LITE Foods, What's Good?

[iLander]

So DH needs to eat healthier, and I'd like to stock the house with good, low-cal stuff. Are there particular brands and types of foods that hit the spot with you? I need snacks, crunchy stuff, and whatever else you've tried and liked.

He likes the Healthy Choice fudge bars. He likes crunchy stuff, what's good beyond carrots, celery and apples?

I figure if I only buy healthy stuff, he's less likely to go astray.

Suggestions?

 

[Haven]

We eat really healthy foods at home, but we never buy processed diet foods or anything like that. I think the most delicious healthy foods are the wholest, freshest foods available. Do you have farmers' markets near you? I would go there and buy what looks delicious. If you don't, stay around the perimeter of your local grocer and you'll find the fresh, whole foods. (Are there any grocery stores that cater mostly to immigrants near you? We live near an Israeli grocery store, and it is THE BEST for getting fresh produce at cheap prices. You have to eat the produce within two days, but the prices are awesome. We've always shopped at grocers that cater to immigrants, and not only is there very interesting stuff there, but the prices are awesome.)

For a crunch I LOVE sugar snap peas. Mmmmm. Another goodie is plain old iceberg lettuce. It doesn't have a lot of nutritional value, but it is so fresh and crunchy, I love it. I'm currently eating bibb lettuce with carrot ginger dressing--healthy and super yummy. I also love fresh bell peppers, DELISH. Cucumbers and zucchinis are in-season now too. Ooh, and sweet corn is a good option, too.

They won't be in-season until the fall, but I cannot get enough of roasted pumpkin seeds.

If your hubby is a pasta lover like mine you can try spaghetti squash as a yummy alternative. I like mine with a bit of EVOO and salt and pepper, but DH actually eats his with tomato sauce. (This is my FAVORITE simple tomato sauce recipe. It's old and famous, so you may have seen it before: http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/tomato-sauce-with-butter-and-onions/)

My favorite healthy breakfast is Irish porridge. We buy McCann's steel cut oats and make it four batches at a time so we can reheat and add the sweet stuff in the morning.

And I know you should eat too much, but FRUIT is so amazing right now. I cannot get enough watermelon and cherries in the summer.

 

[Haven]

Sorry, I see I wrote a novella. This is what happens when you ask a pregnant woman about food.

 

[iLander]

Sorry, I see I wrote a novella. This is what happens when you ask a pregnant woman about food.

No, this is FABULOUS info! Thank you!

I didn't even think of the peas or peppers! All your tips are good, Haven, I'm writing them on my list now!

Congrats on the pregnancy, is it an easy one? Lots of kicks, or just a few (I don't know how far along you are)? I ate so many grapes when I was pregnant with my son, all day long, it was weird.

 

[Matata]

Does he like nuts (besides you I mean ), if so pistachios & walnuts are good snacks. Also pretzels -- you get crunch & some salt but not a lot of fat.

 

[Matata]

Edamame

 

[iLander]

Does he like nuts (besides you I mean ), if so pistachios & walnuts are good snacks. Also pretzels -- you get crunch & some salt but not a lot of fat.

You made me laugh.

You know, he loves nuts (but you knew that ), but I think they're putting the weight on him and the salt is adding to his blood pressure. I'm trying to get him off the giant Costco jar of cashews, since moderation is not something he's learned.

 

[Matata]

And if he has a sweet tooth, Skinny Cow makes Dreamy Clusters & Heavenly Crisps that are low calorie & low fat. I haven't tried them but I do like their ice cream sandwiches.

 

[iLander]

And if he has a sweet tooth, Skinny Cow makes Dreamy Clusters & Heavenly Crisps that are low calorie & low fat. I haven't tried them but I do like their ice cream sandwiches.

Thanks, added that to the list. We're trying everything, and we'll see what sticks.

 

[Matata]

Cashews are yummy but really full of fat. The walnuts and pistachios are low fat, have good fatty acids too. And the key is to eat only a palmful. Portion control is something I've really had to learn to do. It's not always what you eat, but how much. My thighs are testament to this.

 

[iheartscience]

One delicious salty/crunchy snack I love are kale chips! You can buy them at Whole Foods but they're really expensive, so it's way cheaper to make your own and it's super easy. You tear the leaves off the stem into larger than potato chip sized pieces, wash the leaves, pat them dry w/ paper towels and then spray with olive oil. Then sprinkle as much or as little salt as you want and bake in the oven at around 350. Around 20 minutes on one side, then flip and cook the second side for 10-20 more minutes. The chips should start to look a little translucent when they're done.

I recommend making a ton because they're crazy delicious and they also shrink down once you bake them!

ETA seaweed is tasty too but definitely has a very seaweedy flavor (go figure! ) so they're not as universally delicious!

