Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could snack on when I get those munchies or cravings besides fruit, water or raw vegetables? I know there has to be something else out there. Thanks!

This is actually a really good question in the sense that it's not always easy to find something nutricious to snack on...

Here's what I think:

Although I rarely get the munchies anymore since i'm eating more calories than every before (four large meals per day)... I'm always full...

when you get the munchies, though, I could advise you to eat what I sometimes encourporate as part of my lunch:

string cheese
almonds
cashews
walnuts
any nut in general should be better than... chips or the usual "snack food"
baby carrots + ranch = my favorite (but u said no veggies)
you can have a can of V8 or some tomatoe juice... that's pretty healthy.... (but, again, a veggie)


that's all i got! hope i helped!

Lots of different flavored rice cakes out there as well :)

The guys have given you some good suggestions and the only other non fruit or vegetable ideas I can come up with are yogurt, cottage cheese, reduced fat Wheat Thins (which I'll eat with a T of peanut butter sometimes), jello ff pudding cups or jello gelatin cups. I also sometimes like to slowly sip on some hot green tea, especially when I KNOW I really shouldn't be hungry but maybe just bored. V-8 juice or soup is another option. And sometimes I'll eat some 94%ff microwave popcorn (be careful with popcorn, some are higher in calories and fat than you think!)

But generally I plan my meals like Dan mentioned so that really cuts down on times I get the "munchies" because I've satisfied myself at meal time. Maybe take a look at where you can make some changes to your meals, like making sure you have a lean protein, complex carb choice that's high in fiber and a moderate amount of fat.
Sometimes meals too low in fat will leave you hungry soon after the meal. A low fiber meal will leave you hungry quickly as well. So maybe planning your meals and snacks in advance may help eliminate the need for munchies overall.

If I think of any other non fruit or vegetable ideas I'll come back to add them.

Donna

I just have to add...

I used to get really frustrated about snacking because I *knew* carrots, celery, and other various and sundry rabbit food *should* pass my lips, but, dang it all, I wanted sweet, I wanted savory, I wanted SNACKY!! SO I did a whole "better than" thing, where (though I knew there were better snacks than the ones I was choosing) I would go---

sweet--I'd get teddy grahams (or graham crackers, normal, plain) for my daughter, and I'd eat them, because they were better than the Oreos I wanted. EVENTUALLY, I moved to trail mix, which was better than teddy grahams AND had some protein (from nuts) to stave off the next hunger pangs. As well, often, there'd be chocolate in trailmix. Cuz sometimes you just need a bit of chocolate. (note. Nuts and trailmix *can* be dangerous, because you can mindlessly snack away a few million cals. Bad thing, whatever plan you use.)----eventually, my sweet cravings migrated to fruit. Love it all. If I want sweet, gimme a fruit.


Savory. Wheat thins, lowfat. or baked chip-type things. (better than the regular chippy stuff) THEN got smarter, moved to teeny bits of goldfish crackers, pretzel-type, because my daughter liked them, too. Noticed sodium content. As well as PHO-s (minimal, in pretzels.) (sodium, though....) Moved to lower sodium rice cakes, or small bits of bread. Or small chunks of cheese. (I know--fat=backwards in "dieting" but really, a bit of fat helps with munchies--it means, again, staving off hunger pangs...)


AS well, don't discredit popcorn,for the regular snackies, just not the butter parmesan drenched stuff.


Hope this helps!!

When I get to munchies.. I try to get my mind into doing something else.. posting here at diettalk.. cleaning my house, ect... I'm trying not to turn to food when I get the munchies, bored, ect.

I'd say pretty much everything Donna said, except I like reduced fat Triscuits over wheat thins. Sometimes I'll put some grated reduced fat cheese on top, and a little bit of salsa, nuke and wheee, nachos. (The green tea is a real help, btw. It gives me something to do, because I have to get up and make it, and something to have in my hand.)

Another favorite snack is a small (or half a large) whole wheat pita filled with a heaping tablespoon of hummus. Fiber, protein, carbs, fat - keeps me going to the next meal. I'll also have about 14 roasted, unsalted almonds for a snack. (I sometimes do count it as a meal.)

I also do what Dan and Donna do: I eat meals throughout the day, generally about 5 small meals. They can be much smaller than you imagine - I take a little tupperware container to keep the portions down - but I have a meal about every 3 hours. For a diehard foodie, it gives me something to look forward to!

I have to disagree with what someone said...I wouldn't recommened rice cakes at all...I use to like them a lot, but they really don't answer your hunger at all in my opinion. I would say ditto to all the stuff SmartDan mentioned in the second post b/c they will fill you up since they have protein and the good kind of fat, but as I have to do with teddy grahams, measure peanuts and similar foods out first...don't just eat from the can or bottle. Cereal is also a good munching food...I love Kashi, cheerios, and Cracklin Oat Bran myself. Alecia

If you want a desserty treat... there are Dreyer's Whole Fruit bars.... they're yummy and low in calories. :)

My favorite snack is the mini bags of smart pop kettle corn. Good fiber, protien, and only 110 calories, even if you eat the entire bag. No guilt. Good for you. A great snack when you're hungry. But I agree with John. Don't eat cause you're bored. Eat cause you're hungry.

Rikki:D

I try to not think of food. Starting to sew for Christmas shut in people. Think of others.!!! I found the koli rahbi at the fruit stand yesterday. Its a green root vegetable that tastes like cabbage hearts. Didn't even ask the price. I just knew that the sweet taste along with fresh turnips are wonderful to munch on this time of year. If you have it on hand and already cut up on a counter, you will eat it.