Good Snacks

		EM4711

Pick snacks from the basic food groups.
VEGETABLES FRUITS	BREADS CEREALS	MILK CHEESE	MEAT & POULTRY FISH & BEANS

Eat Good Snacks for:
	Builds and repairs skin, muscle, blood, bone, and brain.
	Prevents constipation.
	Turn food into energy, keep skin and eyes healthy, keep gums and blood vessels healthy, help use calcium.
	Makes red blood, builds bones and teeth.

The Other Food Group--Don't Eat Too Much
	Sweet, salty, greasy, rich, or alcoholic foods are often called "junk foods." They have calories, but few vitamins and minerals, and little protein or fiber for good health.
	Sweets taste so good it's easy to eat too much. And, that can lead to becoming overweight—one of the causes of heart disease and diabetes. Sweets also cause tooth decay. To prevent tooth decay, brush teeth after eating. Sipping pop all day or snacking on sugary foods several times a day causes more tooth decay than eating sweets with a meal.
	Rich, greasy, oily, or fatty foods such as French fried potatoes, potato chips, corn chips, sour cream dips, and milk chocolate candy have a lot of fat. Eating fatty foods can lead to heart disease, diabetes or becoming overweight. Fat has more calories than any other food.
	Salty snacks include potato chips, pretzels, salted nuts, and salted popcorn. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure.

Fruit, Nut, and Cereal Mix
	¹/₂ cup raisins or other dried fruit 1 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup low-sugar breakfast cereal (*Puffed Wheat and Rice, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, Cornflakes, Special K, Shredded Wheat)
	Mix all ingredients together. Store in a plastic bag.
	Calories: 112 per ¹/₄ cup (small handful).

Vegetables and Dip
	2 cups plain yogurt ¹/₂ package dry onion soup mix or dry vegetable soup mix
	Mix together and chill. Use as dip for washed and cut-up vegetables. Try cucumber, zucchini, or carrot sticks; broccoli or cauliflower pieces; tomato or cabbage wedges.

	Vegetable Dip Variations
	Instead of yogurt, try 2 cups cottage cheese or 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup cottage cheese. Dry soup has a lot of salt. For less salt, use 1 onion chopped very fine instead of soup mix and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.
	Calories: 49 per ¹/₄ cup dip (¹/₄ cup milk).

Snack Ideas
	Nachos
	Spread tortilla chips on a plate. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup grated cheese. Heat in microwave oven for 30 seconds. Look to see if cheese is melted. If not, heat for another 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Dip nachos in salsa.

	Peanut Butter-Banana Sandwiches
	Spread bread with peanut butter. Top with slices of banana and another slice of bread.


	Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Toast
	Toast bread. Spread bread with 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar.
	*Trade names have been used to simplify information. No endorsement is intended.

Yogo pops
	Makes 8 popsicles, 4 ounces each
	2 cups plain yogurt 1 cup milk 1 cup mashed fruit—any flavor you like—strawberries, peaches, applesauce, pineapple, or ¹/₃ cup frozen concentrate orange or grape juice 1 tablespoon sugar, if desired ¹/₂ teaspoon vanilla
1	Shake in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or blend until smooth.
2	Freeze in an ice cube tray or 4-ounce paper cups. Use small plastic spoons for handles.
	Calories: about 75 for a 4-ounce serving.

Honey Milk Balls
	Makes 20 small balls
	¹/₄ cup honey ¹/₄ cup peanut butter ¹/₂ cup non-fat dry milk ¹/₂ cup breakfast cereal, crushed
1	Mix honey and peanut butter.
2	Gradually add dry milk and mix well. Chill for easier handling.
3	With greased hands, form into small balls.
4	Roll in crushed cereal flakes.
5	Chill until firm.
	Calories: 40 for one honey milk ball.

Honey should not be given to children less than one year of age.

To burn off 100 calories it takes:
	One hour and 10 minutes of watching television, sewing, typing, or reclining; 50 minutes of slow walking or doing dishes; 35 minutes of walking moderately fast; 25 minutes of walking fast, bowling, or working in a garden; 20 minutes of running, dancing, swimming hard, or bicycle riding. One pound of fat has 3,500 calories.


Two snacks with more than 100 calories:
	1 bottle beer	150
	12-ounce pop	150

One Serving of Some Common Snacks Is:
0-30 calories	4 radishes 1 stalk celery 1 cup raw cabbage 1 pickle 1 teaspoon mustard 1 cup cooked greens 1 cup plain popcorn

35-65 calories	¹/₂ cup unsweetened applesauce 1 ¹/₂ tablespoons raisins 1 cup strawberries ¹/₂ cup fruit 1 medium orange 1 biscuit 1 slice bread

70-100 calories	1-inch chunk cheese ¹/₃ cup cottage cheese 1 cup skim milk 1 small scoop ice cream (1/4 cup ¹/₂ cup plain yogurt 1 large cooked egg 1 slice bologna 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1-2 ounces most cooked meats, fish, poultry 1 medium apple 1 medium banana ¹/₂ cantaloupe ¹/₂ cup fruit cocktail/other canned fruit 1 slice watermelon ³/₄ cup most breakfast cereals 1 tablespoon fat or salad dressing

100-250 calories	1 (8-ounce) container fruit-flavored yogurt 2 handfuls (16) potato chips 2-inch square brownies 2 oatmeal cookies 2 sandwich cookies ¹/₂ ounce milk chocolate candy bar 1 bottle beer 1 12-ounce pop

250-400 calories	1 piece pie 1 piece chocolate cake with icing 1 large scoop ice cream

Microwave Popcorn Safety Alert Do not cook popcorn in a brown paper bag in the microwave oven. The corn gets so hot it can cause a fire. If you pop a purchased bag of microwave popcorn, be careful when you open the bag because the escaping steam can cause burns.

College of Agriculture and Home Economics, Pullman, Washington Prepared by Sue Nicholson Butkus, Extension Specialist, WSU Puyallup. Issued by Washington State University Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Cooperative Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Cooperative Extension office. Trade names have been used to simplify information; no endorsement is intended. Reprinted March 1996. Subject code 661. A EM4711

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