This is Page 2 of a three-page article on healthy “convenience” snacks—you can keep them at your workplace or carry them with you without the need for refrigeration. Get ready, get set, snack! Click on the black links below to visit other pages.
White bean dip looks like hummus and can be flavored in the same way, but has an even broader appeal, because it’s composed of white beans and olive oil, so it lacks the more exotic sesame flavor provided by the tahini in hummus. With nutritious white beans and heart-healthy olive oil, this spread tastes great on crackers (see Wasa Crispbreads below), vegetables, with boiled eggs or on a sandwich. Read our review of Cool Beans, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.
Cool Soup:
Portable Soup In A Bottle
The 8-ounce single-serve bottles of soup require no refrigeration or heating. Although chilling enhances the flavor, they taste just fine at room temperature. Nutritious, delicious and all-natural, they’re made from premium fruits and vegetables, puréed into creamy comfort. The Rich Vegetable Gazpacho is vegan (and just 100 calories); Creamy Mango Spice is a sweet fruit soup with a little kick of chili pepper. Read our full review of Cool Soup.
You also can stock up on individual portions of healthy soups that can go into the microwave. See Progresso, below.
G’Day Gourmet:
Canned Tuna & Salmon
These 3.5-ounce single-serve cans with convenient pull-tab tops need no extra dressing: they’re already fully seasoned in delicious flavors like Chili, Lemon Pepper, Mild Indian Curry, Tomato Basil and Tomato Salsa. Tuna flavors are from 135 to 168 calories and salmons are from 99 to 145 calories. Packed with protein and loaded with Omega 3s, read our full review of G’Day Gourmet, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.
Peanut Butter
A spoonful of PB on a piece of flatbread (see Wasa, below)—or just eaten from a spoon, provides energy and protein. Look for all-natural brands with no added sugars or preservatives. Peanut butter isn’t a low-calorie food, but it’s a nutritious one. If you have a peanut allergy, or don’t like peanut butter, check out Artisana Raw Nut Butters (cashew, macadamia and more delicious options), a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.
Progresso:
Light Soups
Progresso has done a great job with its light soups, which are available in traditional cans (ready to heat and eat) and a microwaveable container, shown at the right, which has 100 calories and no added sugar. We don’t eat canned soup as a rule (we love homemade), but went out and bought more of these as better snacking and comfort food. They’re available in 14 flavors, including two reduced-sodium varieties; the microwaveable bowls in 10 varieties.
Available at stores nationwide and at many e-tailers—just search for Progresso Light.
Savory Creations:
Chicken & Beef Broths
Mix up a cup of the best-tasting chicken or beef broth ever...for only 15 calories. It tastes like chicken broth at the Four Seasons, not chicken broth from a cube. This is the same concentrate you can cook up a storm with, but add hot water to the convenient foil pouches and you’ve got a nourishing bowl of soup. Read our review of Savory Choice.
Silver Creek Specialty Meats:
Snack Sticks (Jerky)
Jerky is an easy-to-store snack, but many brands are loaded with sugar and salt. We were pleasantly surprised by this line: the unstylish packaging reveals a delicious, moist and tender, gourmet-quality jerky. The Sirloin Strip With Cranberries & Blueberries was a favorite, with 8 grams of protein and no added sugar, MSG or trans fat; it was the perfect picker-upper. The chicken varieties are a bit spicier: Skinless Chicken Breast Strip With Black Bean Salsa & Wisconsin Cheddar and Skinless Chicken Breast Strip With Italian Seasoning & Romano Cheese (both with 10 grams of lean protein). All three varieties are one-ounce strips, 50 calories apiece.
SilverCreekSpecialtyMeats.com
Tillen Farms:
Pickled Vegetables
If you can’t manage a supply of fresh veggies, turn to a jar of vegetables. When we’re looking for a special treat, we dig into a jar of Tillen Farms spicy pickled asparagus or green beans. There are non-spicy varieties, plus pickled carrots, snap beans, bell peppers and other vegetables. Eat a few spears (or an entire jar) with some sparkling water or a can of club soda, and you’ll feel like you’ve snacked at the Ritz. Read our review of Tillen Farms.
Wasa:
Crispbreads
It’s easy to keep healthy flatbread, crackers or melba toast in an airtight plastic container. Our favorite for low-calorie, high-fiber crunch. Add a little peanut butter or cottage cheese for protein (or, as shown here, a hard boiled egg and some whitefish roe). Read our review of Wasa Crispbreads.
