By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., lead nutritionist for The Best Life
How long does it take you to eat a cookie or a chocolate bar? Maybe 30 seconds? You’re left feeling like you could have about five more before you even start to feel full. While I love those treats—and do indulge in them—I alternate them with low-calorie sweets that I can savor for longer. Here are some of my favorites, ranging from 125 to 165 calories.
Biscotti dipped in tea. I just had one, in fact, and timed myself: Nearly four minutes! Dip the tip of the cookie, let it cool a little, bite, chew (chewing takes even longer if it contains nuts, as my 125-calorie chocolate hazelnut variety did), have a sip or two of tea, repeat. They’re not hard to make, as you can see from this Chocolate Dried Cranberry recipe.
Homemade strawberry shortcake. I slice a 3-inch square piece of store-bought cornbread in half lengthwise, spread each piece with strawberry jam (about a teaspoon total) and slather on 1/3 cup 0 percent Greek yogurt mixed with a teaspoon of honey. Then I top the pieces with 1/3 cup strawberries. I haven’t timed myself, but this must take at least twice as long to eat as a cookie.
Hot chocolate. It takes a while to cool, so you have to take small sips and wait awhile in between. Give our vegan version a try!
Fruit with vanilla yogurt. Dip about a cup of apples, peaches, strawberries or any other fruit in a half-cup of vanilla yogurt. Take your time to really chew the fruit.
Pistachios. Healthy enough to be a snack, delicious enough to be a treat. Opening up those shells and coaxing out the nuts takes a nice, long while, but the calories are meager (just 118 calories for 30 nuts).
Also Read:
35 Kid-Friendly Snacks That Meet the New Smart Snacks in Schools Guidelines