Afternoon snacks – A way to satisfy hunger between meals

The time between school and dinner or between work and dinner can be a difficult time for many of us.  Hunger has set in and dinner may not be ready for a couple hours.  What to do?  There is the choice to have a satisfying snack, go hungry and distracted until dinner in a few hours or graze on whatever you may find in the pantry or fridge.  Of those three options, you can guess which one is the healthiest.

 

Having a well-balanced and satisfying snack around 3-4pm will help satisfy you until dinner and prevent overeating at or after dinner, too.  For most of us, we’d like a simple, easy to prepare snack on most days. 

 

Here are some tips to help you plan and prepare your kids’ snacks or yours.  The blend of carbohydrate, protein and fat at meals and snacks affects how well your hunger will be met.  Portion size depends on your own personal meal plan.  If you are unsure of yours or your child’s portion size needs for healthy weight management, make an appointment with a registered dietitian.  Encourage yourself or your family to have a planned snack, rather than grazing through the kitchen and never getting fully satisfied.  High sugar items such as candies and sodas are not as nutritious as whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and milk products.  And, those high sugar items are usually just empty calories that will not manage hunger well.  Instead, consider some of the following:

 

Kraft Easy Mac individual microwave packets

Kraft Easy Mac cups

Microwave bowl of soup (i.e. Campbell’s Soup at Hand or Progresso)

Pack of cheese crackers

Pack of peanut butter crackers

An apple, pear or orange (possibly with a small handful of nuts)

A yogurt cup

A juice box and whole wheat crackers such as Triscuits

A box of raisins and a handful of peanuts

A small bowl of cereal with milk

A whole grain granola bar

An applesauce cup and graham crackers or teddy grahams

A mini bagel with cream cheese

A piece of string cheese and some baby carrots

Baby carrots and 1-2 tbsp hummus or other dip

A cup of milk and goldfish crackers

1-2 handfuls of trail mix or granola

Oatmeal made with milk or water

A small can of tuna with some crackers

 

Or, here is a quick recipe the whole family may enjoy, from Kraft Foods.  Serve with raw veggies or whole grain crackers:

Creamy Mediterranean Dip (mix all ingredients until well blended)

1-1/2 cups BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Cottage Cheese

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

1/3 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

 

 

 

Michael Phelps’ diet works for him – may not work for you!

You may have heard that Michael Phelps’s daily intake of 8000-10,000 calories per day helps to keep him svelte and ready for Olympic competition.  And, regardless of whether he is actually eating quite that much per day or not, whatever he is doing is certainly working.  Eight gold medals later, the press is all over what he is doing to be such an amazing swimmer.

 

When you look at nutrition needs, the fact is Michael Phelps needs more calories per day than most Americans – athletes or not.  Most Americans need something closer to 2000 calories per day to stay (or get) healthy!  Of course, everyone is different and everyone needs an individualized plan.  Some people need more and some need less.  You have to evaluate not only height and weight, but also age, gender, physical activity level and state of health.  Genetics are a huge factor, but environment (your lifestyle) is critical.

 

Athletes usually have higher caloric needs than non-athletes and should make sure to consume enough in order to have optimal endurance and be the best competitors possible.  And, while Michael’s highly reviewed “breakfast of champions” (estimates come in at a minimum of 3000 calories for his breakfast of fried egg sandwiches, grits, French toast, pancakes and an omelet) may not be right for you, it works for him.  Don’t forget, he has been burning a minimum of 1000 calories per hour while undergoing training and competition, compared to 200-300 calories burned per hour for an average 190-pound person walking at a moderate pace.

 

Something athletes can learn from Michael is that sufficient fuel is essential for optimal performance and overall fitness.  Here are a few nutritional tips for athletes:  (1) never skip meals – it will only hurt your performance; (2) have a good balance of carbs, proteins and fats, with the largest portion of your calories coming from carbohydrates (fruits, grains, starches) to fuel muscles; (3) hydrate well; (4) and, learning how to eat healthfully will help transition eating habits when physical activity levels change (such as avoiding weight gain or loss when dealing with sports injury or leaving a sport.)

 

Children and teens can find helpful information on www.kidshealth.org regarding nutrition for sport.  College athletes can usually work with a college or personal dietitian for nutritional coaching.  Professional athletes should almost always work with dietitians.  Once a tailored, balanced meal plan is established for you, consistency will benefit you the most.