These mini-bags of Smart Pop! popcorn may not be high in nutrition, but they do provide bulk and fiber to keep the tummy feeling full for awhile. A mini-bag also keeps the portion size under control, for we all have amazed ourselves with the amount of popcorn a single stomach can hold.
This may not rate the highest on nutrition but if Starbucks is your secret addiction, the Mocha lite frappuccino is a 100 calorie option that lets you enjoy your java without too much guilt. However, be aware that since it is made with milk, it's not a low sodium drink. If you're headed to the coffee shop with a friend, lite ordering options include a grande iced Americano with non-fat milk and Splenda, a non-fat sugar-free flavored latte or iced tea sweetened with Splenda.
A fruit smoothie is easy to whip up if you have a good blender. Be sure to blend well unless you want to be spitting ice chunks into the sink. Use whatever fruit is in season. This peach smoothie has:
4 peach sections (Lite canned peaches or 1 ripe fresh peach)
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup crushed ice
1 packet Splenda
I consider sugar-free jello not as a snack, but more of "It's 30 minutes until dinner and I'll starve if I don't eat something NOW!" Other tide-me-overs include a cup of hot tea with Splenda or a cup of instant low-sodium chicken broth. Something warm in the tummy keeps it quiet until real food arrives. Healthy eating experts often advise avoiding any products containing artificial sweeteners and colors, which is a very noble aspiration. For those of us having difficulty giving up our "I love sweets!" habit, an occasional sugar-free product is not a bad idea. It's probably good to limit your intake of artificial sweeteners and strive to wean yourself off the need for sweets altogether . . . eventually . . . hypothetically . . . someday . . . if you know what I mean. Among the sugar substitutes, the herbal sweetener stevia (available in products like Truvia) are considered more natural and thus a safer choice. I don't think they make sugar-free Jello sweetened with stevia just yet . . .
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