The American Heart Association offers the great information below. It can be found by clicking on the following link: https://www.heart.org.
Creamy
Instead of this: While ice cream may come to mind first, there are a variety of other smooth snacks that can be just as satisfying.
Try munching on this:
- Fresh avocado spread on whole grain bread OR ½ avocado eaten plain with a spoon.
- Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and drizzle over ½ cup low-fat, no added sugar frozen yogurt.
- Puree some berries and swirl them into a cup of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.
Crunchy
Instead of this: Pretzels and chips have a crunchy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium that you don’t need.
Try munching on this:
- ¾ cup whole grain cereal, no added sugar
- Crunchy unsalted nuts
- Whole grain crisp breads
- Plain popcorn; to add some flavor, experiment with various spices such as cinnamon or your favorite spice or herb.
Liquid
Instead of this: Sweet tea or soda may sound refreshing, but it can take a while to work off all those empty calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha coffee drink with whipped cream can be 400 calories, and that’s before adding sugar or honey.
Try sipping on this:
- Plain iced tea made with a squeeze of lemon. You can sweeten it with berries or a noncaloric sweetener.
- Add fruit slices to a glass and fill with sparkling water or club soda.
- Instead of the fancy mocha drink, choose a small latte made with nonfat milk and topped with cinnamon, which is about a quarter of the calories.
Squishy
Instead of this: Jelly-like candies or even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound like squishy fun in your mouth, but other options pack more nutrition.
Try munching on this:
- Fresh grapes are sweet and juicy; freeze them for a few minutes for a fun texture.
- Make tapioca pudding with squishy tapioca pearls; follow the directions on the box. Use only half the amount of sugar or a noncaloric sweetener and fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
- Cherry tomatoes and room-temperature string cheese are squishy, stringy fun.
Crispy
Instead of this: Fresh, hot French fries may have the crispy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium, saturated fat and calories that you don’t need.
Try munching on this:
- Choose small red or white potatoes and cut them in half, toss with a little olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite herbs and roast in the oven or cook in an air fryer.
- Eat a crisp apple, such as a Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Fuji or Gala.
- Enjoy some fresh, vegetable sticks such as carrots, celery, or peppers.