CREAMY
Instead of this: While ice cream may
come to mind first, there are a variety of
other smooth snacks that can be just as
satisfying.
Try munching on this:
• Fresh avocado spread on
whole grain bread OR ½
avocado eaten plain with a spoon
• Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut
butter in the microwave for 10 seconds
and drizzle over ½ cup low-fat,
no-added-sugar frozen yogurt.
• Puree some berries and swirl into a cup
of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.
CRUNCHY
Instead of this: Pretzels and chips have
a crunchy texture that you may crave,
but they can come with a lot of extra
sodium that you don’t need.
Try munching on this:
• ¾ cup whole grain cereal, no
added sugar
• Crunchy unsalted nuts
• Whole grain crisp breads
• Plain popcorn; to add some
flavor, experiment with
various spices like cinnamon
or your favorite spice or herb
LIQUID
Instead of this: Sweet tea or soda
may sound refreshing, but it can take
a while to work off all those empty
calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha
coffee drink with whipped cream can
be 400 calories — and that’s before
adding sugar or honey.
Try sipping on this:
• Plain iced tea made with a
squeeze of lemon. You can
sweeten with berries or a
non-caloric sweetener
• Add fruit slices to a glass and fill
with club soda
• Instead of the fancy mocha drink,
choose a small latte made with nonfat
milk and topped with cinnamon, which
is about a quarter of the calories.
SQUISHY
Instead of this: Jelly-like candies or
even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound
like squishy fun in your mouth, but
other options pack more nutrition.
Try munching on this:
• Fresh grapes are sweet and
juicy; freeze them for a few
minutes for a fun texture
• Make tapioca pudding with squishy
tapioca pearls; follow the directions on
the box, only use half the amount of
sugar or a non-caloric sweetener and
fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
• Cherry tomatoes and room-
temperature string cheese are
squishy, stringy fun
CRISPY
Instead of this: Some folks may not
like apples because they can be soft and
mealy or grainy; the same can be true of
over-cooked potatoes.
Try munching on this:
• Choose crisp apple varieties
like: Braeburn, Honey
Crisp, Fuji and Gala; avoid
Cortland, Red Delicious or Rome,
which can be softer
• Choose red potatoes or white potatoes
and don’t overcook; avoid Russet
potatoes which are high in starch
making them perfect for mashed
potatoes — but also making them
seem ‘mealy or grainy’
Conquer Cravings with
These Healthy Substitutions
WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED FOOD CRAVINGS, and often those
cravings have to do with texture — like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain
foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you
may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and
flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings
with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures.