 

[iLander]

Cashews are yummy but really full of fat. The walnuts and pistachios are low fat, have good fatty acids too. And the key is to eat only a palmful. Portion control is something I've really had to learn to do. It's not always what you eat, but how much. My thighs are testament to this.

Yes, I think we need to learn portion control too. The palmful is usually his first bite.

He doesn't like walnuts as much, so maybe we'll ease those in, in a month or so. It might slow him down, if he doesn't like them as much.

 

[iLander]

One delicious salty/crunchy snack I love are kale chips! You can buy them at Whole Foods but they're really expensive, so it's way cheaper to make your own and it's super easy. You tear the leaves off the stem into larger than potato chip sized pieces, wash the leaves, pat them dry w/ paper towels and then spray with olive oil. Then sprinkle as much or as little salt as you want and bake in the oven at around 350. Around 20 minutes on one side, then flip and cook the second side for 10-20 more minutes. The chips should start to look a little translucent when they're done.

I recommend making a ton because they're crazy delicious and they also shrink down once you bake them!

ETA seaweed is tasty too but definitely has a very seaweedy flavor (go figure! ) so they're not as universally delicious!

Kale? I'm a newb at this, I'm not sure I know where to find that. Or what it looks like, when I do find it. I'm off to google that. . .

 

[Autumnovember]

I LOVE Suzies thin cakes. You can put almost anything on them and they taste really good!

http://good-groceries.com/ZenCart/images/1Thin-Rice-spelt.jpg

I also really like flat out bread and sandwich thins!

Edy's fruit sensation bars are yumm and satisfy my sweet tooth!

 

[iLander]

I LOVE Suzies thin cakes. You can put almost anything on them and they taste really good!

http://good-groceries.com/ZenCart/images/1Thin-Rice-spelt.jpg

I also really like flat out bread and sandwich thins!

Edy's fruit sensation bars are yumm and satisfy my sweet tooth!

Oh, those look good! On Amazon, they're saying to use them instead of bread, for a sandwich. Genius! On the list! Thank you, AN!

 

[Matata]

Use the Italian kale rather than the curly. I love kale. My fav is to saute onion & garlic in a bit of olive oil, toss in some cherry tomatoes, & kale and a bit of chicken or veggie broth (and some white or red wine if you like), simmer until the kale is tender and then stir in some cannelloni beans or cooked quinoa or couscous. Would be good with some kind of pasta too. Delish.

 

[iLander]

Use the Italian kale rather than the curly. I love kale. My fav is to saute onion & garlic in a bit of olive oil, toss in some cherry tomatoes, & kale and a bit of chicken or veggie broth (and some white or red wine if you like), simmer until the kale is tender and then stir in some cannelloni beans or cooked quinoa or couscous. Would be good with some kind of pasta too. Delish.

Now I think you guys are just making up foods . . .

Google is my friend. . .

 

[Haven]

Mmmmm, quinoa. I love lemony quinoa for dinner.

I make a crunchy summer salad and leave portions in the fridge for DH to grab and eat when he's hungry. It's super easy: cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions tossed with some EVOO and red wine vinegar. And salt and pepper, of course. It will stay crunchy for a couple days in the little containers in the fridge.

Oh! I also make an apple coleslaw and do the same thing. The apples give it a good crunch, and it's great roughage. I found the recipe online somewhere but don't use it anymore, so if you google it I bet you'll find lots of options.

My husband will eat whatever is available and easy, so we've learned to prep things ahead of time that we can just grab later on.

I don't know how you feel about sweeteners, if you're a real sugar or a fake sugar person, but the one thing that's helped my husband's sugar cravings is to keep homemade sweet tea in the fridge. It's not exactly healthy, but it's better than the candy bars my husband would be eating, instead.

Trader Joe's used to sell bags of frozen edamame for like $3. I couldn't find them last time I went, but if they're still available they are THE BEST. When I taught high school I'd split one with a couple friends for lunch. Yummy. Lots of protein.

ILander--I'm turning out to be terrible at pregnancy. I'm only 15 weeks along, but I've been so sick the entire time that all I can do is dream about eating all the foods I want to eat, but can't! I've been watching a lot of food network shows and stockpiling lists of things I want to make once I'm feeling up to it.

 

[GliderPoss]

I also recommend you look at how much SUGAR is in what you are eating! Saturated fat is bad agreed, but sugar (often described as carbs on labels) is also going to make you porky....

Stick to high protein diet with logs of fresh veggies and fruit. Anything that says "lite" or "diet" oftern has twice as much sugar in it to make it taste good eg. Yogurt - you are better off eating full fat plain yogurt that is full of protein and vitamins than "lite" fruity sugary yogurt!!!

