Healthy snack options

One of the hardest things to figure out at the best of times, not to mention when you are first embarking on a 30 day challenge, is what kind of snacks you can have. You want a snack that will keep you full until your next meal, taste great, and yet, not be loaded with sugar, fats, carbs, or whatever else you may be trying to avoid. I tried to put together a list of snacks that are healthy and delicous, that you may like, and that you might even like more than the chocolate bar you have hidden in your desk drawer. A few guidelines that I like to think about are:

- keeping it easy and portable
- precut is always better when it comes to fruits and vegetables. They are always more appealing since they are easier to eat.
- small quantities (this is only meant to be a snack, not a meal!)
- if you can, try and get a serving from Canada's Food Guide of fruits and vegetables, those can be tricky to get in just in main meals (7-8 for females and 8-10 for males!). This equals about a 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetables, or just 1/4 cup of dried fruit.
- aim for variety. If you are packing mixed nuts, don't just take almonds, take a mix of almonds, pecans, and cashews. If you are having dried fruit, take raisins, cranberries, apricots and apples. Or better yet, mixed nuts and dried fruit together!
- Go for the lower calorie and higher nutrient options: try hummus instead of dip for vegetables. There are so many varieties in stores these days (Greek olive, roasted red pepper), that you can keep things interesting

Here are a few ideas:
- handful of mixed nuts
- dried fruit
- veggie sticks and hummus
- greek yogurt, with or without homemade granola: greek yogurt is so thick, it is so much more satisfying than regular yogurt. As an added benefit, it is loaded with protein which is sure to help get you to your next meal.
- cheese and crackers - and as a future dentist, I have to say that cheese is great for your teeth!

If you happen to not have the luxury of sitting at a desk and have a harder time eating snacks (yogurt is just not always feasible when you are sitting in class), here are some other options:
- fruit - nothing like a precut apple
- vegetables such as baby carrots, and celery
- date balls
- homemade granola bars
- crunchy chickpeas

If you are sitting at home and have more time, here are a few ideas:
- air-popped popcorn - You can add your own toppings that make things even more interesting than just plain old butter like lime and pepper, or cayenne.
- Pita chips - These are great with dipping in different kinds of hummus!

If I think of more snacks, I'll come back to update this list, or post your favorite healthy snacks in the comments!