Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

Day 245

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!  Oops!  I mean “attack of the killer snacks!”   The photo above is a shelf in our kitchen pantry with baskets for our snacks.  You can tell two things from this photo:

1. our pantry isn’t really all that neat (I try straightening it one day, but the next day it looks like a cyclone hit it!) with boxes and bags of snack treats thrown willy-nilly into the baskets, and
2. while some of the “snacks” look acceptable from a healthy perspective (granola, granola bars, raisins, craisins and healthier snack crackers), there’s also a healthy dose of unhealthy sharing those baskets (cookies, not-so-healthy crackers and brownie mix).

I don’t often eat snacks between meals.  I’ve never been one of those “5 to 6 small meals a day” type of person.  I usually eat 3 decent-sized, high protein meals a day and I’m usually okay with that.

But, sometimes I just need a snack because stress takes over and will-power flies out the window.  Especially after a visit with one of my aging loved ones.  I’ve been known to come home from one of those visits and if my favorite ice cream is in the freezer (Safeway Brands Salted Caramel Gelato), I’ll eat the whole thing.  Yes, the entire. complete. whole pint!

If no ice cream is available (and I strive hard to keep it that way; yes, I really, really do!), when I want a snack, whether it’s something sweet or salty, I raid our pantry looking for either.  So, I’m to blame {sometimes}, too, for the constant state of chaos in our pantry!

And, if I’ve broken down and bought or made my favorite cookies (I have several), I don’t have any self-control.  Even with my favorite salty snack (potato chips), I don’t have any control.

So, what’s my solution?  I try to keep them out of the house.  Because when I have access and when I’m stressed (like this past Sunday; see my post, The Best of the Rest of Your Life), I lose all self-control.  But, even though I try not to have too many sweet and salty snacks in the house, I do have them around because:

• I’m married (and he likes snacks, especially salty ones!)
• We have guests that drop by relatively often with hungry children in tow
• I’m a food blogger than doesn’t focus on healthy eating
• I’m not perfect!

So, what kind of weight-loss friendly snacks should one keep on hand for the inevitable “snack attack” when eating a “killer tomato” just won’t do?  I decided to do some research to help me help myself with this ongoing battle.

Here’s a list of 42 possible combinations of healthy snacks that will satisfy cravings, get you (and me) through the moment and keep you (and me) striving to reach our weight loss goals:

1. An apple, sliced in eight slices, with a tablespoon of peanut butter
2. An apple and a piece of string cheese
3. 4 to 6 ounces of non-fat yogurt (especially Greek yogurt) with a handful of fresh berries
4. 4 to 6 ounces of cottage cheese with pineapple chunks (or other fruit)
5. Sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on a mini-bagel
6. Cucumber, carrot or celery sticks with a couple of tablespoons of hummus
7. Cucumber, radishes, snap peas, carrot or celery sticks with reduced-calorie Ranch dressing
8. Celery sticks with a tablespoon of peanut butter
9. Celery sticks with a tablespoon of cream cheese
10. Grape or cherry tomatoes topped with a sprinkle of Feta cheese, shredded basil leaf and a drizzle of olive oil (or you could just make my Easy Peasy Caprese Salad, Caprese Salad Roll-ups or Easy Caprese Skewers)
11. 6 to 8 grape tomatoes with a tablespoon of reduced-calorie Ranch dressing
12. 1 cup steamed edamame, lightly salted
13. 100-calorie packs of favorite treats from the grocery store
14. Tuna salad kit from the grocery store or make my Crunchy Tuna Salad to keep on-hand
15. 1 cup of low-calorie, pre-made soup
16. 1/2 of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat or whole grain bread
17. Fat-free, sugar-free instant pudding
18. 2 cups of air-popped popcorn
19. Make your own skinny soy latte
20. Pink Fairy Turkey Roll-ups
21. Frozen fruit or berry smoothie with a cup of milk or soy milk.  Try these two:  Strawberry Protein Smoothie and Coffee Banana Protein Smoothie.
22. Frozen fruit juice cubes or popsicles
23. A handful of nuts, like my Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt
24. A sliced hard-boiled egg on a slice of whole grain or wheat toast with a smear of non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with an equal part light mayonnaise plus a little salt
25. A small, cooked chicken breast tender, wrapped in a lettuce leaf dipped in Thai peanut sauce (see my Grilled Balsamic Chicken Breasts Tenders or my Poached Chicken Breasts Tenders recipes).
26. Fresh strawberries dipped in fat-free whipped topping
27. A high-protein (or higher protein) granola-type bar
28. 1/2 cantaloupe with 1/2 cup cottage cheese in the middle
29. 6 crackers with a slice of your favorite cheese (cheese divided into 6th to be enjoyed on top of crackers) with some cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes or cherries and/or grapes!
30. 6 crackers with a tablespoon of savory herb cream cheese
31. An 8 ounce glass of low-fat or non-fat milk
32. Hard-boiled egg
33. Peanut butter and 1/2 sliced banana on a piece of whole-grain toast
34. Small whole-grain tortilla topped with shredded cheese melted in the microwave, rolled up and dipped in salsa
35. Fruit and Nut trail mix, pre-measured and stored in little snack cups or snack baggies
36. 5 olives and a slice of cheese
37. Parfait made with Greek yogurt, fruit and granola, like my Black Fig Parfaits
38. 8 cooked shrimp and a couple of tablespoons of cocktail sauce
39. Deli-sliced turkey wrapped around a pickle or a celery stick
40. One graham cracker smeared with chocolate-hazelnut spread
41. Low-fat hot chocolate made with soy milk
42. Carole’s Ice Cream

