Focus on Snacking!
1. Pull out all the possible items you have at home to choose from for snacking. Take a group pic.
Picture includes: string cheese (low-fat); bananas, nonfat yogurt; raisins; carrots; and assorted granola bars.
2. Overall, what’s working well for you/your family in terms of snacking? For you? For your kids?
We try to eat healthty, but once in a while we need to have a special treat! Notice there are no cookies, chips, or anything really unhealthy here. We do not have anything like that in the house.
3. What/when are the pain points of snacking?
Sometimes you eat too much as a snack, and then you feel guilty, PLUS then you have no room for the next meal!
4. Then, for EACH snacking item, take a close-up picture and answer the following questions:
a. Why did you decide to buy this? We eat tons of fruits and vegetables for snacks. Illustrated are just some examples- baby carrots (so they already cut up, washed, and you can eat them out of the bag with no preparation time) and a banana. (And hence, my daughter eating a banana as a snack happily.)
b. What makes you believe in it? You can't do much better than eating fruits and vegetables as a snack! (Except if maybe they were organic.)
c. Who eats it in your household? My daughter and I- I've stopped trying to make my husband eat them.
d. What specific occasion/s it is best for? Any and all!
e. What does it do BETTER than other snacking options? Why is that important? Fruits and vegetables (esp. the brightly colored ones) are basically the best snack food you can eat.
f. What is it NOT good at? Sometimes they get boring, and they do not entirely fill you up.
g. What benefits—physical AND emotional—does this item provide? The idea that you are eating well while satisfying a craving for food!
h. What you would eat/serve if this was no longer available? Other fruits and vegetables!
a. Why did you decide to buy this?
My daughter had it at my sister-in-law's house and absolutely fell in love with it! I buy low-fat. so we can eat it as a snack and still have room for dinner.
b. What makes you believe in it?
I carefully read the nutritional information before I bought it, so I know it is okay for us to eat.
c. Who eats it in your household?
My daughter and I.
d. What specific occasion/s it is best for?
For everything---esp. if you are slightly hungry and just need a snack!
e. What does it do BETTER than other snacking options? Why is that important?
It is string cheese, so you can slowly peel it off and eat it. That way, it lasts longer than a lot of other snacks. Plus, it is fun to eat!
f. What is it NOT good at?
Satsifying an urge for salt a/o sugar!
g. What benefits—physical AND emotional—does this item provide? Part of your dairy nutritional requirements.
h. What you would eat/serve if this was no longer available? Another type of string cheese.
a. Why did you decide to buy this? Because my previous type of yougurt (organic- Horizon) stopped being available in this size container. (Horizon stopped making this size of yogurt packaging- I called the company and complained, to no avail.) I tried different types of premium nonfat yogurt, and finally found Cascade Fresh, which comes in a variety of flavors. The only difference is that Cascade Fresh is not organic.
b. What makes you believe in it? I read the ingredients, plus the flavors are delicious!
c. Who eats it in your household? My daughter and I (are you sensing a pattern here???)
d. What specific occasion/s it is best for? All of the time! We generally eat one a day as a snack.
e. What does it do BETTER than other snacking options? Why is that important? Provides essential dairy nutrients.
f. What is it NOT good at? Tasting like chocolate (ha ha)!
g. What benefits—physical AND emotional—does this item provide? The emotional peace of mind of knowing that you are eating something satisfying while satiating your hunger.
h. What you would eat/serve if this was no longer available? Another type of yogurt.
a. Why did you decide to buy this? I was looking around in the grocery store for an alternative snack food, and found raisins, which my daughter and I both love.
b. What makes you believe in it? Who doesn't believe in raisins, such a tried and true snack?
c. Who eats it in your household? My daughter and I and sometimes our cat!
d. What specific occasion/s it is best for? For every day snacking pleasure.
e. What does it do BETTER than other snacking options? Why is that important? You can eat as much or as little as you would like, as they are small pieces.
f. What is it NOT good at? They do not always fill you up.
g. What benefits—physical AND emotional—does this item provide? Vitamin C, etc.
h. What you would eat/serve if this was no longer available? Another type of dried fruit.
a. Why did you decide to buy this? I think I got some granola bar at a kid's b-day party in a goody bag. I realized they made great snacks.
b. What makes you believe in it? I know these granola bars have all natural ingredients.
c. Who eats it in your household? My daughter and I.
d. What specific occasion/s it is best for? Anytime- day or night.
e. What does it do BETTER than other snacking options? Why is that important? They provide some fun good (like chocolate) but also provide nutritional ingredients.
f. What is it NOT good at? Sometimes they are too sweet.
g. What benefits—physical AND emotional—does this item provide? Peace of mind knowing that you are eating something healthy.
h. What you would eat/serve if this was no longer available? Probably a different type of granola bar.
5. As you look at all these snacking items, what’s missing? What would improve your snacking options?
I think these snacks run of gamut of healthy options, so I don't really see anything that's missing that's healthy. Maybe nuts? But then I worry about the fat content. If you can seen anything that would improve my snacking options, please tell me, because I would love to know! Thanks.
As always and yours in healthy eating while snacking,
Jen
Thanks Jennifer. Appreciate your detail here.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteHave some follow up questions for you:
Does your husband snack at home? If so, can you show us what he likes to snack on and provide your commentary on his snacks? If he snacks away from home, what does he snack on? Who buys it? Where?
You had three different granola bars. One was a Chewy 90 calorie. You had two different Luna bars: One was White Chocolate Macadamia and the other was Fiber. I'd like you to answer these questions for each bar - What is it/how describe vs. other bars? Who eats it? When? Where? What does it do well? What it does not do so well? Benefits?
Thanks so much!
My husband does not "do" snacks, hence I have not mentioned him here at all for his favorite snack foods! He does not eat in between meals.
DeleteWe eat a variety of granola bars; thus, three different ones are featured here. It depends on what we feel like when! My daughter and I both eat them. Sometimes we feel like one flavor over another. I always have a variety in the house, so whatever we feel like we can eat. I only have healthy granola bars in the house, so whenever the mood strikes us, we can eat them, without worrying about whether they are nutritious!
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot these in the above post-here are a few more questions:
You say you have green tea for breakfast when feeling less energetic or when you know you have a busy day. Can you elaborate on why the green tea? Why does it provide you energy? What is in it that gives you energy? How do you feel after drinking it?
Also can you rank your favorite fruits and vegetables as they relate to providing energy? What is it about your top 1 or 2 that makes you believe they provide the most energy? Do you believe fruit and veggies are the best source of energy? Why or why not? If they were not available, but all of the other snack options were, which options would you choose for a snack that provides fuel?
Really appreciate your time!
I do not drink coffee or soda, but I drink green tea for the antioxidant benefits as well as for a little "boost" of caffeine. I feel like I have energy after drinking it even if I am very tired.
ReplyDeleteI have never ranked fruits and vegetables as how they provide energy. We like bananas quite a bit as they fill you up, and they are fun to eat! But we eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily in order to obtain various nutritional requirements. I cannot imagine fruits and vegetables not being available, as they make up such a huge component of our daily diet!
Thanks so much, Chris---great thought-provoking questions!
Jennifer