Self-Help Guide to Snacking

Chances are, you're snacking right now. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Snack Food Association, 85 percent of Internet surfers "munch while they cruise." What are people actually snacking on? The survey says...

25 percent are chowing down on popcorn;
25 percent are eating pretzels;
17 percent are eating potato chips;
14 percent are eating tortilla chips; and
9 percent are eating cheese puffs.

If my math is right, that leaves 10 percent unaccounted for, and probably eating some food not in the Snack Food Associations questionnaire. Hopefully, it's apples, carrots or yogurt.

For Americans, in particular, snacking is a way of life. In the U.S. we love to snack and we do it more than any other nation. We boast the largest snack food market in the world, with over $13.4 billion spent on snacks (especially chips, popcorn, nuts and pretzels) per year, compared to Europe's $650 million. Per person, we down 23 pounds of snack each year. That's more than twice as much as the Dutch (11 pounds per year) and nine times more than the Italians (2.5 pounds per year). Why? It may be partly due to the fact that we skip so many meals. Another survey, this time carried out by the American Dietetic Association, showed that 28 percent of people report skipping meals "very often."

But don't feel guilty that you snack! Snacking may be the better way of eating. Students at Boston's Tufts University who had an afternoon snack scored higher on memory and concentration tests than did those who only had a diet soda. Other studies show that frequent small meals (alias, snacks) can also help keep one's blood-insulin levels more stable, thus avoiding fluctuations in energy levels.

Snacking will not make you fat: Only too many calories overall will do that. In fact, snacks can offer a control advantage if you're dieting. A 100 to 200-calorie snack eaten two to three hours before a meal can take the edge off your hunger and keep you from overeating.

Choosing the best snacks is now the challenge. There are ways to snack successfully. Follow the tips below to be sure your snack foods are good choices.

Successful Snacking

When you eat is not as important as what or how much.
Don't think of snacks as extras. Make them a part of your food plan for the day.
Plan your whole day's foods around the food pyramid guideline. This will help insure that you balance out your snacks and meals. For example, an afternoon snack of an orange (from the fruit and vegetable group) and a couple of graham crackers (from the grain group) counts towards your daily quota of fruits and grains.
View snacks as mini-meals, or as bits and pieces of a nutritious meal spread out over time. Have snacks fill in the voids left by what you didn't eat, or won't be eating, at meals. Think, "snacks to fill in the cracks."
Plan snacks ahead of time to avoid grabbing the first thing that you see.
Budget the potato chips. There's no need to give them up completely; just be sure they fit into your day's total for fat and calories. You can balance higher-fat or higher-calorie snacks with lower-calorie and lower-fat choices at other meals, or with other snacks.

Warning! Even low-fat snacks will cause you to gain weight if you overdo it. What low-fat foods lack in fat, they may make up for in sugar and calories.

Snack only when you're hungry, not when your bored, anxious, etc.

Pay attention to your snacking to avoid overdoing it. In other words, walk away from the computer to enjoy that snack instead of dropping crumbs into the keyboard.

Be prepared for snacks. Stash some whole grain crackers and juice boxes in your desk drawer. Keep a small package of fig bars in your briefcase. Make sure to put a whole grain bagel into your workout bag. Keep a bag of flavored rice cakes and some dried fruit in the car. And, at home, fill the fridge with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, breads and crackers.

For your dental health, eat high-fiber snacks. The fiber stimulates salivation, which helps wash away excess sugar, thus helping to prevent cavities.

Better to eat a snack when you are slightly hungry than to pig out when you are ravenous. Try to limit your snacks to between 100 and 200 calories, and make them low-fat and high-carbohydrate.

Suggested Healthy Snacks

The snack	Calories	Fat	Other nutrients
1 cup non-fat yogurt	150-200	0	30% of calcium
1 banana and 1 juice box	230	0	150% of vitamin C 30% of vitamin B-6
1 apple and 1 oz. non-fat string cheese	125	0	8g protein 25% of calcium
half bagel with 1 Tbsp. peanut butter	200	8	7g protein 20% of niacin
Homemade bran muffin and tea	130	?	2.5g of fiber
1 large pretzel and 8oz. OJ	170	1	150% of vitamin C
2 Apple Cinnamon Rice Cakes with 1 Tbsp non-fat cream cheese	117	0
3 graham crackers and 1 orange	150	2	>100% vitamin C 4g fiber
1 cup non-fat cottage cheese and 4 whole wheat crackers	212	3	30% of vitamin B-6 10% of calcium
1 slice deli turkey breast and 1 slice low-fat cheese wrapped around 1 carrot	150	5	15g protein 200% vitamin A
3/4 cup Raisin Bran with 1 cup skim milk	200	1	4g fiber 25% iron
Hard-boiled egg, sweet red pepper strips, and 1 fat-free oatmeal cookie	120	5	6g protein 80% vitamin C
2 Tbsp each raisins and walnuts, plus 1/4 cup Cheerios	170	9	Omega 3 fatty acids 10% vitamin E
1 cup light soy milk and 1 fat-free apricot breakfast bar	220	2	5g protein 3g fiber Phytoestrogens