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RE: Healthy Alternatives

balloongrl — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:30:47 GMT

one of my favorite snacks is baby carrots dipped in hummus. yummy :D

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Jle24 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:26:52 GMT

[quote][b]sarahandrob09 (6/14/2008)[/b][hr]I think she meant to avoid the centre aisles entirely, including the ends of them. If you go around the outside of the store (all the stores around me anyway), you'll get the produce, bread, diary, and meat (and sometimes frozen food - ice cream is one of my downfalls :P).

I've heard that advice in the past several times as well. I think the general idea is to eat more fresh, unprocessed food :)[/quote]

Oh, I see. lol! I thought she meant just shop at the ends of the aisles.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

sarahandrob2010 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:00:20 GMT

I think she meant to avoid the centre aisles entirely, including the ends of them. If you go around the outside of the store (all the stores around me anyway), you'll get the produce, bread, diary, and meat (and sometimes frozen food - ice cream is one of my downfalls :P).

I've heard that advice in the past several times as well. I think the general idea is to eat more fresh, unprocessed food :)

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Jle24 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:53:33 GMT

[quote][b]lizzardd (6/12/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]LilMissTrouble (6/11/2008)[/b][hr]A very good piece of advice that always works is never go to the grocery store/convenience store hungry! That's when I tend to buy the crap.

You could try low fat popcorn, or pretzels aren't that bad (I don't think?). Look for stuff that is baked. Even if you can't give up the chips, get baked Lays, they're pretty good.

And remember too, don't completely cut out everything you like. You're more likely to end up binging. Moderation is the key :)[/quote]

[b]Another good tip is to shop around theedgesof the grocery store. Avoid the middle aisles, because that's where the junk food, pop, and processed/not so healthy foods are.[/b] The good stuff is always around the edges of the store. Don't browse the aisles either. If you need something, go straight to that aisle and then get back out. It's easier to avoid temptation that way.[/quote]

I'm sorry, I have to disagree with this. I managed a grocery store when I was younger (Loblaws), and the edges and outside of all the aisles is where we placed each weeks sales items. [i]Most[/i] grocery stores follow this procedure of putting sale items on the ends of the aisles. Yes, some of the sale items can be healthy items, but there are many junk items too.... The junk food, pop, cookie aisles all specifically have the labeling to say they are located in that aisle with the signs that hang from the ceiling. If there is something you dont want to buy in a certain aisle, just avoid that aisle. A lot of healthier items can be found in the middle aisles as well. JMO.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

crysandjim — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:59:55 GMT

Dont send your Dh to the store alone. Mine came home tonight with pretzels, milk and ice cream. when we only needed milk. Tonight was good, usually it also includes a few bags of chips and chocolate

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Adri78 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:26:36 GMT

i don't eat anything prepackaged if i can avoid it so my snacks are usually fresh fruit & veggies. If i have to have chips or cookies i stick to organic baked chips and organic shasha ginger snap cookies. It's a complete diet change. it takes a lot of getting used to i'm still trying to convert fh

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Sweetgirl — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:55:30 GMT

Be careful with fruit..its healthy, but has lots of sugar. I actually put on weight drinking too many smoothies! This may also have been because i was adding fruit with some fruit juice. So I was just drinking calories.

For a totally non exciting way to snack healthy, everytime you feel the urge to munch, have a glass of ice water instead. Its not very exciting, but sometimes a craving is actually thirst.

If you are looking to change your snacking 'habits', meaning that you crave snacks when doing certain activities like watching tv or reading, the minute you feel like snacking, change your activity. If you are sitting there watching tv and thats the time you normally snack, change it up and turn of the tube and go for a walk, do your nails, change the sheets on the bed, play some cards...It is sort of the same idea as quitting smoking..you have to change up your routine of when you would normally indulge.

Another way to look at it is like the book French Women Don't Get Fat. If you eat well at all other times, and add an extra 20 minutes of activity or walking everyday, and drink lots of water, etc., then you can afford to have a small snack. Its not about denying yourself, its about knowing when you will enjoy your favorite snacks the most.

For me, I crave a cookie after my supper time meal. So I have one. But I don't snack during the day.

Those are not really many healthy snack options, but the previous posts give lots of ideas.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

KatherineR — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:48:46 GMT

We LOVE whole wheat pita bread - toasted with salsa and low fat/fat free sour cream or with hummus (homemade - so simple, really just chickpeas, tahini or good olive oil and flavourings - roasted garlic, sundried tomatoes, peppers).

