Good Snacks That Taste Great
Do you ever find yourself craving a pint of ice cream while binging the latest season of your favorite show? Or how about snacking on a bag of chips to carry you from lunch to dinner? We all have our guilty pleasures, but it’s what junk food does to our bodies that heaps the guilt on our shoulders and the pounds on our waistlines.
A recent study of guilty pleasures from Vudu shows 38% of Americans like to sneak in an extra scoop of ice cream and 26% will eat an entire bag of chips in one sitting. Unfortunately, though, 38% of us are also at least a little ashamed of our guilty pleasures.
The good news is there are plenty of good snacks that taste great to replace the junk food you crave — and you don’t have to be ashamed of them. Here are some of our favorites that will leave you feeling satisfied and guilt free!
A Variety of Veggies
Chances are you’re not eating enough vegetables. A CDC study showed that less than 1 in 10 Americans eats the daily recommended amount, and not eating enough vegetables has been linked to numerous preventable illnesses.
Fortunately, you can easily increase your daily intake of vegetables by replacing common junk food options with good snacks. There are many vegetables with various flavors, consistencies, and textures to appease even the pickiest eater.
Carrots, celery, snap peas, and bell peppers are all good snacks that can provide a satisfying crunch to replace your bag of chips. If the thought of consuming bags of raw vegetables makes you feel like a rabbit, try dried vegetables which are often seasoned to resemble a bag of chips for good snacks without the excessive fat and salt.
Take a Dip
Sometimes the best part of junk food can be using one unhealthy option as a vehicle to indulge in something worse, like the chips used to scoop up your queso or the pretzels used to take part in the spinach-artichoke dip.
You can flip the script on this combination with some dip options that compete with the heartiest of tailgates and turn some of those junk food classics into good snacks.
Hummus is a classic Middle Eastern dip made up of olive oil, garlic, and chickpeas and is often accompanied by various flavors like roasted red peppers and pine nuts. Want to take the flavor farther East? Try edamame hummus, which uses the popular soybean snack in place of chickpeas for a whole new dimension of a good snack.
Nature’s Candy
Fruit is nature’s candy and a good snack that can take on a variety of textures and flavors to rival the ominous shelf of cavities that greets you at the checkout line.
Need something to replace those chewy, gummy candies? Dried fruits can provide a satisfying chew while still packing plenty of flavors. Dates and figs are naturally sweet and can also be good snacks to replace chewy treats.
Need something to keep your mouth occupied, like hard candy? Try freezing your fruit before you eat it. Snacks like frozen grapes, pineapples, and mangos grow sweeter as they rest in your mouth, so you’ll no doubt satiate that sweet tooth of yours.
An Alternative to Milkshakes
Smoothies are a great way of combining several good snacks for an all-in-one powerhouse of a treat. And with so many flavor possibilities, they can make an excellent alternative to your nightly ice cream or milkshake.
Create this good snack by combining leafy greens like spinach or kale with your favorite fruits. Add skim milk or yogurt for a creamier texture. Throw in some oatmeal, nuts, or chia seeds, and maybe top it off with some protein powder to fill you up a little more.
With so many options to choose from, each night could bring you a new fun snack with flavors from pumpkin pie to strawberry cheesecake to peanut butter cookie.
Good Snacks With Loads of Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient that keeps the body full longer, builds muscle, and helps fight off infection, according to WebMD. If you find yourself constantly getting hungry, stock your pantry with good snacks that are packed with protein.
Our PigOut Pigless Pork Rinds, for example, contain 25 grams of plant-based protein per bag. Our Outstanding Puffs, on the other hand, contain 21 grams of plant-based protein per bag, as well as calcium, iron, and vitamins B12, D, and C. Both snacks come in a variety of flavors — just like your favorite bag of chips, only much healthier and guilt free.
It can be hard to switch from the junk food toward good snacks, but as you explore all the different varieties of vegetables, fruits, dips, and combinations of all three, you’ll find there are plenty of exciting flavors and textures to explore that will more than compete with the endless aisles of potato chips, candy, and ice cream at your local grocery store.
Be creative, have an open mind, and treat yourself to good snacks – without sacrificing flavor! To find Outstanding Foods in a store near you, visit our website.
