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02 March 2006

Mostly guiltless snacks? →[More:]
What do you guys eat when you are trying to lose some pounds, but still need to satisfy your sweet tooth. Today, for me, it's a few Jelly Bellies (The grapefruit ones are surprisingly good). Any suggestions?

post by: King of Prontopia at: 15:42 | 39 comments

Suggestions other than using a question mark instead of a period? I saw that just as I hit post...

posted by King of Prontopia 02 March | 15:43

Bacon.

Beef broth.

Soda crackers slathered in butter topped with crispy fluffed pork.

posted by porpoise 02 March | 15:45

I'm all about the Diet Coke or Dr Pepper with black cherry and vanilla.

posted by krix 02 March | 15:46

I just bought a bag of Lay's Sweet Chili & Sour Cream potato chips at the Key Food. Damned good.

posted by jonmc 02 March | 15:47

I'm eating Beet Chips and they're unspeakably horrible. It may merit its own shouting thread.

posted by eamondaly 02 March | 15:48

I'll refrain from my usual 'diet pop = sodium content = water retention' speech, as I'm sure you know about that and the evils of aspartame. Oh, wait,I just gave it, didn't I?

Grapes can be good. Also I think liquorice is okay for you. Mmmmm...red liquorice.

posted by elizard 02 March | 15:50

Caramel rice cakes, however, are the bomb diggity. Believe it.

posted by eamondaly 02 March | 15:51

Grilled sunflower seeds. They're the best.

posted by seanyboy 02 March | 15:51

What about fruit? Or sugarlass candy?

posted by iconomy 02 March | 15:51

Or a spellchecker?

posted by iconomy 02 March | 15:52

apples. prunes (not just for old people!). dried cranberries.

posted by flopsy 02 March | 15:53

I like beet chips! And for a sweet-tooth attack, I make smoothies. They'e sweet and filling and good for ya!

posted by YouCanCallMeAl 02 March | 15:53

Hershey's Kisses are 25 calories each.

posted by iconomy 02 March | 15:53

Hmm, caramel rice cakes? Sounds intriguing. I have a weakness for caramel.

posted by King of Prontopia 02 March | 15:53

Peanuts. Just a few will fill you up.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 02 March | 15:54

Oh wait, sweets, duh. Glad I wasn't born with a sweet tooth.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 02 March | 15:55

Red licorice is pretty high-calorie, FYI. It's about like eating a candy bar, or a handful of sugar and chemicals. Not recommended diet food.

I recommend:

Altoids
Sugar-free Jell-o brand gelatin snack cups
Diet Snapples
Diet Soda
McDonald's vanilla cones (150 calories... if they make them the size they're supposed to. They sometimes make them too big)

posted by agropyron 02 March | 15:57

Apples and peanut butter.
Popcorn with olive oil instead of butter and Spike sprinkled on it.
Cottage cheese and pepper.
Peach kefir.
Greek olives.

On preview: me and Pink can't read.

I ammend my list to:
Apples and peanut butter.
Peach kefir.

posted by Specklet 02 March | 15:57

OOO, those grilled sunflower seeds are great in a spring salad with little orange slices added. Sprinkle on a little oil and vinegar. You get a filling snack with the all important crunch, a little sweet and sour and, you'll feel good about yourself!

posted by jelly 02 March | 15:58

Oh, dried apricots. Eat a handful, then drink a bunch of water and you'll be full all afternoon.

posted by agropyron 02 March | 15:59

...sugarlass candy...

Dibs on the edible lass jokes.

posted by mudpuppie 02 March | 16:00

Red licorice is pretty high-calorie, FYI. It's about like eating a candy bar, or a handful of sugar and chemicals

Holy crap, really? My apologies. Another pet myth exploded.

posted by elizard 02 March | 16:01

Pushups.

posted by Hugh Janus 02 March | 16:02

Teeny smores made with graham crackers, a few mini marshmallows and some chocolate chips or a hershey's kiss.

posted by jrossi4r 02 March | 16:04

Just remember: calories are the basic quantum carrier of flavor and enjoyment.

posted by warbaby 02 March | 16:05

Hey, I'm in the market for mostly guiltless non-sweet snacks; starting a diet on Monday. (Though I'll probably start a thread for advice.)

posted by taz 02 March | 16:06

A stick of red or black licorice is about 40 calories, so if the king just wants a little nibble of something to calm down the sugar monster, a stick of licorice is probably no worse than a few Jelly Bellies.

