One of the many happy surprises of starting a weight loss journey with Nutrisystem is discovering that you will eat more often, not less often. Eating food every two to three hours helps keep your metabolism active, controls your appetite and reduces the risk of binge-eating when you’re overwhelmed with hunger. For these reasons, smart snacking is key to success when you’re trying to shed excess pounds.
Like all your meals, the healthiest snacks typically include a combination of lean protein, healthy fats and/or fiber. Those kinds of foods are not often found in convenience stores and vending machine. That’s why keeping a supply of Nutrisystem snacks in the house, at work and in your car helps you be prepared when hunger strikes between meals.
You can also create your own delicious portable mini-meals that you can bring wherever your day takes you! Classic mason jars and empty fruit-cup containers make smart snacking easy. The jars and cups keep your snack secure and you can reuse the containers over and over again.
You can try countless combos in these containers, but here are five easy mason jar recipes to help you get started:
Dipping makes snack-time fun. But instead of greasy chips and high-calorie sour cream, crunch on carrots, celery, cucumbers and other raw veggies dunked in low-fat humus. Fill a wide-mouthed mason jar with vegetables sliced into sticks and spears. Spoon a quarter-cup of humus into a well-rinsed plastic fruit-cup container and set it on top of the veggies. Put on the mason jar lid and you’ve got a crudité platter you can enjoy on the go. Click here to see the recipe >
Dairy foods, including cottage cheese, fuel you with lean protein and they supply you with calcium, a mineral that plays a critical role in managing your metabolism. With its clumps of curds, cottage cheese is lightly chewy yet creamy, a tasty base for your favorite fruit. You can eat it with berries, peaches, pineapple or just about any other variety—fresh or frozen, your choice. Just add one cup to the jar, then fill the fruit-cup container with a half-cup of cottage cheese and set it on the jar’s rim. Screw on the lid and store the jar in the refrigerator or a cool, dark place until you’re ready to eat it. Click here to see the recipe! >
Digging your spoon through layers of different flavors and textures can be oh-so satisfying. It’s even better when you get an energizing dose of protein, plus natural sweetness and a bit of crunch in every bite. Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is a PowerFuel that keeps you full for hours. Fill a jar with one cup of the yogurt and a half-cup of blueberries, raspberries or blackberries (or a combination of all three). Pour a quarter-cup of low-fat, low-sugar granola into an empty fruit-cup container and set it on top of the yogurt, then put on the jar’s lid. When it’s time to snack, add the granola to top of the yogurt and your parfait is complete. Click here to see the recipe! >
Like this recipe? Click on the link below to check out another parfait recipe!
Believe it or not, smart snacking can also involve treats. This “instant pudding,” for instance, is made with chia seeds, a rich source of heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids that are high in fiber and protein, too. When moistened, the very absorbent seeds develop a gelatinous texture that transforms liquids into a pudding-like consistency. To make your own chocolatey snack, stir a half-cup of nonfat or soy milk in a small bowl with some Chocolate Nutrisystem Shake Mix and one tablespoon of chia seeds. Pour the mixture into a jar. Fill an empty fruit-cup container with a half-cup of pomegranate seeds, set it in the jar and put on the lid. Keep cool until snack time and mix in the pomegranate just before you start spooning up this delicious pudding. Click here to see the recipe! >
Sweet, juicy, crunchy and loaded with fiber, apples are filling snacks all on their own. Add a swipe of nut butter—we love the light flavor of almonds, but any nut butter will do—to apple slices and they become even tastier and more satisfying. After cutting the apples and placing them inside the jar, drizzle them with lemon juice to keep them fresh and bright. Spoon two tablespoons of nut butter into an empty fruit-cup container and sit it on the jar’s rim. Put on the lid and go. Click here to see the recipe! >