Spacing meals and snacks three to four hours apart helps keep the body fueled. Choose foods that are high in complex carbohydrate and add a small amount of protein and heart-healthy fat to stay fueled longer.
For example, snack on Ak-Mak whole wheat stone ground sesame crackers and some turkey deli slices. Four Ak-Mak crackers is one allowance of carbohydrates and an ounce slice of turkey is one allowance of very lean meat.
Ak-Maks are available at your local Trader Joe’s.

Available October through February, fall and winter are the peak season for persimmons.
The two most common varieties available in the United States are Hachiya and Fuyu. The key difference between the two is their level of astringency that gives a bitter taste.  Hachiya persimmons with a pointed bottom contain very high levels of tannins and are unsavory if eaten before they are ripe and soft.
Fuyus, on the other hand, look like golden orange tomatoes and are far less astringent before ripening.  They are eaten when firm and crisp.  The skin …

Since satsumas are in season, add some orange slices to your favorite fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese for a healthy snack rich in calcium, vitamin C and fiber.
Note that a serving of fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese is 1/4 cup, which is equivalent to one very lean meat allowance.   A 4-oz satsuma is equivalent to one fruit allowance, which contains 60 calories.

Making healthy food choices can be particularly difficult when you travel during the holidays.  Airport dining options, long flights and staying in hotels all make deciding what to eat particularly challenging.  However, by planning ahead and following some Nutrition for You recommendations, you can leave the comforts of home and still stick to your meal plan.

Eat before you leave.  Depending on the time of your flight, eat a healthy meal or snacks at home before …

One of the sweetest citrus varieties, satsumas are best from October to December.

Satsumas belong to the mandarin orange family, which also includes tangerines and clementines.  They are a Japanese variety that were first introduced to the United States in Florida.  Today most American satsumas are grown in California and some in coastal Louisiana and Alabama.
Fresh satsumas are those with firm and tight peels, with no dented spots, and with bright green twigs and leaves still attached.   They will keep at room temperature for several days and a week or more …

Twenty pieces of low-fat rye mini toasts.

Yes, you read it right.  A serving size is 20 pieces, which is equivalent to one allowance of grains and starch or roughly 15 g of carbohydrates.
You can enjoy 20 crunchy and tasty toasts with some bruschetta or vegetable tapenade.  These Trader Joe’s low fat rye mini toasts are also great for soups and salads.
Always remember that eating small but frequent meals is a good way to help you keep food cravings in line and help you lose the weight.
Photograph courtesy of Jun …

by Kate Haisch
Snacks are a very important and often underrated part of the day.  With work, family, errands, obligations, it can be tough to take the time to pack a lunch much less multiple snacks.  But when it comes to weight loss, snacks really make all the difference.
When I got serious about losing weight, snacking was a hard habit to learn.  Eat more, lose weight: it just seems so contradictory!  But when I wrote a journal of my foods for the days that I snacked, I actually ended up eating …

by Dennis Allio
Today I saw a television advertisement for orange juice.  The new advertising slogan was Healthy, Pure & Simple.
The problem with labeling food as healthy is that too many people assume that a food labeled as healthy means they can eat as much as they want.  For weight loss and weight management, this assumption is almost guaranteed to keep you from losing weight.  A an 8 oz glass (1 cup) of pure orange juice has approximately 120 calories.  Most people drink twice that much at a time in a …