Carole’s Ice Cream?  Did I just actually say ice cream?  Yes, I’ve come up with my own personal version that’s just yummy, plus simple and quick to make.  It’s not really “ice cream,” but in my universe, it’s a pretty good alternative.  Ice cream is one of my undoings – I love ice cream and like I mentioned above, will eat a whole pint in a sitting if it is anywhere in the house.  I have absolutely no self-control when ice cream is around.

I’ve tried tricks like premeasuring it into 1/2 cup servings, etc., but I’ll just eat 2.  Or 3.  Or 4.  I just can’t keep it in the house!  At all!

So, when there are occasions when I want something sweet and cold to eat, this simple recipe fills the bill and satisfies me:  one cup of frozen strawberries plus one cup of vanilla soy milk pulverized in a blender.  It’s thick and sweet and very cold!  Perfect!  And, I eat it with a spoon and I really, truly don’t feel like I’m missing out.  Unless, of course, there is Salted Caramel Gelato anywhere in the house!

Fair warning:  don’t make this in one of those small blenders like the Magic Bullet.  I’ve broken two Magic Bullets trying this!  Use a regular blender.

Today’s Weight:  232.  I’ve lost 2 pounds since last month’s fiasco, The Cheshire Cat’s Grin.  I know that it’s a paltry sum in a month’s period of time.  But, hey, it’s a “loss” and I’ll take it!  And, I’ve not been especially good this month with following the “straight-and-narrow” because of stress and all those excuses I always have.  Since starting this journey of Minding My P’s and Q’s and becoming The Incredible Shrinking Woman, I’ve lost a total of 31 pounds.  That’s not quite 4 pounds a month, but hey, who’s counting? {well, I am, I guess!}.

On top of stress, I’ve now resigned myself to telling everyone that asks the eternally burning question, “what type of blogger are you?”  that I’m a food blogger!  I’m definitely not a healthy food blogger (although I do post some healthy recipes) because I’m sorely tempted by all my own full-fat and sweet-laden food creations!  I’ve made a few incredibly delicious things for our blog (and for another blog as a guest blogger) that are not even the slightest little bit healthy, dietetic, low-fat, low-cal, low-sugar!

Tip of the Month:  if three meals a day don’t work for you, add two or three snacks.  Add one mid-morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening after dinner, but several hours before bedtime.  If you do add snacks to your daily menu, make sure to monitor your portion sizes at your three main meals so that you don’t overeat, stall weight loss, or reverse your weight loss trend.  The snacks should be nutrient rich with a small portion of protein to help stabilize your cravings.

P.S.  I have a FREE printable of this list so that you (and me) can print it and put in on your (my) refrigerator to help battle the next attack of the killer tomatoes…I mean killer snacks!   Here’s your FREE printable:  List of 42 Healthy Snacks to Get You Through to Your Next Meal.

Tootles,

 

Related Posts:

(other posts from The Incredible Shrinking Woman series)

• Confessions of the Incredible Shrinking Woman
• Cankles and Zits
• Minding Your P’s and Q’s (Portions and Quality)
• Sports, Gaming, Technology and a Can of Tuna
• Hot Stuff
• The Spice of Life
• Curve Ball
• Where Else Will You See Such Horses and Men?
• The Cheshire’s Cat Grin