Danger, Will Robinson!

If you get that reference, you must be in my age group.  I used to love that show!  Even though it was a little sad if you thought about the long-term prospects for Will and Penny.  I mean, who were they going to marry?

But anyway, back to the point.  One thing I have learned about myself over the years is that I have a period of time every afternoon in which I need the robot from Lost in Space to come along and remind me I'm in danger.  The time between when I get home and when we eat dinner is the time when I sometimes think I'm going to starve.  If I don't quickly find something healthy to snack on, it can get pretty ugly.  Lately I've been slipping a bit, so it seems like a good time to think about healthy snacks that can get you through that long period between lunch and dinner.

Here are some of the things I like to keep on hand for my danger times:

• a hard boiled egg
• a tablespoon of hummus or low-fat ranch dressing or peanut butter with veggie sticks or whole grain crackers
• a wedge of Laughing Cow light swiss cheese with fat-free pretzels or whole grain crackers
• a cup of vegetable soup
• a small bowl of cereal with skim milk
• a piece of fruit with a tablespoon of peanut butter
• a big green salad
• a glass of skim milk and a couple of graham crackers

Measure everything out before you eat it so you don't continue to graze after you have had enough to satisfy you.  And remember to drink a big glass of water!  This should help keep danger at bay and keep you on track until dinner.