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The Perfect Snack

April 5, 2007

Whether you’re traveling, running errands or sitting at a desk all day, know what to grab when the midafternoon munchies strike.

Snacks not only help you meet your nutritional needs, but also give you energy and prevent you from raiding your friend’s candy dish or grabbing a sugary drink from a vending machine or gas station.

Following are some key foods you can mix and match, depending on your personal preference. They will provide calories to give you energy, protein and fiber to sustain you and a healthful dose of unsaturated fats to add taste and flavor.

1. Meats and beans: unsalted, dry roasted or raw nuts — cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds.
2. Grains: low-fat granola cereal or any whole-grain crunchy cereal.
3. Fruits: dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, cherries, cranberries, bananas, pineapple and dates (choose those without added sugar).

Source: So What Can I Eat?! How to Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your Own (Wiley 2006), Elisa Zied, MS, RD, with Ruth Winter, MS.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

To view previous Daily Tips, click here.

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