire of healthy snacks can help you choose wisely. The following tips and suggestions can help you make wise choices:

• Snacks should be low in fat and contain important nutrients and dietary fiber to keep you feeling full until your next meal—while providing relatively few calories.
• Snacks should not replace meals, but rather supplement them, so keep portions small. Aim for 200 calories or less.
• Keep your snacks plant based. Use this as an opportunity to increase the fruits and vegetables in your diet. The daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables is five servings for children, seven servings for women and nine servings for men.
• Choose fruits and vegetables first. Fruit is the perfect fast food. Keep apples, oranges or bananas available for a quick snack.
• Purchase pre-cut carrots, celery, cauliflower or broccoli and dip into hummus, salsa or a tofu dip (blend tofu with finely chopped veggies and seasoning).
• Make air-popped popcorn and spray lightly with olive oil to avoid the sodium, preservatives and trans fats found in most microwave popcorn.
• Portion whole grain crackers or pretzels into plastic sandwich bags. Reach for this instead of the whole bag when you need a snack. It will help control the amount you consume, keeping your portions in check.
• A small handful of unsalted nuts can be a healthy snack. Consuming nuts along with a diet low in saturated fat can reduce the risk of heart disease—but remember nuts are high in calories and fat. Watch your portion size or consider portioning into sandwich bags if you tend to take big handfuls.
• Dried fruits or breakfast cereal are great ideas for kids. Consider mixing together for a crunchy trail mix.