back to Meal & Snack
Tips |
||
Fun and Tasty Ways to Add Fiber
High fiber foods can be very accessible and tasty! Some examples are listed below:
- Choose whole-grain cereals for meals and snacks.
- Give brown rice a try or mix it with regular white rice. Experiment with red, purple or wild rice.
- Provide finger size whole-wheat pastas such as rotini, penne or tri-color quinoa pasta instead of regular white pasta.
- Use spelt tortillas or whole grain bread, rolls, pitas or bagels for sandwiches and wraps.
- Make Rice Krispie Treats with "Fiber One" cereal and use half the required butter.
- Use beans in soups (homemade or canned), casseroles, salads and pasta dishes.
- Offer fresh or canned fruit in place of fruit juice.
- Keep canned mandarin oranges in the house to add to salads.
- Consider canned pineapple in its own juice for a sweet dessert.
- Keep fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and broccoli available for snacking and add low fat ranch dressing, salsa or bean dip for dipping.
- Cut up fresh fruit and serve with low fat yogurt mixed with Cool Whip for a tasty fruit dip.
- Try heating up frozen cherries in the microwave until sweet and syrupy; top with flavored yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
- Make your own trail mix to include almonds, peanuts, cashews, raisins and dried cranberries. For an occasional treat, add a few mini dark chocolate chips.
- Add vegetables to your children's favorite meals such as adding petite frozen peas to macaroni and cheese. Try mac and cheese with salsa, it's delicious!
- Let your children help you prepare fruits and vegetables for meals or snacks. If they get to help make it, they will probably be more likely to eat it. Cut into cool shapes and create fun and crazy new names to call them.
- Grow vegetables and fruits together in a garden or in large pots.
- Make frozen banana treats by dipping them in low fat yogurt, rolling them in a high fiber cereal and then freeze. This will provide much more fiber than a popsicle, not to mention more vitamins and minerals!
- Peel and freeze ripe bananas, then put in blender or food processor until frozen yogurt consistency - so yummy!
- Make ants on a log by putting peanut butter into celery sticks and topping with raisins.
Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD is a Registered Dietitian in St. George, Utah. She is a private nutrition consultant and oversees the education curriculum and diet plans at Fitness Ridge Resort and Spa.