Good luck

 

[Haven]

I also recommend you look at how much SUGAR is in what you are eating! Saturated fat is bad agreed, but sugar (often described as carbs on labels) is also going to make you porky....

Stick to high protein diet with logs of fresh veggies and fruit. Anything that says "lite" or "diet" oftern has twice as much sugar in it to make it taste good eg. Yogurt - you are better off eating full fat plain yogurt that is full of protein and vitamins than "lite" fruity sugary yogurt!!!

Good luck

That's another great one! I just started buying full fat plain yogurt and cutting up my own fresh fruit to put into it. (I love cherries and peaches in my yogurt right now.) I also think it's cheaper to buy a big container of plain yogurt at Whole Foods than all those little single-serving containers.

 

[missy]

I love all the great suggestions. It is easier to eat healthfully than many people think- but it does take some preparation and thought. I especially love all the summer fresh fruit- it's my favorite time of year for fruit. I add it to big spinach salads with chic peas and quinoa (another quinoa fan here) with celery, cucumbers, grilled bell peppers, grilled onions (the grilled veggies really add sweetness to the salad), and lots more veggies and mmmmm, it's delicious and satisfying. I usually add avocado to my salad as well. It has healthy fat and while it is high in calories it is really good for you and makes the salad that much better.

For snacking I love air popped popcorn and you can add cinnamon or hot pepper or another spice for a low calorie option. I enjoy mindless snacking every now and then and this fits the bill. And lots of good fiber too.

Haven, I'm sorry your pregnancy has been difficult so far- I'm wishing you an easy go from here on in! And that apple coleslaw suggestion sounds amazing. I never heard of it before and am definitely interested in trying it. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[lknvrb4]

Try to eat foods that are not processed. I to buy fat free stuff but hated the taste, I believe people can eat anything if them limit and use some restraint while eating.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

I also recommend you look at how much SUGAR is in what you are eating! Saturated fat is bad agreed, but sugar (often described as carbs on labels) is also going to make you porky....

Stick to high protein diet with logs of fresh veggies and fruit. Anything that says "lite" or "diet" oftern has twice as much sugar in it to make it taste good eg. Yogurt - you are better off eating full fat plain yogurt that is full of protein and vitamins than "lite" fruity sugary yogurt!!!

Good luck

Yep. Steer clear of any foods with the words 'diet' and 'no fat' on them... They are a trap because they contain so much sugar and sugar is converted to fat! A good rule of thumb is a product shouldn't contain any more that 10g of sugar per 100g.

Here are some things that are a bit more on the crunchy side and good for snacking on:

Cucumber sticks dipped in plain Greek yoghurt flavored with garlic and mint.

Quinoa salad with fresh crunchy vegetables like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, sprouts and roasted beetroot, chick peas, lentils.

Tuna in spring water on crackers.

Tomato and avocado on crackers.

Protein is a great snack, I have been cooking up kanga bangas (kangaroo sausages) and cutting them up into bite sized pieces to munch on during the day.

Celery sticks with natural peanut butter

Asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon with some cottage cheese

Roasted vege and cous cous salad. I love roasting anything and everything and then mixing with cous cous, goes great together with chicken breast for dinner.

Use brown rice - even when cooked It has a certain amount of crunch to it.

Steer clear of 'white' foods, so potato, bread, rice etc

I have found a great alternative to mashed potato.... Mashed cauliflower!! It is awesome! I steam the cauliflower in my Thermomix and then blend it up with some natural yoghurt, sour cream and garlic.

The best thing you can do though is steer clear of anything that is processed, prepackaged foods, they really are no good for you, despite what the labels say!

 

[ame]

I figure if I only buy healthy stuff, he's less likely to go astray.

Suggestions?

If only that were true in my house. He will just go get what he wants, typically something like Burger King, in the middle of the night. He won't hardly touch any veggie or fruit. When I get up in the morning to leave for work / errands, my car absolutely reeks of whatever he went and got the night before. He also won't touch wheat bread, brown rice or wheat pasta with a ten foot pole. I tried to use a couple layers of wheat pasta in a lasagna...he took one bite, noticed it, spit that bite out and threw his whole plateful away.

 

[zoebartlett]

I love making smoothies, especially in the summer. Milk (I buy skim), fruit, ice, and maybe yogurt in a blender. For added nutrition, you can add baby spinach. It gets blended in so you hardly notice it.

Greek yogurt, either the flavored kinds or plain, with fruit, cereal, and maybe honey added. I buy 0% (fat-free). You can freeze it, too, which is a great alternative to ice cream.

Frozen fruit. It sounds weird, but I love eating frozen mixed berries from Wyman's (frozen section of the grocery store). No need to thaw, and it's a good snack in the summer.

Almonds and unsalted pretzels are good snacks. I like regular pretzels better but unsalted ones are better if your husband is watching his blood pressure.

