Healthy Snacks with No Sugar, No Flour, No Dairy

It can seem impossible these days to eat a diet without sugar, flour and dairy in it because these ingredients are present in almost any form of packaged food you can think of. Yet letting yourself go hungry is the surest way to fail at a diet. If you want to eat a lean, healthy diet that will help you lose weight and feel good, then you have to plan ahead for snacks that you can eat without worrying about what’s in them. Follow these tips to stay full, fed and healthy.

1. Cut up vegetables. Store fresh, sliced vegetables in your fridge, ready to eat anytime you need a little something to much on. They’re full of fiber, minerals and vitamins and if you find that eating them by themselves doesn’t quite do it for you, add a dip. Bean dips and hummus are good for you. Buy them in the store, or make some fresh with a blender. You just need one cup of pre-cooked beans, a garlic clove, and either a bit of lemon juice or chili powder. Add just enough water to make it smooth.
2. Keep protein munchies around. This means nuts and seeds—they’re savory, crunchy and easy to carry. Store a small bag in your purse or your drawer and work; they don’t have to be refrigerated and there’s a wide variety of choices. Nut butters make another good dip for vegetables and also a good dip for fresh sliced fruit like pears and apples.
3. Make Sushi. You don’t have to have a taste for raw fish to like sushi! For instance, make your own sushi with rice and vegetables. You’ll need nori wraps and brown sushi (or short grained) rice, both of which you should be able to find the Asian aisle at your grocery store. Cook the rice with a little rice vinegar and, after it’s cooled, spread some over about one third of a sheet of nori. Keep the layers light and add thinly cut vegetables. All you have to do then is to roll the sheet up, starting with the covered parts. Water will seal the seam for you and you can cut it into pieces for a ready snack. Eat with soy sauce. Experiment with different combinations of foods until you’re found one that you really love.
4. Get an air-popper. Popcorn is a whole grain, so it’s a great snack as long as it’s made without butters or oils. You can add flavor using salt, black pepper, chili powder or seasoning blends that don’t have salt. To keep your seasonings from all falling to the bottom of the bowl, spray just the smallest amount of water on the popped corn first.

There are plenty of fun, healthy snacks you can make if you’re willing to think unconventionally. For instance, if you like deli sandwiches with pickles, skip the bread and just wrap the meat around the pickle. Satisfy your craving for sweet things with fresh fruit or concentrate on protein with a hardboiled egg.