Healthy Snack Attacks

Crackers, chips, cookies, fries. Snacking can be dangerous territory. Out of convenience, many of us turn to less nutritious food and store-bought snack foods, full of unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats, and often lacking in nutrients and fiber. Well, good news: heart healthy snacks can be just as accessible—and just as tasty.

Next time you reach for a snack, try one of these nutritious, low saturated or no-trans-fat choices. And remember to keep them close at hand so you can grab them when you’re hungry: the fridge at work, your desk drawer, the car, your purse, briefcase or backpack.

Savory Snacks
• Fresh-cut vegetables and whole grain breads with hummus
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• Whole wheat crackers or melba toast with peanut butter
• Flavored mini rice cakes (whole grain, if possible)
• Pita triangles with low-fat dip
• Trailmix made with nuts, seeds and dried fruit
• Air-popped popcorn (It’s delicious with melted Promise® Buttery Spread, or sprinkled with spice mix!)
• Seasoned whole grain flat bread or breadsticks

Sweet Snacks
• Fruit wedges
• Low-fat and non-fat yogurt cups
• Fruit cups, packed in natural juices
• Fig bars
• Whole grain oatmeal granola bars
• Whole wheat toast with all-fruit spread
• Slice of angel food cake with frozen, low-fat yogurt as a treat
• Fruit and low-fat yogurt smoothies
• 100% fruit juice popsicles

Of course, when you’re having a busy day it’s not always possible to have a healthy snack close by. If you keep these tips in mind, a hectic schedule won’t have to derail your heart healthy eating habits.

Eating Out
• Whole grain wraps and sandwiches made with veggies and plain (non-battered and non-fried) lean meats poultry, fish or beans
• Grilled fish and steamed vegetables
• Tomato-based sauces for pasta dishes, rather than cream-based ones
• Salads with oil-based dressing
• Baked potato
• Broth or tomato-based soup with whole-wheat roll

Snacking On-the-Go
• Small boxes of raisins
• Dried fruit and unsalted nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, soy nuts and almonds
• Low-fat fruit yogurt
• Small containers with whole grain cereal
• Individually-packed melba toast or whole-wheat cookies
• Fresh fruit or veggies like apples, oranges, plums, grapes, bananas, celery sticks, baby carrots, cut bell peppers etc...

FOOD GUIDE ARTICLES
• Stocking a Heart Healthy Kitchen
• Simple Swaps
• Healthy Snack Attacks
• Powerful Superfoods
• Brown Bagging it the Healthy Way
RELATED ARTICLES
• 10 Habits of Highly Heart Healthy People
• All About Plant Sterols
• Fat and Cholesterol 101

Promise® SuperShots® for cholesterol and Spreads
Foods containing at least 0.4g per serving of plant sterols eaten twice a day with meals for a total daily intake of at least 0.8 g, as part of a low saturated fat, low trans fat and low cholesterol diet, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Promise® SuperShots® provides 2.0g plant sterols. A serving of Promise activ® Spreads provides 1.0g plant sterols.

Promise® SuperShots® for blood pressure is a good source of potassium and low in sodium. Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke

Promise® Buttery Spreads
Promise® Buttery Spread can help maintain a healthy heart when eaten instead of butter or margarine, as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Promise® Buttery Spread contains 8g total fat and 1.5g saturated fat per serving. It can be used in the preparation of heart healthy recipes when substituted for butter or margarine.

The Promise® website is intended to provide general information for healthy people. If you have heart disease or related conditions, (such as diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure) or if you have questions about your heart health or your health in general, please see your doctor.