Dear Dr. Roach: As a snack before dinner, which is better: nuts from a can or from a plastic bag? Or should only veggies be a snack with, say, hummus?
We are now retired and trying to eat healthier, and know that chips and French onion dip shouldn’t be a daily snack. Should crackers and cheese be a snack? — J.R.
Answer: Nuts contain healthy fat and protein, tend to reduce appetite and have been shown to help prevent heart disease in combination with a Mediterranean-style diet. Whether they come from a can or a plastic bag doesn’t make a difference.
Veggies and hummus are also a great and healthy choice. Onion dip made from sour cream has more saturated fat than I’d recommend, so that would be one to have on occasion and in smaller portions. Cheese and crackers are similarly fine, if you like them, but I would just warn you that cheese and nuts have LOTS of calories in a small size, so just pick a reasonable serving size, which might be smaller than you’d expect.
