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Any suggestions for an afternoon snack that can be eaten while driving. I know it is not optimum to eat while doing something else, but I need a snack for after the gym on the way home – otherwise, I’ll either eat everything in sight when I get home or worse, stop on the way home – which usually does not mean making good choices.
I have usually gone for some nuts and dried fruit, but afternoon snack calls for veggies. I cannot eat raw carrots or celery due to having had my soft palate clipped for apnea. I choke on both foods unless they are cooked. And I dislike cucumber. Besides I really just cannot think of a veggie match to go with almonds or walnuts that I would want to eat raw. With cheese, yes, but not with nuts alone.
I suppose the real question is – is it okay to have more fruit servings than suggested on the menu? I realize that veggies are lower calorie and less ‘sugar’ but dried fruit and nuts are much simpler to keep in the glove box for ’emergencies’ (like ensuring I drive past the drive-thru while on errands)
This does tend to also cut down on my veggie intake, although I do tend to have an extra veggie at breakfast in my eggs, so not too bad. I seem to average 2-3 veggie exchanges a day.
Also, on days when I’m somewhere I can eat without worrying about spilling, I tend towards hummus for afternoon snack. I’m trying to eat more veggies then (instead of pita), but I’m curious whether sugar snap peas count as carb like regular peas or as veggies. I often use cherry tomatoes, but I like a change.
Lastly – any good ideas for non-lettuce veggie salads to keep in the fridge so I don’t have to make one every lunch? I usually keep a fennel, orange and onion on hand and a tomatoes and blanched green beans, but that gets repetitive. So any good veggie salad suggestions would be welcome.
Melissa, Have you tried SkinnyPop? It comes in big bags and in individual bags. It is approved and 3 cups has 30 calories and counts as 1 carb!
Buy a big bag of kale or other greens of your choice. When you get home blitz them in a blender with a little water to form a paste. Fill an ice cube tray and freeze. Add one or two cubes to your morning smoothie.
I am new and find it very hard to get going. I work very long hours 6am to 9pm most days and get home most days by 10pm. I work for the NHS and I need to lose 3st by 2 August to have an operation anyone got any pointers for me please.
Hi cristy, and welcome. I suggest you switch over to the personal version of the Menu Planner (the right-most of the three options in the application area here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/menu-planner). There you can select the foods that will work for you, rather than getting a menu from foods that work for the average Clubmember. In addition, I’m listing here some ideas for quick but healthy foods, including some that you can take with you on-the-go:
•Fresh and dried fruit
•Cut raw vegetables
•Oven-baked vegetable chips
•Nuts and seeds
•Trail mix combinations of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
•Sandwiches – good breads with nut butters, hummus and similar spreads, tahini, canned or smoked fish, cheese, homemade “cold cuts” from fresh meats, egg salad, etc.
•Whole grain or Paleo crackers plus any of the above
•Hard-boiled eggs
•Sliced or string cheese
•Cottage cheese
•Yogurt
•Milk (dairy or vegetal), plain or flavored with cocoa powder and a recommended sweetener
•Hearty soup in a thermos (2-3 food groups, i.e. meat or legume, vegetable, whole grain)
•Hearty smoothie/shake in a thermos (2-3 food groups, i.e. fruit/vegetable, dairy/vegan, seeds)
•Edamame or other legume/pulse snacks
•Whole grain or Paleo cereal or granola (cold in small sealable bag, cooked in thermos)
•Canned beans
•Prepared healthy foods in containers – from leftovers or prepared the night or weekend before.
•Homemade whole-food muffins or bars
•Popped grains, i.e. organic popcorn, sorghum, quinoa
If you have additional concerns or questions, please do repost here, and I would be happy to help in whatever way I can.To get started quickly read our Quick Start Guide. It will give you the tools and directions you need to start the program.
Follow these easy steps:
1. Login to http://www.trimdownclub.com
2. Click My Downloads on the top right of the home page
3. Under the Trim Down Club Program click on Start Now
4. Then, under the Quick Start Guide click on Download NowNifty little ‘trick’ I’ve discovered. I find that if I put one of the 100% whole wheat handmade tortillas by TraderJoe’s on my toaster oven one toast, it puffs up and can be mostly separated into 2 very thin tortillas. Note that this is still close to 2 carb exchanges, so I usually try to cut a carb at lunch if I plan to have this as snack later.
I wouldn’t try to use them AS a tortilla that way, but it does give me the feeling of having twice as much tortilla to tear in pieces and dip into my hummus for snack – without actually adding the extra tortilla (which would be REALLY going over my carb allotment!). Unfortunately, I do not know whether this will work with another brand or not, but give it a try and see.
I also find cherry tomatoes to be good hummus dippers, which ups my veggies! Another thing I do to get in more veg, is to mix a tablespoon of tabouleh in with a tablespoon of hummus and a tablespoon of greek yogurt. Be sure to use a tabouleh that is mostly parsley and mint and not predominately couscous – otherwise you’ll just be adding more carb. I use Asmar’s brand, that I get at Whole Foods, if I don’t make my own. I suggest using quinoa if you make your own.
Of course, that’s also why I appreciated the feeling of having more bread to dip since I end up with 3 tablespoons of snack dip. It’s also, the reason that I need the tomato dippers, since even when separated in two, the tortilla wouldn’t last until the dip was finished.
The same tabouleh is also really good mixed with canned tuna and a little greek yogurt for lunch. Again, watch which tabouleh you use as some are predominately couscous. Not so bad if you don’t make a sandwich out of the salad, but they can add up otherwise.
One tip I have for salads… I know they can be a pain to make each time and if you eat lots of salads like I do this may help. You take and make them up in canning jars/mason jars. Each jar is 1 salad. First wash your salad greens, then get them as dry as you can. I use a salad spinner and then lay them on paper toweling or flour sack towels to dry, sometimes patting it dry from the top side too. Then get your other veggies prepped and cut. First thing in the jar is your dressing. Then next put in other veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, shredded carrots, celery or cabbage. Then as the very top add your salad greens. You don’t want those touching the dressing or it goes soggy. If you add any other toppings now is the time (shredded cheese, parmesan, canadian bacon bits, etc) Then fold up a piece of paper toweling or napkin and lay on top of it all and put the lid on the jar and keep in the refrigerator. The paper towel helps absorb any extra moisture. (I use quart jars so they hold the extra veggies I add).. When it’s time to eat just pour onto a plate or in a bowl and your dressing will pour over the top and eat. I have made up to 15 salads for the week this way and the last one is almost as fresh as the first. It’s a great time saver during the week!
Please can someone tell me how to ask a question to the nutritionisg llease as i can’t see how? Thanks
Hi, maxxgreathead – just like that! I’m the TDC nutritionist here, and I’m happy to answer any questions you post.
Hi, Audrey. I have forwarded your query to tech support, and someone will get back to you within less than a day.
I am having a problem as well. On April 28, I was involved in a near fatal accident and after spending over a month in the hospital and another 3 weeks in rehabilitation, I am now home; however, I haven’t been able to prepare my own meals and do my shopping. Since I have no family here, I must rely on friends to shop for me. I am still wheelchair bound and am having to depend on Meals on Wheels and others to help. I don’t like having the meals they provide since they are not appropriate for my eating plan, but I have to have something. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get back on my plan?
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