Salad made of cherry tomatoes, avocado chunks (avocado is high in fat but it's the good kind. Still, watch portions though...), cucumbers, bell peppers in different colors (the variety looks really pretty!), and red wine vinegar, or eating it plain is good, too. I've wanted to try it with balsamic vinegar as well but haven't yet.

Little bell peppers and hummus (You can buy a bag of little bell peppers in the produce aisle. They're the perfect size for dipping and you don't have to spend any time chopping.)

Apples and peanut butter. Watch the fat in the peanut butter but it's a good source of protein. I love Skippy natural, chunky.

 

[rubybeth]

I would also add granola if he likes crunchy things. You'll want to look for lower fat/sugar versions, but my local store brand is actually really tasty and low in all the bad stuff.

One thing I would say is NOT to deprive him entirely of fat and sugar and the things he really likes, because complete deprivation might cause him to binge once he does have access to those things (like at a potluck dinner or party with endless hors d'oeuvres). I think you mentioned portion control, and that would be something great to work on. Instead of buying those '100 calorie snack pack' things, you could read labels and portion out into those half-size sandwich bags some of his favorites--potato chips, M&Ms, etc. to keep in the car or the cupboard to grab on the go, and then he could SEE what a portion size is and have a reference point in the future.

And I also liked the idea of peanut butter. It's good on celery and apples, plus it's sweet and crunchy and I always feel really full and satisfied after eating a piece of whole grain peanut butter toast.

 

[partgypsy]

My husband is battling middle age and has his typical guy urges of salt and fat, and eating late at night, has started making- smoothies.
He blends them up himself with yogurt and/or soft tofu, and tons of fruit (and sometimes cooked vegetables) and a touch of honey. He has some immediately, and then keeps some in the fridge, if he is hungry in the evening he fills up on that versus snacking. Other things we have around our house are unsalted nuts, fresh popcorn made with olive oil, rice cakes (they have all different kinds), dried fruit (though that is not necessarily low calorie), homemade pickles or pickled vegetables (I don't think these are low salt). Also not low salt but we love making nachos but with black beans and cheese with diced tomatos and lettuce on top and salsa, and making homemade pizza.

I agree with others that it is important to not totally deprive yourself of foods you like, but to eat good food, in moderation. I agree with others that a lot of stuff labeled diet or low calorie is often really processed or has a lot of sugar in it. I guess it's ok to have some of that on hand for cravings, but just because it's low in fat doesn't mean it's good for you.

 

[Haven]

Thank you, Missy!

Apple coleslaw is delicious. Now I'm really craving some . . .

 

[MissGotRocks]

We eat really healthy foods at home, but we never buy processed diet foods or anything like that. I think the most delicious healthy foods are the wholest, freshest foods available. Do you have farmers' markets near you? I would go there and buy what looks delicious. If you don't, stay around the perimeter of your local grocer and you'll find the fresh, whole foods. (Are there any grocery stores that cater mostly to immigrants near you? We live near an Israeli grocery store, and it is THE BEST for getting fresh produce at cheap prices. You have to eat the produce within two days, but the prices are awesome. We've always shopped at grocers that cater to immigrants, and not only is there very interesting stuff there, but the prices are awesome.)

For a crunch I LOVE sugar snap peas. Mmmmm. Another goodie is plain old iceberg lettuce. It doesn't have a lot of nutritional value, but it is so fresh and crunchy, I love it. I'm currently eating bibb lettuce with carrot ginger dressing--healthy and super yummy. I also love fresh bell peppers, DELISH. Cucumbers and zucchinis are in-season now too. Ooh, and sweet corn is a good option, too.

They won't be in-season until the fall, but I cannot get enough of roasted pumpkin seeds.

If your hubby is a pasta lover like mine you can try spaghetti squash as a yummy alternative. I like mine with a bit of EVOO and salt and pepper, but DH actually eats his with tomato sauce. (This is my FAVORITE simple tomato sauce recipe. It's old and famous, so you may have seen it before: http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/tomato-sauce-with-butter-and-onions/)

My favorite healthy breakfast is Irish porridge. We buy McCann's steel cut oats and make it four batches at a time so we can reheat and add the sweet stuff in the morning.

And I know you should eat too much, but FRUIT is so amazing right now. I cannot get enough watermelon and cherries in the summer.

Can't wait to try this sauce with butter - really intriguing! Some really great suggestions here!

 

[Haven]

MissGotRocks--I don't know if you're into reading long threads about inane cooking details, but if you are, this is a great Chowhound thread about this recipe:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/421367

Mmmmmmm. I love this sauce. Great tomatoes are the key, though. If you buy canned, get san marzanos.
Hmm, maybe I can convince DH to make this for me tonight . . .