Healthy Snack

Trader Joes has some good and bad(added sugar) dried fruit so be sure to read the nutrition labels. Your Scottsdale personal trainer has weeded through and found the good ones for you. What you see above is Trader Joes 8oz bagged Dried Pineapple Rings with Trader Joes Dried 6oz bagged Bartlett Pears. I also have an organic Trader Joes 5.3oz blueberry greek yogurt. Some greek yogurt are loaded with sugar, but I have found that Trader Joes’ brands are consistently the lowest ranging from 10-18 grams of sugar per 5-6 oz container.

This snack is has less than 300 nutrition packed calories with 12grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein and only 65 grams of sodium.

The thing to remember is MODERATION… be sure your snack IS a “snack”, not a meal.

Check out what healthy snacks I, as a Scottsdale personal trainer, eat when I get hungry in between meals:

1. Trader Joes Fat Free Cottage Cheese is only 80 calories for 1/2 cup, which is A LOT of cottage cheese. It had tons of protein and calcium as well.

2. An apple is anywhere from 60-90 calories and is jam packed with vitamins and fiber. Add a tablespoon of unsalted, organic peanut butter and you have your self a fulfilling healthy snack around 160 calories

3. Organic hard boiled eggs has been a recent favorite of mine. One egg has 70 calories and will fill you up due to the 7 grams of protein and healthy fat. The WHOLE ( yellow part especially )egg is a COMPLETE protein and IS AWESOME FOR YOU! Have two for a healthy snack and that’s only 140 calories. As a Scottsdale personal trainer, I boil a dozen at the beginning of the week, so I have them ready to rock when I want one

4. Almonds are a great healthy snack…but be careful about the amount you have…measure it out and get a good idea of what a tablespoon looks like. Almonds are the best nut out there for your body! They are loaded with vitamin E, calcium(REALLY!), and protein. Two tablespoons have about 105 calories…

5. As a Scottsdale personal trainer, after a hard run I drink a glass of low fat organic chocolate milk to help me recover, build muscle, and stabilize my blood sugar. 8 oz is only about 150 calories, 8 grams of protein and has been proven to be the preferred “recovery drink” in sports. If you didn’t have an intense workout, but want a healthy snack, skip the chocolate part and go for an 8-12 oz glass of non-low fat organic milk.

6. Mission Foods 6 inch whole wheat tortilla with 1 tablespoon of organic peanut butter and half of a sliced banana inside = 200 calories loaded with vitamins and protein.

7. Keeping spinach in the house is so smart- spinach is beyond packed with vitamins and minerals, PLUS it is virtually calorie free. Find a low cal/low fat salad dressing you like that is under 100 calories per two tablespoons, cut some veggies up if you like and BAM…you have yourself a beautiful, highly nutritious salad for 100 calories or less.

8. Organic light popcorn is awesome- there are so many great brands out there, just be sure it is organic and virtually any bag you buy is going to be less than 100 calories popped. Popcorn makes a great healthy snack because it keeps your mouth and hands busy for a long time.

9. Trader Joes has organic white string cheese that is only 80 calories per stick and 8 grams of protein. I like to pair a string cheese stick WITH popcorn for snack. That is still less than 200 calories total.

10. I LOVE hummus. All the Trader Joe brand hummus is less than 90 calories per two tablespoons. I personally like the Chipotle Pepper one. Try dipping veggies in it or spreading the hummus on 4-6 wheat crackers.

ENJOY your healthy snacks guilt free and feel GOOD!