carolelaine
Senior Cook
I need some ideas for good healthy munchies for my husband and I. We quit smoking about a month ago and are tired of carrot sticks and celery. Also, I do not want to start the holiday season needing to lose weight.
Some good snacks for a recent ex smoker
- Thread starter carolelaine
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Shunka
Head Chef
Fruit is good along with other veggies. I know that many people don't thibnk of grabbing some cauliflower or broccoli florets as a quick snack, but it is different from carrot and celery sticks. How about trail mix and granola? As with any and everything, you just need to watch the portion. Congrats to you and your hubby for quitting smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't smoke but have been around them all my life and I am proud of the big step the two of you have taken!!!!!!
urmaniac13
Executive Chef
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2005
- Messages
- 4,764
How about some suckers like chupa chupps? Not only they last for a while, at least about the duration of one cigarette or even longer, and also it occupies your hand as well. And it is fun!! Maybe not for every single moments of craving, but for a few times of a day, it could be a nice change of pace and a treat!
And I echo Shunka's word, kudos for your decision, after a while you will feel so much better and proud of yourself!! Keep it up!!
And I echo Shunka's word, kudos for your decision, after a while you will feel so much better and proud of yourself!! Keep it up!!
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
Congrats!
My snack routine revolves around popcorn. I'm always bashing processed foods, but I'm a closet addict to the 94% Fat Free Act II microwave "Snack-Bags". They are bags of popcorn that have only 100Cal for the entire bag. They certainly aren't small either! Be careful about nuts/granola. Many granola products are absolutely loaded with sugar, and you have to exercise portion control with them as they are extremely calorie dense. I eat a handful of Almonds or Walnuts with my on-the-go breakfast (yogurt & piece of fruit), but granola and mixes I save for when I'm hiking on the weekends.
Remember to compare calories as well as fat (multiplied by # of servings per container). You can put on 5lbs eating a bag of whole-grain pretzels at lunch faster than you can eating a bag of greasy potato chips (a $1 bag of pretzel rods is upwards of 1000Cal, whereas a $1 bag of lays is about 750Cal).
I know from friends/relatives who have quit smoking that Nicotine is a natural hunger supressent (as well as caffeine I believe). A friend of mine recently had a bad heart attack and is now off ciggarettes and coffee, but man does he have an appetite to contend with!
Good luck!
My snack routine revolves around popcorn. I'm always bashing processed foods, but I'm a closet addict to the 94% Fat Free Act II microwave "Snack-Bags". They are bags of popcorn that have only 100Cal for the entire bag. They certainly aren't small either! Be careful about nuts/granola. Many granola products are absolutely loaded with sugar, and you have to exercise portion control with them as they are extremely calorie dense. I eat a handful of Almonds or Walnuts with my on-the-go breakfast (yogurt & piece of fruit), but granola and mixes I save for when I'm hiking on the weekends.
Remember to compare calories as well as fat (multiplied by # of servings per container). You can put on 5lbs eating a bag of whole-grain pretzels at lunch faster than you can eating a bag of greasy potato chips (a $1 bag of pretzel rods is upwards of 1000Cal, whereas a $1 bag of lays is about 750Cal).
I know from friends/relatives who have quit smoking that Nicotine is a natural hunger supressent (as well as caffeine I believe). A friend of mine recently had a bad heart attack and is now off ciggarettes and coffee, but man does he have an appetite to contend with!
Good luck!
Dentyne sugar free gum and Altoids saved me when I quit smoking two years ago. I used to go through a can of Altoids a day, and at least 2 packs of gum. Now i am down to about 1 can of Altoids and 2 packs of gum a week.
I felt guilty about throwing those cute little Altoids cans away, so I started stacking them up on my desk at work. DO NOT DO THIS! Pretty soon, everyone else in the office started putting THEIR Altoids cans on my desk. Before I knew it, I had 250 empty Altiods cans!
I felt guilty about throwing those cute little Altoids cans away, so I started stacking them up on my desk at work. DO NOT DO THIS! Pretty soon, everyone else in the office started putting THEIR Altoids cans on my desk. Before I knew it, I had 250 empty Altiods cans!
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
HAHAHAHA!
Did the altoids simulate the methol "flavor" of ciggarettes? I notice a guy at work who is trying to quit smoking eats them by the case as well.
Did the altoids simulate the methol "flavor" of ciggarettes? I notice a guy at work who is trying to quit smoking eats them by the case as well.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
When I quit smoking, I lived on lifesavers. They satisfy the urge to have something in your mouth in place of the cigarette. They last about 7 minutes as I recall. Almost as long a s a cigarette.
I did the nic gum...the whole 12 week program. I chew Orbit now, and I still mangle pens. raw veggies, air popcorn, cinamon sticks (very good for the long drive)
It works!!
It works!!
Constance
Master Chef
Nicholas Mosher said:
You're right on with that one, Nick...that's my fave snack. I keep Popsrite Popcorn Salt on hand, and a dash of that makes it even better...tastes buttery without adding calories.
My biggest ssue when I quit was keeping my hands busy when the rest of my wasn't. It was only when I was relaxing or socialising that I wanted a cigarette. I took up running in a big way in the evening, lol. And I remember for a while I got very into needle work!
Melon cubes refrigerated in apple juice (unsweetened) are a nice chilled thing to pick at. Eat them with a tooth pick for clean hands.
Melon cubes refrigerated in apple juice (unsweetened) are a nice chilled thing to pick at. Eat them with a tooth pick for clean hands.
carolelaine
Senior Cook
All of you have great ideas. Thank you so much. I have been eating sugar free hard candy, but I didn't think of lollipops. Popcorn is a great idea. I don't really like Altoids but DH loves them. Thank you, Thank you
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
congratulations on giving up the smokes, carolelaine. There's always calorie-free fingernails if all else fails.
carolelaine
Senior Cook
That is so true mudbug-you should see my hands!
boufa06
Executive Chef
Well done for quitting smoking! How about some dried fruit like cranberry, apples etc.?
BlueCat
Sous Chef
I also ate Altoids like mad, but for me it was because I didn't like the taste of mint in my mouth when I smoked, and thus wouldn't want to smoke if I had eaten a mint or after brushing my teeth or using mouthwash. I did a lot of toothbrushing, needless to say. The Altoids were mostly consumed in the car, and they still are, after almost 5 years, but down to a normal level now. My experience was also that I could not sit idle without wanting to smoke, so I didn't watch a lot of TV or talk on the phone much for a long time after quitting. I still find myself walking around the house a lot while on the phone. Just a bad habit I picked up. I also had the cleanest kitchen in town, since the after dinner smoke was a favorite of mine. I cleaned the table and did dishes to get past that first several minutes when I enjoyed a cigarette most of all.
As for other snacks, I kept those big pretzel rods at my desk for something lowfat to gnaw on during the day.
Good luck to you! Give a yell if you need a pep talk.
BC
As for other snacks, I kept those big pretzel rods at my desk for something lowfat to gnaw on during the day.
Good luck to you! Give a yell if you need a pep talk.
BC
Claire
Master Chef
All of my friends who quit smoking or drinking developed a sweet tooth they didn't have before. One help is any hard candy. Lemon drops, peppermints, and yes, this is where altoids come in. In the winter buy some vitamin C candies or zinc candies -- something sweet to suck on, but they give something back rather than just sugar.
