How to Choose Healthy Snacks from the Supermarket
Look in the fruit and vegetable section., Look in the snack area., Look in the candy section., Go to the dairy or refrigerated section., Check out the baked goods.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look in the fruit and vegetable section.
Everything there is a potential snack but the best quick snack ideas include:
Fruit, especially if it is easy to peel or wash Pre-cut packages of fruit or vegetable pieces, such as baby carrots, celery sticks, and apple slices Sprouts and crunchy small greens such as snow peas and beans. -
Step 2: Look in the snack area.
Here things get a little harder because most snacks are full of sugar, fat, and salt.
However, there are some things that you can find amid it all.
Look for:
Unflavored, unbuttered popcorn Pretzels, especially salt-reduced and definitely just the plain flavor Rice cakes Raw nuts and seeds (sunflower seeds, pepita seeds)
- just beware that the fat content of many nuts means you can't munch them in huge quantities. , Snacks here? Not really but if you must eat from this area, go for the dark chocolate with low or no levels of sugar.
And marshmallows and jelly beans are probably okay in very small quantities on the odd occasion.
Chewing gum can help to clean your teeth without adding calories or too much sugar.
Remember that no candy has nutritional value, so you're aiming for low calories if you do indulge in them.
Some modified candies might be all right but what they're modified with could be just as unhealthy as the sugar they're replacing.
Be very suspicious of diet product additives.
Dried fruit might be a fair exchange for candies.
It's still high in sugars though, so don't have too much. , Snacks here include small quality cheeses, real cheese cheese-sticks, yogurt (unflavored), dips, salsas, and some vegetarian products.
All dairy products should be eaten in moderation and infrequently as snacks. , Here snacks are likely to be high in fats and calories.
Choose crackers with low fat levels and lots of seed additions.
Look for Scandinavian crackers which have no fat or sugar in them.
As for cookies, they're best left on the shelf; they are not good snacks and should treated as an occasional treat only.
Supermarket bakery muffins that have been made with healthy products might be okay as an occasional snack but should not be eaten regularly.
It's likely that they'll contain way more ingredients of dubious origin than you'd add to homemade muffins, so be careful with them. -
Step 3: Look in the candy section.
-
Step 4: Go to the dairy or refrigerated section.
-
Step 5: Check out the baked goods.
Detailed Guide
Everything there is a potential snack but the best quick snack ideas include:
Fruit, especially if it is easy to peel or wash Pre-cut packages of fruit or vegetable pieces, such as baby carrots, celery sticks, and apple slices Sprouts and crunchy small greens such as snow peas and beans.
Here things get a little harder because most snacks are full of sugar, fat, and salt.
However, there are some things that you can find amid it all.
Look for:
Unflavored, unbuttered popcorn Pretzels, especially salt-reduced and definitely just the plain flavor Rice cakes Raw nuts and seeds (sunflower seeds, pepita seeds)
- just beware that the fat content of many nuts means you can't munch them in huge quantities. , Snacks here? Not really but if you must eat from this area, go for the dark chocolate with low or no levels of sugar.
And marshmallows and jelly beans are probably okay in very small quantities on the odd occasion.
Chewing gum can help to clean your teeth without adding calories or too much sugar.
Remember that no candy has nutritional value, so you're aiming for low calories if you do indulge in them.
Some modified candies might be all right but what they're modified with could be just as unhealthy as the sugar they're replacing.
Be very suspicious of diet product additives.
Dried fruit might be a fair exchange for candies.
It's still high in sugars though, so don't have too much. , Snacks here include small quality cheeses, real cheese cheese-sticks, yogurt (unflavored), dips, salsas, and some vegetarian products.
All dairy products should be eaten in moderation and infrequently as snacks. , Here snacks are likely to be high in fats and calories.
Choose crackers with low fat levels and lots of seed additions.
Look for Scandinavian crackers which have no fat or sugar in them.
As for cookies, they're best left on the shelf; they are not good snacks and should treated as an occasional treat only.
Supermarket bakery muffins that have been made with healthy products might be okay as an occasional snack but should not be eaten regularly.
It's likely that they'll contain way more ingredients of dubious origin than you'd add to homemade muffins, so be careful with them.
About the Author
James Lee
Writer and educator with a focus on practical DIY projects knowledge.
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