Healthy Snacks & Healthy Alternatives

Whenever a new semester rolls around I tend to promise myself that I'm going to try to eat healthier and exercise more often.  So in honor of my new health kick, I thought I'd do a blog post about the healthy snacks that I like to eat. Hopefully this gives you ideas for snacks that are both healthy and delicious.

Veggies and Greek Yogurt Dip:
I love eating celery and carrots, but eating them without something to dip them in is really hard for me.  Vegetable dips tend to have a lot of calories because of all of the sour cream and mayo that is in them, but there is a healthier alternative...

I like to combine Hidden Valley Dip mix (it comes in a packet) with 0% plain Greek yogurt.  I usually buy a 6oz cup of yogurt and mix it with about 1/5th of the ranch mix packet, but you can use more or less ranch depending on what you like.  Hidden Valley also has a few flavors to choose from so if you're not a fan of plain ranch they have Fiesta Ranch, Dill, etc.

This combination is still creamy and flavorful, but without all of the calories of a regular veggie dip.  One package of 0% greek yogurt has 100 calories in it.  You can also use this as a salad dressing if mixed with a splash of skim milk.

 Trisciuts with Cheese and Pepperoni:
Here's a twist on crackers and cheese that is healthier and to me, more filling...

I like to use Triscuits Thin Crisps because I feel like they fill me up more than a normal cracker.  I usually buy the parmesan garlic flavor because I've never been one to buy "original."
Laughing Cow cheeses are so good!  I would totally recommend these because one wedge is 35 calories but it is so creamy and delicious and you can buy them in a good amount of different flavors.  Laughing cow cheese wedges are also really versatile...i use them in pasta dishes and as a spread on sandwiches instead of a slice of cheese.
Hormel Turkey Pepperoni is also a good alternative to regular pepperoni.  It has 70% less fat and you can have 17 slices for only 70 calories.  To be completely honest, I think Hormel Turkey Pepperoni tastes just as good as regular pepperoni.

Special K Products:
Special K products are somethings that I am sort of rediscovering and loving.  I used to eat the cereal bars all the time and I don't know why I ever stopped.  They have less calories than a granola bar and in my opinion they taste better.  I love Special K cereal bars because they're really convenient especially for those who just like to get up and go.  I usually just eat these on the bus on my way to campus.   My favorite flavor is raspberry cheesecake.
Special K Cracker Chips are a really great alternative to regular potato chips.  The serving is 27 chips which is more than enough for me and in 27 chips, there are only 110 calories.  When comparing these to other types of chips, you can eat more while consuming less calories (which makes Cracker Chips a winner in my book)...and I almost forgot to mention...they taste really good too!

Teavana's Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate with German Rock Sugar:

I love Teavana teas.  They can be pricey for teas, but I feel like they are worth it.  The Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate is a great alternative to super sugary raspberry lemonades.  This is good served hot or over ice and it has very few calories (4 i think) if you drink it without rock sugar.  The rock sugar (also from Teavana) is a good sweetener to use in teas because it is more natural than regular sugar and it also has only 25 calories per teaspoon.