We’ve all seen those 100-calorie snacks by now. The store shelves are lined with every conceivable variety of pre-packaged portion controlled snacks, both sweet (Chips Ahoy, Oreos) and salty (Pringles, Ritz). I’ll admit that I think they were a great idea. They help people (myself included) manage their snacking in a controlled way. I buy them frequently in fact. But there’s one problem with them (aside from the high price tag). They aren’t filling. No, a little bag of 10 tiny pretzels or 5 wafer-thin mini-cookies may not end up satisfying when you need a hearty snack. And you certainly won’t get much in the way of nutrition. So why not try something a little more innovative..
When I picked up a package of Green Giant’s new “Simply Steam Seasoned Vegetables” I didn’t think I was buying it as a snack. No, I figured this was going to be a side dish to a healthy lunch or dinner. But the other night, in a bout of late evening snacking I reached for this box of vegetables rather than a 100-calorie snack pack. I ended up eating the same 100 calories I would have with the snack pack, but with far less fat, and with far more nutrients. And more important -- I felt full, and this snack had satisfied my craving for a savory (slightly salty) snack.
It couldn’t be easier to prepare these vegetables. They come ready to pop into the microwave. The plastic pouch steams the vegetables inside as they cook for about 4 minutes. To serve, simple pull the sides of the pouch apart, the bag opens neatly in the middle, and pour the veggies and their tasty herb sauce into a bowl. The “Garden Vegetable Medley” is a mix of sugar snap peas, roasted potatoes, red peppers and herbs. The sugar snap peas were fresh and crisp, not limp and overcooked as frozen vegetables often are. Although intended to serve two as a side dish (each ½ cup portion contains 50 calories), it made a filling and satisfying snack for one.
When next looking for snack items, you should consider looking someplace other than the cookie and cracker aisle. The frozen foods section has some surprisingly good choices. While you can’t tuck one of these into your pocketbook for a snack on the run, they are perfect for at home snacking. Plus, you’ll get a serving (or two) of vegetables.
Calorie counts for the Green Giant Simply Steam vegetables vary, so be sure to check the labels, but none have more than 70 calories per serving. The Garden Vegetable Medley that I had for my snack was 2 WW points per box.
