October SHRED #13: Prepackaged Snacks (Use Carefully)
As much as I like to preach about eating healthy snacks, sometimes an apple or some popcorn just isn’t going to do it. Unfortunately, if I look in the cupboard and see a big bag of [insert practically any food here] I’m going to eat more than I wanted to.
Hence the beauty of prepackaged snacks. You’ve seen them at the store, the little “100 calorie” bags of processed sugary goodness. Sure, what’s inside isn’t the healthiest snack, but sometimes you’re craving it and the limited amount in the small bag is certainly better than the unlimited amount in the big bag.
Now, here comes the tricky part. You need to make sure you only eat ONE of the bags. ”Ha ha,” we all laugh, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s powered through several bags of snacks because “they’re only 100 calories.” You get in this mindless zone and suddenly wake up surrounded by several empty bags.
The calories add up fast.
So they’re a great idea, as long as you can control yourself to only get one. If you aren’t there, you can always get a single bag, or have your spouse/significant other/children hide most of them and give you one a day.
For those of you with more willpower than I have, you can also buy in bulk and then prepackage your own into ziplock sandwich bags. Measure out a serving size and voila! Again, you have to watch out that it’s not “one for the bag, one for my mouth, one for the bag, two for my mouth”
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Previous Super Healthy Recommendations for Excellent Diets
- SHRED #1: Don’t Buy Halloween Candy Until Just Before Halloween
- SHRED #2: Eat a Healthy Breakfast
- SHRED #3: Mixed Grain Casserole
- SHRED #4: Drink Your Water
- SHRED #5: No Late Snacking
- SHRED #6: Snack Tip – Popcorn
- SHRED #7: Get Your Rest
- SHRED #8: Cut Back on Soda
- SHRED #9: Shop Along the Perimeter
- SHRED #10: Snack Tip – Apples
- SHRED #11: Track What You Eat
- SHRED #12: Shop With a Plan
Yeah, I’m one of those “it’s only a 100 calories” person who ends up eating 3 or 4 at a time. LOL So it doesn’t work out too well for me.
I actually do better just buying in bulk and actually weighing out my snacks and hiding the backs in the back of the top shelf of the pantry. I make myself work to get them.
Bill, I think another huge aspect of those 100 calorie snacks is that many of them are full of preservatives and other undesirable ingredients. Better to eat snacks that are pure and simple, than processed foods. I have the problem of overeating “healthy” snacks, because 1/2 a box of all natural whole wheat crackers is still hundreds of calories!
Oh, I definitely agree that they’re full of yuck (hence the phrase “processed sugary goodness”, LOL). But I’m trying to be realistic, and sometimes whole wheat crackers just aren’t the same as chips ahoy.
Do you have Trader Joe’s? That’s when it gets really dangerous…stuff like all natural “oreo” type cookies, etc.
We do have TJs, but I don’t shop there a whole lot any more…like you said, too much naturalish stuff that’s still really bad for you. Those of us with no self control pay the price.