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Typically, usually I get hit with the munchies mid-afternoon and late night. I have to have something to eat, and far too often it’s whatever is handy. But I’ve tried to do better with my overall diet and incorporate healthier options for those between meal snacks.
Anything chocolate tends to lead my personal list, followed by yogurt, nuts or fruit. Healthy? Most times, though there are days when I surrender to a sweet tooth attack. That got me wondering what are the most popular choices out there.
Here are the Food Channel’s Top Ten snack food trends.
1. Chip and Dip — Not the old standby potato chips and French Onion Dip. Today’s palate is more refined. think hummus and falafel chips. Or guacamole and salsa with a variety of corn chips.
2. Grazing — They aren’t talking veggies here, though that can be an option. Mini meals are the rage, with people eating small amounts and more often per day. Traditional meals are usually shunned by these snackers. An increasing number of fast food places are now offering mini meals in the form of snack sandwiches and wraps.
3. Liquid sustenence — The variety of power drinks, fruit flavored waters and smoothies are staggering. Again, many fast food place now offer these on the menu.
4. Nuts — Yep, nuts are high in fat, but it’s the good kind of fat and if you aren’t allergic to nuts, it is a high protein snack that will satisfy your hunger.
5. Fruit — Dried or fresh, there are plenty of choices from single servigs of fruits to mini salads that you can buy or make yourself with the fruits in season.
6. Hit the bars — power bars, granola bars, cereal bars. You name it and there’s a bar to fit your taste and budget.
7. Sweet and salty — The taste sensations of this combination is great anytime. It can be as simple as peanuts and M&Ms, or yogurt covered pretzels to any number of salty chip/sweet dip combo.
8. Yogurt — It’s just good food whether plain, with fruit, frozen, Greek style, or in a smoothie.
9. Some like it spicy — The pungent herbs and hot peppers flavor many chip type snacks, as well as certain drinks.
10. Snack cakes — Yes, Twinkies, cupcakes and Little Debbie snacks are still popular.
So tell me, what is your favorite snack? Take the snack survey and then tell us how you rate.
Filed in: Fun
Sep 8th
2010
7:54 am
Christi Said:
If I could always pick whatever I wanted it would be salty and more salty! But I try to be good these days so stick with yogurt… yoplai light cause they have SO many yummy flavors.
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Sep 8th
2010
9:10 am
Rainy Said:
I took the survey but don’t know how I rate because you have to join Survey Monkey or something! But after the questions, I realize I do like to snack, maybe too much. You know the joke we all use when eating little bites of something…”Well, there’s no calories in this because it’s only a mouthful”
And it does seem like if we take just a bite of cheesecake, just a few crackers and cheese, etc, etc that it’s not going to add up.
Thanks for all the good tips. It made me realize I’ve got to be more mindful of what is going into my body throughout the WHOLE day!
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Sep 8th
2010
9:53 am
Shana Said:
Cookies! Yum!
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Sep 8th
2010
10:02 am
kris Said:
I’m a junk food junkie.
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Sep 8th
2010
12:06 pm
Kristan Higgins Said:
Wheat Thins and spinach dip. Lordy. The ugly face of addiction.
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Sep 8th
2010
12:48 pm
Emily McKay Said:
My all time favorite good for me snack: Yogurt. Greek style (or Icelandic style). Yum.
My all time favorite bad for me snack: raw chocolate chip cookie dough fresh out of the freezer. Knowing how bad it is for me does not make me love it any less.
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Sep 8th
2010
2:11 pm
Mary M Said:
I read an enlightening book by David Kessler about the food industry. Processed snacks are usually designed to make consumers crave more of the processed snacks through a combination of sugar,fat and salt. He mentioned sweet and salty as one of the most effective techniques. It didn’t stop me from craving certain snacks,lol, but it made me more aware. For healthy snacking, I like fruit and oatmeal.
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Sep 8th
2010
2:15 pm
Romantic Girl Said:
I’m a big chips and dip fan. My favorite is queso and tortilla chips, just add a margarita and I’m in heaven.
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Sep 8th
2010
6:41 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Christi, I love pretzels, especially the little thin ones. Oh, and peanuts…
Yup, it’s scary to think how much “mindless eating” we could or do in a day. Rainy, I could snack all day, and have some days off when I’m under deadline.
Chocolate chip cookies, Shana. Or maybe oatmeal raisin. Eek, better not get into that list!
I can relate, Kris!
LOL, Kristan. Amazing what we scarf down and call a snack, though spinach dip and wheat thins are bordering on the real healthy side.
Emily, I love Greek yogurt too. It’s not as easy to find in my small town, but I’ve managed. I never acquired a taste or a desire for raw cookie dough, but lordy I’ve eaten enough cookies fresh out of the oven to account for it.
I’ve read that too, Mary. Sweet and salty appeals to all the senses, making it a powerful addictive food. I snack on lots of fruit. Make the oatmeal into a cookie and I’m there.
You just nailed two of my favs, Romantic Girl. I love queso and chips, or salsa and chips. And yes, definitely a marg on the side.
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Sep 8th
2010
8:32 pm
RobynDeHart Said:
I love really salty pretzel sticks and laughing cow cheese. I keep my pantry stocked with 100 calorie packs too – the oreo thins are my favorite. My favorite healthy snack is raw veggies and hummus. I’m definitely a snacker.
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Sep 9th
2010
11:24 am
KathrynSmith Said:
Tortilla chips and salsa, yum. I also love hummus. I found this recipe where you rinse chick peas and spread them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cumin and bake until they’re crunchy. Great snack — and loaded with protein!
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Sep 9th
2010
4:06 pm
kristeny Said:
I have recently become addicted to guacamole. The creamy goodness of the avocado with a bit of onion and tomato is awesome.
Of course, if I just ate guac it would be ok. However, the handful of chips that are inevitably needed kind of tips the caloric intake to the bad side.
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Sep 9th
2010
6:16 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Robyn, those 100 calorie packs are great. I’ve gotten addicted to string cheese.
I’ll have to try that, Kathryn. I love hummus, chickpeas, you name it.
kristeny, look at it this way. Guacamole is a good fat that’s good for your heart, so it’s got to balance out though fabu chips, right?
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Sep 11th
2010
1:37 am
Daz Said:
I really, really like beef jerky done Chinese style. They’re really hard to get where I live so I’m always dreaming about (and not having) them.
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