Sweets and Snacks

Some sweets and snacks -- like baked goods (cakes and cookies) cheese crackers, and some chips -- often are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Here are some low fat sweets and snacks to buy and use only now-and-then:

• Angel food cake topped with fruit puree or fresh fruit slices
• Fat free or low fat brownies, cakes, cheesecake, cupcakes, and pastries
• Fat free or lowfat cookies like animal crackers, devil’s food cookies, fig and other fruit bars, ginger snaps, and vanilla or lemon wafers
• Frozen lowfat or nonfat yogurt, fruit ices, ice milk, sherbet, and sorbet
• Gelatin desserts - watch the whip cream!
• Graham crackers
• Puddings made with 1% or skim milk

Just remember that, while these treats are may be low in fat, most are not low in calories. So choose them only every now-and-then, especially if you are trying to control your weight to improve your blood cholesterol levels.

Quick Check Sweets and Snacks - Try It!

Try one of the things below. The next time I crave a cookie, I will try a new fat free type (But not too many - remember the calories!) Instead of buying ice cream, I will try ice milk or nonfat frozen yogurt. Instead of snacking on regular chips, I’ll try pretzels or butter-free air popped popcorn.

Not all snack foods are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Buy some of these low fat ones and keep them on hand for snack attacks:

• Bagels
• Bread sticks*
• Ready-to-eat cereals without added sugar*
• Frozen grapes or banana slices; or other fresh fruit
• Fruit leather or other dried fruit
• Low fat or fat free crackers* like melba toast, rice cakes, rye crisp, and soda crackers
• No-oil baked tortilla chips*
• Popcorn (air popped or "light")*
• Pretzels*
• Raw vegetables with nonfat or low fat dip

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*If you are watching your sodium intake, be sure to look for low sodium or unsalted varieties.

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