Healthy Snacks Don't Have To Be Boring

Healthy snacks are not limited to carrots and apples.  Try the following:

• Whole wheat pretzels with spicy mustard.
• Rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins.
• Low-fat fruit yogurt.
• Try a hot chocolate drink instead of a chocolate bar. (An 8-ounce mug of hot chocolate has only 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. A chocolate bar, on the other hand, has 230 calories and 13 grams of fat.)
• Substitute nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet for ice cream.
• Baked tortilla chips instead of regular corn chips and pair them with salsa instead of sour cream.
• Air-popped popcorn.
• Whole-wheat fig bars.
• Spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins.
• Peel several very ripe bananas, break them into 1-inch pieces, and freeze the pieces in a sealed plastic bag. Just before serving, whirl the pieces in the blender with a small amount of water or juice. Serve right away. Add berries for a different flavor or top with fruit or nuts.
• Warm a pita in the oven on low, then cut it into small triangles. Dip it in a tasty, low-fat hummus.
• Combine 1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal with ¼ cup chopped walnuts and ¼ cup dried cranberries for a healthy trail mix.

Remember to use MODERATION when snacking.