We’ve all been there…it’s late afternoon, you’re doing a million things, and despite eating a healthy breakfast and lunch.. it hits. Out of nowhere you suddenly have the craving for a huge bag of potato chips.. or maybe even a candy bar. You have two choices…give in and go for the junk food or go the healthy route and kick the cravings to the curb.
I’ve been in this situation… many times. I’ll admit, like most people-I’ve made my fair share of unhealthy choices. Sometimes I’m in a store… and see a new brand of salty snacks, or chocolate.. and I suddenly just ‘need’ to have it. Other times, I forget to pack a snack and I’m stuck at the vending machine.. with limited options. Sometimes.. I just want a cookie and I don’t really care that it isn’t the healthy choice. (We all have these days) But 99% of the time.. I plan my snacks and meals ahead of time so I’m prepared to fight the cravings battle.
Making the healthy choice doesn’t need to be difficult. It can actually be really simple. Most restaurants, stores and even gas stations are starting to offer healthy options for snacking. However, you won’t have to be faced with a difficult choice or need to run to a vending machine/store if you just plan ahead. I keep certain snacks on hand so that I can be best equipped to make the right healthy choice.
Wondering what I turn to snack on when the cravings hit? Read on :)
In a perfect world – potato chips would be a health super-food.. but unfortunately they’re not. When your craving something salty, it can be easily to reach for something unhealthy like chips.. or you can try one of these salty snacks!
Enlightened’s Sea Salt Crisps are my go-to salty snack. They’re crispy, crunchy, and delicious! The crisps are made from broad beans that have been lightly roasted in sunflower oil. Each serving has 100 calories, 8g protein, 15g carbs and 2.5 g fat. I like to eat them straight out of the bag when snacking at work, but you can really use them for anything. I enjoy them as ‘croutons’ in salads, ‘crackers’ in soup, and as a replacement for chips! The crisps also come in different flavors, so if plain Sea Salt doesn’t do it for you can try the Garlic & Onion or Mesquite BBQ. They’re all so tasty and a great option for when you want something salty. You can get 20% off your purchase of the crisps when you use coupon code ‘CLEANEATING’
Roasted/Salted Mixed Nuts are another great option when you’re craving salty foods. I will usually buy a big container of Mixed Nuts
Popcorn is another one of my favorite salty snacks. It is very light, and always satisfies my craving for something crunchy and salty. I like to make my own in my Popcorn Popper
As much as I love my salty snacks… I have a huge sweet tooth. Rather than sending myself into sugar shock with a candy bar, here is what I snack on when I’m looking for a little somethin’ sweet:
Enlightened Coffee Ice Cream is my #1 choice for when I’m in need of something sweet. Ice cream is one of my favorite desserts. With it being so hot outside this summer, lately it is all I’ve been craving! Lucky for me – Enlightened’s Ice Cream is pretty much guilt free. 1 bar has only 70 calories, 3 g of sugar, 8 g of protein, 2 g of fat, and 14 g of carbs! (Compare that to 1/2 c of Ben n Jerry’s Half Baked… at 270 calories, 27 g of sugar, 4 g of protein, 14 g of fat and 33 g of carbs…. Woah.) The Ice Cream bars are gluten free, and made with rBST free milk. Coffee is definitely my favorite.. because..well.. who doesn’t love coffee?! Peanut Butter comes in at a close second. But honestly- I’m not discriminatory towards ice cream.. you put any of Enlightened’s flavors in front of me and I will happily enjoy them!
Ice cream obviously isn’t the most portable snack – so other times I will have a small square of Lindt Extra Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa. The key is to only have a small piece, and not the whole bar…which can be tough because lets be real… Chocolate is amazing.
Stuffum Naturals Protein Cookie Dough Spread is my other sweet go-to. I prefer to just eat it out of the jar, but it is extra delicious if you put it on TOP of one of the Enlightened Ice Cream Bars. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Dough on top of a Peanut Butter Enlightened Bar is heaven in the form of dessert… you NEED to try it!
On top of making awesome products – Enlightened is truly a great company. Special thanks to them for donating to my fundraising efforts for the Closer to Free Ride. I’ve set a goal to raise $2,500 for cancer treatment and research – and Enlightened’s support brought me one step closer to my goal. Be sure to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
How do you kick your junk-food cravings?
DISCLAIMER: In order for us to support our blog, we may receive monetary compensation for our endorsements, recommendations, and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to help bloggers earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post was sponsored by Enlightened.
