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You may be familiar with health professionals suggesting that you eat snacks throughout the day, and 'snack bars' seem like an obvious choice. But walk into that aisle of the grocery store and you are bombarded with bright colors, health claims, and messages on each and every box. Which ones are better choices and which ones are more like camouflaged candy bars?
One main ingredient to look for in snack items is fiber. It helps fill you up and keep your system moving. Current recommendations suggest that adults need 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day. A product or a food item can be labeled "high fiber" when it contains more than 5g of fiber per serving. And bran, the outer layer of the whole grain, is fiber rich. However, they don't make it easy - just seeing the words "fiber" or "bran" on the food package does not guarantee a well-balanced product.
In addition to a good amount of fiber, you also want a snack bar to have several grams of protein and fat to balance out the carbohydrates from the grains and not to have too many grams of sugar (aim for 10 grams or less).
Quaker makes an easy lesson for us with its "Breakfast Cookies." At least they are not hiding anything with this product - with 220 calories and 19 grams of sugar, this breakfast item surely is just a cookie fortified with a handful of vitamins. You will find that other bars are often little more than vitamin-fortified Rice Krispies Treats.
The new Oats and Chocolate Fiber One Bar touts 35% of the daily value of fiber in huge print on the front of the box. I give this product an honorable mention. With drizzled chocolate on top and chocolate chips inside, this bar is a sweet and tasty treat. The nutritional information is 140 calories and 9 grams of fiber, but it also has 10 grams of sugar and only 2 grams of protein. In addition, these bars contain high fructose corn syrup, as well as hydrogenated coconut oil. On the other hand, I highly recommend Fiber One cereal as a breakfast food or snack (mix with nuts and dried fruit for a fantastic homemade trail mix). One-half cup has only 60 calories and 15 grams of fiber.
All-Bran also has a bar that I will give an honorable mention. It advertises 20% of your daily fiber needs on the package. Each bar has about 130 calories, 5 grams of fiber, only half a gram of saturated fat, and no refined grains. It has moderately high sugar at 11 grams, but at least it comes with a decent dose of fiber. In contrast, Post Raisin Bran Cereal Bars have only 3 grams of fiber and some refined "wheat flakes" mixed in with their whole grains. Even lower on the continuum would be Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch bars - they have more white rice than any whole grain, leaving each bar with only one gram of fiber. Why even use bran in the name of that bar?
Kashi is a current favorite brand of mine. They now have hot and cold cereals, granola bars, snack bars, and yes, you heard it here, cookies!, all made with their signature seven-grain blend. A cookie with 3-4 grams of fiber may be a nutritionists dream come true. Their TLC crunchy and chewy granola bars, as well as their GoLean snack bars are great choices for snacks on the run. The granola bars have 4 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, and 5-7 grams of sugar. The snack bars have 6 grams of fiber and 9-12 grams of protein. (Numbers vary depending on the flavor). In addition, all of the ingredients are natural - no manufactured sugars or hydrogenated oils.
As you can see, it is all relative. Kashi remains my top choice of brand. However, keep in mind these guidelines when checking food labels: Look for at least 4 or 5 grams of fiber and protein and less than 10 grams of sugar. Read over the ingredient list. Is it nice and short? Can you pronounce all of the words? Going with the old adage that "we are what we eat," it is nice to at least be able to pronounce what we are putting inside our bodies.
Snack on! Without constant sources of energy throughout the day, your mental clarity and mood are sure to suffer. If you don't believe it - ask your coworkers or family. They may hint at a few mood swings, depending on the last time you have eaten that day.
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With Valentine's Day right around the corner, considering making some easy Valentine's snacks that the little ones can bring to school? Whether you are preparing them for your own child's lunch or as a special treat for the class, here are some snacks that are easy to transport and easy for the little ones to devour once they dig in!
Marshmallow-Popcorn Hearts are a simple alternative to popcorn balls. With this recipe, you can skip the Karo syrup and just melt some marshmallows instead! This quick and easy recipe works just like Rice Krispie bars, only with popcorn instead!
Here's what you need to get started:
o 10 cups popped popcorn
o 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
o 1 10-ounce package regular marshmallows
o Red food coloring
o Red colored sugar
Directions
o Put the popped corn (minus the unpopped kernels) into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan and keep it warm in your 300 degree oven.
o Melt the butter/margarine and marshmallows in a large kettle or in the microwave. (Microwave: 1 ½ to 2 minutes, stirring once) Stir the mixture until it is smooth, no lumps, and then add the red food coloring.
o Stir in the popped popcorn- about half at a time.
o Wait 10 minutes or so until it is cool enough to handle.
o Grease individual heart shaped pans with butter.
o Press the popcorn mixture into the greased pans.
o Cool the popcorn hearts. Remove from pans. Sprinkle each with red colored sugar.
o Wrap each individually in plastic wrap- pink or red finishes it off nicely.
o Makes 9 hearts.
This one is a little messy, but for an extra-special treat, exceptions can be made to almost any rule. Take along a pre-packaged wet napkin in a zippered plastic bag to assist in quick clean-up.
Candy Apple or Caramel Apple Valentines
1 bag of caramels
1 pack of craft sticks (like popsicle sticks)
1 bag of apples or your choice
wax paper
cake decorating tool
Flavored icing
Melt the caramels or hard candy according to the package directions. Insert a craft stick into one end of each apple. Dip the apple into the melted caramel, covering it completely. Lift the apple and let it drip for a few seconds and then set it on the wax paper until completely set- about two hours) Use your cake decorating tool (or a plastic bag with a hole in the corner and a decorating tip) to write a nice message on each apple. Wrap in plastic wrap and secure the wrap at the top of the apple with a rubber band, leaving the stick exposed as a handle.
Finally, you can mix up these peppermint stars from a quick meringue batter. They make a tasty little treat that travels well in a lunch.
Peppermint Stars
Makes: 45 cookies
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Ingredients
o 2 egg whites
o 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
o 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
o 1/2 cup sugar
o 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
o Red food coloring (optional)
Directions
1. Place egg whites in a medium mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Line two large cookie sheets with brown paper or foil; set aside.
3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves. Quickly beat in peppermint extract. Tint pink with several drops of red food coloring, if desired.
4. Using a pastry tube with a large star decorating tip, pipe cookies onto prepared cookie sheets (form cookies about 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let cookies dry in oven with door closed about 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets. Cover and store in a dry place. Makes 45 cookies.
Your kids will be delighted when you take the time to make these special Valentine's Day snacks for their lunches. After all, special surprises from those who loves us most are what Valentine's Day is all about!
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