Body Tip: Snacks on the Go

Nancee, thanks for your idea on giving tips for healthy snacks. Whether you're at home all day or running errands, it helps to have ready-to-eat snacks that are healthy and taste good. I am not a fan of diet foods or shakes, so you won't see any of that here. But every once in a while I find a good snack recipe that can easily be divided into snack-size baggies. I'll post one now, but first I want to list a few of the things that have helped me to eat healthy when I'm busy:

1) Have easy, pre-divided food on hand. If you buy or make, say, your own trail mix, go one step further and separate portions into those mini sandwich bags. This takes a little preparation, so have your hubby take over with the baby while you get your snacks ready for the week. This also works for food that isn't so healthy. If you want to indulge every once in a while, it is best divide your potato chips into grab and go portions as well. This will (hopefully) keep you from eating half the bag.

2) Make healthy food visible and easy to reach, and put the junk food up high. Of course the idea here is "out of sight, out of mind." If your chocolate is on a shelf that you can't reach (or see), you have to go out of your way to grab it. That way you have to think about what you're doing on your way to grab to footstool. ;)

3) Avoid the middle aisles at the grocery store! The healthiest, least processed foods are usually kept on either end of the store. If you skip the junk food aisle altogether, you won't even be tempted to bring it home with you.

4) Find alternatives. My husband and I like to buy those Healthy Choice fudge bars. I think they have about 45 calories and are low in sugar (I think no fat). They actually taste really good, and usually help satisfy my sweet tooth. Schwann's also sells similar bars that are 50 calories. Yum! Other things to try: No Sugar Added fruit popsicles made by Dole. They also make Sugar Free, but they are not as good.