Recipe: Low Fat/Low Calorie Tips and Snack Ideas

Hi Tommy and Welcome,

Here are some of my favorite tips and snack ideas for you. You've said that you've already seen your doctor, but for anyone else reading this, please note: always check with your doctor before making changes in our diet!

- Compare calories in different brands when you shop for convenience and snack foods - the difference can be substantial for basically the same product. Beware - low fat doesn't always mean low calorie! Also, don't give up after trying one low fat food - some brands are better than others. If you don't care for a brand call the 800 number on the package and let them know. Most companies are very good about refunding for products you don't care for (usually in the form of coupons). Set aside some extra time to spend in the largest grocery store in your area (pick a time when they're not crowded) and browse the aisles comparing products, nutrition labels and looking for new ideas. It's helpful to buy snack foods in individual serving sizes or weigh and package them yourself in zipper-lock bags as soon as you get them home. Portion control is half the battle when trying to cut calories.

- Keeping a food diary is recommended and can be very enlightening! Here's a chart that I created based on the USDA Food Pyramid: TKL's Weigh to Go! Meal and Exercise Tracking Chart

- You've probably heard the caution not to eat too little - your body will think it's starving and slow down your metabolism. Another reason tracking your intake is a good idea.

- When you feel hungry determine whether you're 'stomach hungry' or just 'mouth hungry'. If you know you've had enough and are just fighting a craving, drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes, chew a stick of gum (bubble gum is good) or eat a hard candy.

A few low fat snack ideas:

Baked Potato Chips
Baked Corn Chips and salsa
Popcorn (compare the fat content in microwave popcorns)
Pretzels (salt free if necessary)
Cereal, dry for snacking
Breadsticks
Fat Free Saltine Crackers
'Cup of Soup' mixes (or homemade)
Fresh fruit
Frozen grapes (don't serve whole grapes to small children)
Dried fruit
Fruit or applesauce cups
Sugar free jello
Low fat yogurt (check the calories they can run very high!)
Carrot sticks or baby carrots with or without dip of fat free sour cream or yogurt seasoned as you like
Fat free pudding (good with fat free whipped topping)
Low Fat Cottage Cheese (good with peach halves)
Angel Food Cake
Low fat muffins
Granola or Fruit and Cereal bars (compare the fat and calories)
Mini Bagels (check the grocery freezer section)
Gingersnaps
Animal Crackers
Biscotti or Anise Toast
Fig or fruit Newtons - good microwaved for just a few seconds (especially the Apple Cobbler flavor)
'Kiddie Size' Ice Cream Sandwiches
Sorbet
Popsicles
Junior Mints
Twizzers (licorice)
Tootsie Pops
Gum or Bubble Gum
Mini Candy Bars (if you have the willpower to eat just one)
Hard candy (Orange or Strawberry Cream Savers are wonderful)

Salad Anytime (keep of bag of mixed salad ingredients in the refrigerator or put cut up ingredients in a separate containers)
Lettuce (any variety)
Spinach
Radicchio
Watercress
Cabbage, shredded white or red
Bok Choy
Onions: white, red or green
Radishes
Mushrooms
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Fennel, raw
Celery
Carrots, sliced or baby
Sweet peppers: red, green, yellow, purple, orange
Jalapeno peppers
Sprouts
Fresh herbs
Jicama
Berries
Orange sections
Please note: packaged croutons can be very high in fat and calories!
Dressings:
Low fat or fat free salad dressing
or a small amount of 'full fat' salad dressing
mixed with nonfat yogurt
Lemon juice or vinegar

A few sandwich ideas:
Shrimp salad (3 oz shrimp = 84 calories)
Imitation crab
Chicken or turkey breast
Canadian Bacon or Turkey Bacon for BLT
Egg salad (made with hard boiled egg whites or microwaved egg substitute)
Fat Free Cold Cuts
Wraps (vegetables, meat, spreads rolled in tortilla)
Tuna salad (tuna packed in water - if you're watching sodium, rinse after draining)
Vegetarian Burgers (Boca Burgers are very good)
Vegetarian or Fat Free Hot Dogs
Light bread or light hamburger/hot dog rolls
Tortillas
Pita bread
Lettuce, Sprouts, Onions, Pickles
Low Fat or No Fat Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup (no salt is available)
Barbecue Sauce

Beverages
Flavored Waters (without artificial sweetener if desired)
Flavored Seltzer Water - good combined with orange juice
V8 Juice or Tomato Juice (low sodium if necessary) - good with a stalk or celery or breadstick
Light Hot Cocoa Mix
Herb Tea (also good iced)
Broth: chicken, vegetable or beef
Lots of water!

I hope that's a help to you,

Betsy
recipelink.com