Healthy Snacks for the Whole Family

Eating healthy is not just for adults, but everyone. Even if one person needs to lose weight in a family, the entire group can benefit from eating a bit better. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks for the family.

Image via WikipediaSnacking is necessary. Many think that snacking is what kills your diet and ruins all of your hard work, but that is not the truth. In fact, many eating plans encourage snacking.

Eating three meals a day is a thing of the past. When you eat several small meals each day, your metabolism is stoked all day and you burn more calories. More calories burned equals more weight lost.

Snacks play an integral part in this equation. By eating a little something mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you keep the hunger at bay. If you can get out ahead of those hunger pains, they you will always feel satisfied and never deprived.

Snacking helps to curb overeating. If you ate breakfast at nine and are waiting until one o’clock for lunch, you will be mighty hungry by the time you get to eat. Having a small snack in between helps you to eat less at lunch because you aren’t as hungry. You can portion sizes better than if you were ravenous.

Healthy Snack Ideas

Here are some healthy snack ideas that you can buy or make at home to satisfy everyone’s needs.

* Veggies and dip – This is a snack that you can chomp on while watching the basketball play-offs or a scary movie. Choose your favorite raw vegetables and use fat free veggie dip or even hummus to add flavor to your snack.

Image via Wikipedia* Fruit – Fruit is a great idea. For one, it helps to curb the sweet tooth with its natural sweetness. Eating whole fruit also provides more fiber for your diet. Fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer than eating a candy bar for a snack. If you want, invest in a food dehydrator and create easy-to-carry dried fruit snacks to eat whenever you need a boost.

* Boiled eggs – They are not just for breakfast. Carry a couple with you on a long trip or car ride. They are packed with protein. Protein at every meal, particularly breakfast, will fight the cravings better than anything.

* Trail Mix – Make this at home and carry it anywhere. Store bought is okay but it can contain extra calories or ingredients that you don’t like. Homemade trail mix only contains what you like, so you know what's in it and can control fat and sugar content. Fix enough for a week at a time and store. Try peanuts, granola, dried fruit, raisins, almonds, dark chocolate pieces and various types of nuts and seeds.

* Granola Bars -- These can be tasty and filling, but they can also be filled with a lot of sugar. While most are better than candy bars, if you do want to grab a granola bar for convenience, instead try one of the newer whole food bars. These will keep you full longer, without all the added sugar and oils. Try the Larabar - a whole food bar containing nothing but dried fruit and nuts - they're delicious, healthy, and easy to eat on the run. 

The simplest snacks are sometimes the best. It doesn’t take much to fill you up and keep you going between meals. Snacking healthy can benefit the whole family.