I second PP's suggestion of having fruit and yogurt on hand. And pre-portioning! I also make my own granola (super easy and quick and I control the fat and sugar content) and bring some to work each day with a yogurt cup for an afternoon snack.

We also love popcorn as a treat in the evenings (1-2 times per week at most). Not huge pretzel people.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

lizzardd — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:41:47 GMT

[quote][b]LilMissTrouble (6/11/2008)[/b][hr]A very good piece of advice that always works is never go to the grocery store/convenience store hungry! That's when I tend to buy the crap.

You could try low fat popcorn, or pretzels aren't that bad (I don't think?). Look for stuff that is baked. Even if you can't give up the chips, get baked Lays, they're pretty good.

And remember too, don't completely cut out everything you like. You're more likely to end up binging. Moderation is the key :)[/quote]

Another good tip is to shop around the edges of the grocery store. Avoid the middle aisles, because that's where the junk food, pop, and processed/not so healthy foods are. The good stuff is always around the edges of the store. Don't browse the aisles either. If you need something, go straight to that aisle and then get back out. It's easier to avoid temptation that way.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

MrsSofaQueen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:01:51 GMT

We don't buy chips and candies for the house, so we don't have that stuff in our cupboards. Therefore we don't eat chips or candies at home. That's the easiest solution. If we go out for dinner then we'll eat dessert, and we haven't been eating out very ofter these days.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Andreea — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:19:12 GMT

Truthfully I LOOOOVE candy and sweets. But I really try my hardest to eat healthy and avoid junk food. I stock up on sweet fruits like strawberries, blueberries, black berries and raspberries, which are healthy and still give me a craving fix.

RE: Healthy Alternatives

LilMissTrouble — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:00:57 GMT

A very good piece of advice that always works is never go to the grocery store/convenience store hungry! That's when I tend to buy the crap.

You could try low fat popcorn, or pretzels aren't that bad (I don't think?). Look for stuff that is baked. Even if you can't give up the chips, get baked Lays, they're pretty good.

And remember too, don't completely cut out everything you like. You're more likely to end up binging. Moderation is the key :)

RE: Healthy Alternatives

Jle24 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:59:51 GMT

[quote][b]XoXo (6/11/2008)[/b][hr]My husband and I are trying very hard to make healthier choices when it comes to what we are eating. We have bad habits of reaching for the snacks- chips, cookies, etc.. I just wanted to start a thread because I'm curious what you grab as a healthy alternative when you feel the munchies coming on![/quote]

When it comes to snacking, try to buy pre-portioned packages. If your snack is already measured out for you, it is easier to not over-eat. I don't know if you have this problem, but give me a box of crackers, and I'll eat the whole thing. What I've been doing is buying a box of crackers and then portioning them into small baggies, so that when I want a snack I will just eat one portion, as opposed to 3-4.

A great snack is raw nuts. Raw nuts can be a natural appetite suppressant (especially pine nuts). I love the mini trail mix packages with raisins, nuts, and m&m's. I still get a little bit of chocolate so I'm not depriving myself of sweets, and the nuts help curb my appetite so I don't go back to the cupboard for a second snack.

A good tip though, is make sure you eat a good meal before you go grocery shopping. You are less likely to buy junk foods if you shop on a full belly.

Another thing I do is buy a lot of fruit. I wash it and cut it all up as soon as I bring it home, so that when I want a snack I can just open the fridge and grab a handful of honeydew melon and strawberries.
Put a basket of fruit on your kitchen table of apples, bananas, pears, etc. and snack on those.

Make homemade juice popsicles. They are a great snack, espescially in the hot weather.

Yogurt & granola are also favorites in my house....

That's all I have for you for now, but if anything else comes to mind I will be sure to post. :) Good Luck!

RE: Healthy Alternatives

saraht76 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:46:32 GMT

If I buy junk, I eat it!! So I really have to be careful at the store.

I eat alot of baby carrots, pretzels and popcorn.

Healthy Alternatives

XoXo — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:38:02 GMT

My husband and I are trying very hard to make healthier choices when it comes to what we are eating. We have bad habits of reaching for the snacks- chips, cookies, etc.. I just wanted to start a thread because I'm curious what you grab as a healthy alternative when you feel the munchies coming on!