OK.  So, before I launch into my shpeel I want to say one thing: I really do despise it when someone professes the ease of substituting healthy options for junk food cravings.

Perhaps you’ve heard of how “a fresh crisp piece of celery is a great replacement for, like, potato chips!”  Yeah right.  In fact, just like with Lay’s, I can’t eat just one!  I often finish the whole bunch of celery before I realize what I’ve done.  It’s that good! 🙂

My personal defense against eating nasty snacks is to not buy them.  Or, if I do buy salty thingies (I have three kids and I’m not a tyrant for heaven’s sake!) I purchase things I don’t personally like.  We currently have a bag of TJ’s brand baked curly cheesy snacks… and probably some pretzels, pirate’s booty… I think that’s it.

I’m mostly a savory girl, but I do get sweet cravings too.  Above is one of my fave snacks when I’m in the mood for something sweet.  If you promise not to snort I promise not to even imply it’s “a good substitute for chocolate chip cookies.”  There is no substitute for chocolate chip cookies, honey.  End your search now.

But there are really tasty, satisfying, healthy foods you can consume that can give those taste buds a good hug from time to time.  Enter: dates with nuts.  YUM.  I buy my dried fruit at the farmer’s market, but you can get it lots of places.  Just be sure to try options if you don’t like it as the quality can really vary.

A few dried dates with some delicious nuts–especially pecans… oh my…–is just what the doctor ordered for me when I’m in the mood for something sweet.   Ya’ got yer fiber, ya got yer protein, ya got yer vitamins.  Another combo I like is cashews with craisins.  Yum-oh.

Unsolicited tip: try to eat unsalted nuts if possible.  Way healthier, of course.  If you feel like you just can’t do it (Mike used to be this way) mix salted with unsalted and slowly work your way toward salt free.  Once you get there you won’t miss the salt at all.