For me snacks are an essential part of my dieting journey. I think it is because when I make dinner, I often make enough so that we have left overs (especially ones that will freeze so that on days when I am too busy to cook we can just take them out and thaw). The trick with preparing more than one portion at a time though, is portion control
And quite honestly, portion control is my biggest dieting weakness. It is something I struggle with, but it is also something I have to balance with scheduling. Sometimes those left overs come in really handy.
Hence the importance of snacking. Having a small snack in the middle of the day (2-3 pm) really helps with reminding me to stick to my portion control and not get ‘just a little bit more’ simply because I made a big pan of whatever we happen to be eating for dinner.
My rules for snacking are fairly simple. I try to aim for as close to 100 calories as possible but try never to go over 150. It has to be tasty and satisfying.
And that is it. Really. it is the only limit that I put on the snack. And I know that sounds strange, but here is why. If I keep that calorie count in check, even if the snack is something more decadent than I would normally allow myself, it helps to keep me on track. It feels like I have been naughty. As a result I not only tend to work a little harder in my workouts, but I also have it in the back of my mind that I ned to keep a close reign on my dinner portion because of the decadent treat I had earlier in the day.
It is, in the end more of a mental thing which, the longer I work on building a healthy lifestyle the more i realize hw much of it is mental. (often in more ways than one). So I trick myself. But it only works if the treat is satisfying and feels like a treat. Choosing a snack that makes me feel like I am trying to be virtuous will actually backfire and make me feel like I ought to et more at dinner.
So did this ‘treat’ hit the spot?
Actually, it did.
The Harvest Snaps Baked Green Pea Snacks come in many flavors. As I love both Parmesan and Roasted Garlic, this is the flavor I went for. I also have to admit that I adore peas. I grow them every year and if I could get the entire garden planted in them, I would.
When the bag is opened there is a strong parmesan and garlic scent to the bag. I was worried it would overwhelm the pea flavor, but it didn’t There was a distinct pea flavor to them. I would perhaps like a touch less garlic so that the pea flavor stands out more, but that really is just nitpicking.
I found these Harvest Snaps absolutely delicious. They are baked instead of fried, which I like and they do have only 130 calories per serving. I really like the fact that it breaks down how many peas are in a serving (about 22) While i do have a scale and weigh things out a lot, I do like knowing that if I am rushed then I can just count quickly and skip the scale.
For me it was necessary to measure out the snacks as I would happily sit and eat the entire bag. They are a salty, savory crispy treat and they really feel like a treat for the taste buds. I felt the same sort of decadence as I would eating my favorite flavor of potato chip. As I am not a huge fan of baked potato chips, preferring just the regular chips, I was a little surprised that they felt just as satisfying as the regular chips. I also like that they are available from a wide variety of stores, from Kroger to Publix to amazon and their own website. So I can easily pick them up no matter where I shop. there is a wider variety on line than at my store though, so I may be poking around to see what other delights are offered, taste wise. I dod really like the Parmesan and Roasted garlic though. it was quite yummy.
I very much enjoyed these Harvest Snaps and will certainly be getting more of them in the future.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 