I totally agree with the sugar and chemicals part, though, and second the smoothies. I make a banana and *insert fruit of choice here* smoothie every day for lunch.

posted by iconomy 02 March | 16:16

Edamame is an excellent snack. They're green soy nuts. I eat them a couple times a week for a nighttime snack -- just drop 'em in boiling water 'til they're nice and hot, then sprinkle with kosher salt and hot red pepper flakes. They're high in protein, low in calories, and rich in magical soy goodness. You can get them in the pod or out. The pod makes them a better finger food (something to play with).

For sweet, nothing beats a few pieces of really dark chocolate. Again, there's a bit of protein, and a lot of antioxidants. Not a lot of sugar, and fewer calories than many candies, but very very satisfying. Especially when eaten in alternation with ripe strawberries.

posted by Miko 02 March | 16:18

A very small amount of very very good chocolate. With a cup of tea.

On preview: What miko said.

posted by elizard 02 March | 16:27

I third the dark chocolate. I get the Ritter Sport dark chocolate with hazelnuts, and break off single squares at a time and let them melt slowly in my mouth, releasing the hazelnuts from their Hahn-in-carbonite-like tombs, only to be crushed by the might of my Imperial Stormtrooper teeth...

Um, sorry. I got carried away.

posted by me3dia 02 March | 16:33

I'm all about the tea, elizard. I love it (drinking some now in fact) I like it with just a tiny dash of sugar, about a quarter of a teaspoon or less. If available a few drops of honey is even better.

posted by King of Prontopia 02 March | 16:37

Fourthing the chocolate suggestion. I like the stuff that you can get that's about 70-80% cocoa, certainly more bitter than your average Hershey bar, but far yummier.

posted by kosher_jenny 02 March | 17:10

popcorn, celery, a piece of fruit, crackers, and if you can limit yourself to just a handful, pretty much anything. (the dark chocolate is a great suggestion--the richer something is, the less you eat of it)

posted by amberglow 02 March | 17:12

I would prefer something average in taste and huge in size than exquisite in taste and tiny in size, pretty much across the board.

posted by eamondaly 02 March | 17:18

A stick of red or black licorice is about 40 calories, so if the king just wants a little nibble of something to calm down the sugar monster, a stick of licorice is probably no worse than a few Jelly Bellies.

Well, sure. The trick is finding a container that will dispense no more than one stick of licorice a day, and can't be broken into by a frenzied dieter. I can't open a package of that stuff without eating at least half of it, and that's probably 300 calories.

When I'm dieting I need snacks that won't be disastrous if I eat a ton of them. Dried apricots!

posted by agropyron 02 March | 17:46

Dried fruit is disastrous in its own special way if consumed in excess.

posted by Wolfdog 02 March | 17:48

I'm all about the tea, elizard. I love it (drinking some now in fact)

Me, too (on both counts). Some might say my fondness for it borders on obsession, even. But a cup of tea with a bit of milk and sugar often helps with the mid-afternoon sugar craving for me. (Desperately trying to avoid a tea-related derail)

posted by elizard 02 March | 18:16

Cheese Sticks.

posted by Doohickie 02 March | 22:43

I like the "snack packs" of fruit - applesauce, etc. I've been getting Motts Fruitsations - I really like the unsweetened Granny Smith version.

I've also found DelMonte Mandarin wedges in light syrup (I'd prefer unsweetened, but haven't found any yet) are delicious.

Yogurt with fruit is nice.

Raisins are good too.

There are several types of canned fruit that are packaged in their own juices. Avoid those packed in syrup. Even light syrup can add quite a bit of sugar and calories.

I'm not overly fond of dried fruit except for dried apricots (and the previously mentioned raisins). Just make sure you don't eat too many or you'll be spending quality time in the washroom.

I know "real" fruit would be better for me but I hate the hassle of dealing with peeling, chopping, etc.

posted by deborah 02 March | 22:44

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