Easy Recipes for Healthy Finger Food Snacks

Americans love to eat. According to the American Dietetic Association diabetes, digestive diseases, heart disease, and weight control plague Americans because of our sedentary lifestyles. We eat when we watch TV. We eat when we read or study. Most people eat three big meals a day, when six or more small meals or snacks would be beneficial.

Snacking isn't bad. It is what we are eating that causes weight gain and a compendium of other health problems. Try keeping healthy finger food snacks around the house to encourage healthy snacking.

Fruit Kabobs Are a Delicious and Healthy Finger Food Snack
Fruit kabobs are scrumptious and easy to make. You can make fruit kabobs any time of year, depending on what fruit is in season.

In the summer time make cool and juicy kabobs out of fresh pineapple, watermelon, and honeydew melon. You may substitute or add cantaloupe, green or red grapes, mango, or papaya.

Berry lovers will enjoy snacking on blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, or strawberry fruit kabobs mingled with banana slices, or cheese.

Our typical fruit kabob consists of apples, bananas, and grapes.

If fresh fruit isn't readily available try fruit packed in its own juice, or pear juice. Stay away from fruit packed in heavy syrup because of the high sugar content. Canned fruits that make mouth-watering kabobs include pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, raisins, and dried fruits.

Serve larger portions of fruit kabobs on skewers and small servings on toothpicks. Store fruit kabobs in an airtight container in the refrigerator to have a healthy finger food snack on hand at all times.

Have a Healthy Snack of Peanut Butter and...
You can do more with peanut butter than make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Peanut butter gets the best crunch for your calories on celery, creating a high fiber and protein finger food snack. Peanut butter on apples is an appetite pleaser for anyone from toddlers to adults.

Combine a few of your favorite fruits with a dab of peanut butter between each one and have peanut butter fruit kabobs. It's almost like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the white carbohydrates.

If you have to put peanut butter on bread, use toasted whole wheat bread. Cut it into triangles like a small peanut butter pizza. You may top it with tiny, thin slices of strawberries, grapes, or oranges instead of jelly or jam.

Snack on Homemade Trail Mix
Yes, I know you can buy ready-made trail mix at the grocery store, but it is more expensive and full of salt, sugar, and preservatives. Make your own trail mix that is low calorie, high in fiber, deliciously crunchy, and readily available when you get the munchies.

Any flavor of Kashi cereal makes a super base for a trail mix. Kashi is always full of granola and that means fiber. Kashi is also low in sodium and preservatives. Throw in raisins, yellow raisins, and dried cranberries; add almonds, walnuts, or unsalted peanuts. This is one snack food I have trouble eating in moderation, but it is a lot healthier than a pre-packaged trail mix that includes lots of sugar and even a few M&M's to make sure I enjoy it. The raisins and cranberries give your homemade trail mix just enough sweet and flavor.

Other trail mix ingredients may include: dates, dried apples, dried apricots, plain granola found in the cereal aisle, and other nuts.

Corn Tortilla Pizzas Are Fun Finger Food Snacks
Spread a little bit of salsa on a corn tortilla. Sprinkle with your favorite cheese, such as Monterrey Jack, or Cheddar. If you like add dried tomatoes or peppers to taste. Bake until cheese melts. Don't microwave, because you want the tortilla to get toasted and become a little crunchy.

Cut into bite sized servings to munch on through-out the day.

Appetizing Veggie Finger Food Snack
Use whole wheat bread or corn flour tortilla cut into circles approximately 1-2 round. Use a small round lid, cleaned well, or an empty medicine bottle, cleaned well, as a cutting tool. Top the bread circles with cucumbers. Sprinkle a little cumin on top for flavor or add a sprinkle of diced onions using a touch of low fat mayonnaise or dressing as a bonding agent.

Enjoy eating healthy snacks with your family and you will all feel better and you may lose a little weight, too.

By Lenora Murdock