Snacking is the American way. We love our cookies, Twinkies and peanuts. Food manufacturers have carried the snacking craze to the maximum with snack pack pudding; snack size candy bars and even cheese/cracker snack size portions. The market continues to sky-rocket! Unfortunately a significant proportion of the snack foods have limited nutritional value. There is hope. If you are looking for a healthy snack that will "pick you up" and help provide essential nutrients try these:
* orange slices or other fresh fruit,
* graham crackers,
* baby carrots or other cut up raw vegetables,
* dried fruit,
* rice cakes,
* whole grain toast with jelly or honey,
* bagel with low fat cream cheese,
* salsa made with fresh vegetables or fruit,
* low fat cottage cheese or yogurt,
* fat free pudding,
* lower fat cookies such as fig newtons or vanilla wafers, and
* pretzels.

Watch out for new fandangled snack foods which are simply a marketing strategy. Read the label and evaluate the food. Be sure it is not excessive in fat content, and that it provides at least two important nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C or vitamin A.

Snacking is not a bad habit: making unhealthy snack food choices is.

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