20 Perfect Snacks for Writers







One of the toughest challenges for most of us is finding the best way to eat healthy – not just for weight loss, but for feeling our best and living productive lives. If you’re like me, a good snack can be a handy partner while you’re writing and editing.

Too often, I hear people talking about diets that say things like “no snacking between meals.” What? What world do these people live in? In our busy lives, snacks are essential. Really. So, here’s a list of snacks to help get anybody over the hump, satisfy cravings for sweet, salty, and savory, and the best part, they’re mostly healthy. Most are old favorites, and you might find a new twist to liven-up a staple or two. Only two recipes in the list, I think ;-)

*Note: Avoiding gluten? Choose gluten-free dairy, crepes, and tortillas, and of course choose alternatives to wheat flour products. Safest way is to read the labels and check-out this article. Almond milk is a good alternative to dairy, but get the unsweetened kind

1. Apple slices and *cheese (I like mozzarella and cheddar)

2. Apple slices and peanut butter (there’s a reduced fat PB, but check to see what’s used to replace the fat. Sometimes you come out better without the other additives)

3. Grilled chicken strips with *ranch, honey mustard, or red pepper vinaigrette

4. Turkey and spinach meatballs – Ok, so a bit of a recipe here, but easy peasy. Here goes: Ground turkey, Bad Byron’s Butt Rub (I know. It’s a southern thang. You can use salt and pepper to taste instead, but believe me, Butt Rub is worth trying ;-), chopped onions, minced garlic, frozen spinach, and eggs [just enough to hold it all together]. Dust with oil of choice. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray with Pam or add small amount of oil of choice, and Broil on heavy-duty cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil) All ingredients to taste.

5. Gluten-free wheat crackers and Laughing Cow cheese

6. Gluten-free pita chips and tuna (you can use tuna salad with boiled eggs, chopped onions and mayo, or just aluminum packed tuna without the extras)

7. Salmon and light cream cheese spread with chopped purple onions and flat bread (Pink salmon also comes in aluminum packs you don’t have to drain) Smoked paprika adds a nice zing!

8. Strawberry *crepes with fresh strawberries, light cream cheese, and yogurt. Worldmarket has some delicious pre-made crepes, but if you don’t have one of those locally, some grocery stores have them in the frozen section near desserts.

9. *Graham crackers and grapes. Yogurt or Cool whip go well with this one, too.

10.Banana pudding bites - Nilla wafers, banana slices, vanilla pudding, and cool whip (chop bananas and mix last 3 ingredients together to avoid making a mess)

11.Fruit and yogurt smoothies (variety is the spice of life) – If you need to sweeten it, try raw unrefined sugar. You can also use Truvia, Sweet Leaf, or Splenda instead of refined sugar. Honey’s also fine, but you might not need any sweeter at all.

12.Chicken quesadillas with chunky salsa – I like the soft corn tortillas you get near dairy. Add grilled (or fajita) chicken, cheese and chunky salsa. Wrap it in a paper towel and nuke it.

13.Make your own Snack mix – (*whole grain cereal, pretzels, popcorn, nuts, raisins, cranberries)

14.Fruit Jello and *graham crackers

15.Fat-free yogurt and fruit with toasted *whole-grain waffles

16.Hummus and turkey pita pockets – good cold or hot (my fave hummus is roasted garlic) It’s easy to find gluten-free pita pockets right next to the gluten-filled kind J

17.Baked cinnamon apples with raisins and real butter (yep, use the real stuff – tastes much better)

18.Blackberry crepes with cream cheese (trick here is to buy ready-made crepes)

19.Oatmeal/squash bread (okay. Second recipe, but it’s easy too)
1 cup each oats & butternut squash
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups skim milk
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup applesauce

20.Fruit yogurt with *bran cereal or something like Kashi, All Fiber (Raisin Bran is good, too, but higher in refined sugar)

Go forth, and snack well ;-)


Comments

Olga said…
I don't eat meat but every other post I read about nutrition and keeping fit these days remarks the importance of eating snacks and fewer big meals. I'm writing them down (searching for sources of protein as in my pursuit of fruit and vegetables I sometimes forget about them...). I love humus too, but love a bit of a kick so I like the ones with jalapeño peppers...:)
Dariel Raye said…
I like the jalapeno peppers, too, Olga. I don't eat pork or beef, but based on your comment, I'll write a food-related post especially for vegans :-) Morning Star has some good meat substitutes I'll have to try before posting about them.