Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Snack of the Day and a Giveaway



It's Wednesday which means it's time for Snack of the Day again! This is where I share with you (and hopefully you share with me through comments!) some of my favorite healthy snacks. (Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to find info on how to enter the giveaway!)

Remember, we aren't talking fruits and veggies here, we all know those are healthy. I give a "healthy" rating on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being totally unhealthy (think Snickers bar or greasy potato chips) and 5 being pretty darn healthy. Now, there's always something better and healthier right? I would give fruits and veggies a 10 on my scale. It's kind of like thinking good, better, best. I'm just starting out on this journey so there's no way I'm going to be able to give up my comfort snacks that easy and switch to edamame or something (and I have actually tried that and think it's gross but that's a story for another day). The snacks I recommend are better than those quick grab snacks like candy or potato chips, and when we've mastered these snacks then hopefully we'll move on to something even better. So follow along and join the journey to healthier snacking! :)

Today's snack of the day is my beloved popchips! I first heard about popchips on facebook when my husband's cousin (who is a workout nut- love you Alyssa!) mentioned that she was eating some. I was curious but thought there was no way they could be good, right? A few weeks later though I heard Jillian Michael's promoting them, even selling them on her website and showing a picture of her "stash"- a deep drawer in her kitchen stock full of large bags of popchips in practically every flavor. Well I knew that if Jillian swore by them then they must be good and they are!

Overall Taste: The texture of popchips is light and fluffy but still has that crisp chip bite to it. They have a salty taste like potato chips but are not greasy at all. They also come in a variety of yummy flavors. My personal favorite is Original, but they also have sour cream and onion, cheddar, barbeque, salt and vinegar and salt and pepper.

Healthy Score: On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not the best and 5 being pretty darn healthy I'd love to give them a 5 but their high sodium content is going to earn them a 3.5 in my book. Now, keep in mind these chips are made with all natural ingredients, have no preservatives, and no hydrogenated oils or msg. Their sodium content, however, is higher than the average potato chip. This was one of Jillian's only complaints about this chip and she as well as the company both say they are currently working to lower the sodium content. Even with that I'll still grab a bag of these over potato chips any day!

WW: The WW points on these may differ between flavors (none of the flavors have saturated fat except for the sour cream and onion and the cheddar so those may be slightly higher points) but Original comes in at 3 points for 23 chips! That's some good bang for your points buck.

Now onto the giveaway! Want to try some yummy popchips for yourself? I will select 2 winners for this giveaway and each will receive a "Healthy Snacking Sampler Kit" made up of some of my favorite healthy snacks.

To enter is simple: Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite healthy snack is. The giveway will be open until next Tuesday February 15th at midnight and I'll announce the winner with next week's Snack of the Day post. And, go!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Kick em to the Curb!

Sugar cravings...I think we all get them some times. But did you know there is a way to kick em to the curb? Yes, yes it is true.


My cute brother licking the brownie bowl...at least he has an apron on, right?

Other than sheer grit and will-power, fruit can save your life! Nutritionist Zonya Foco has a TV series as well as a weight loss plan that really focuses on balance and changing your life into a healthy one...not a diet plan. I really like her ideas on how to improve little things each day. Anyway, she promises that if you are trying to kick a sugar habit, this trick will be the answer to your problems:

Eat a piece of fruit and a large glass of water every 4 hours while you are awake.

Yes, it is that easy!
To be honest, I don't have much of a sweet tooth because I don't eat it much at all. But I think the reason I can stay away from it is because I eat fruit with every meal. It gives me that sweetness that you think your body wants, and it gives you extra nutrients. Hello, double bonus!

I think a huge point to make is that it is important that you are eating frequently, whether it is fruit or not. That doesn't mean eat a meal, but if you are constantly letting your blood sugar and metabolism drop from not eating small snacks enough, the cravings will come back stronger each time. Here are some other healthy snack ideas if you'd like.

Well...it's back to school today for me. Here's to a happy, healthy semester!
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