Why Wine Clubs Adore The Italian Wine Region Of Veneto

By Kent Campbell

One of the twenty regions that make up the country of Italy, Veneto is also one of the most renowned winemaking regions in both Italy and around the world. The Veneto region includes some of the most beautiful and historic cities in the country. This article looks at the Veneto wine region and shows why many wine of the month club members find this area and the wines produced there so intriguing.

The Cities Of The Veneto Region

Venezia, a city built into the sea, is like no other, haunted by the princes and poets of its noble past and by centuries of tourists. The cities of Padova, Vicenza, and Verona were originally frontier posts on the Roman trade route between Venezia and Genova. These cities eventually grew into Renaissance splendor and are wonders in their own right. The rich history of this area adds to the interest of the wines produced here for wine clubs.

In the 16th century, the region”s great architect Andrea Palladio worked throughout the area. His buildings are everywhere, in the cities and in the countryside. Nature exhibits it own marvels in the region, including the spectacular Dolomite mountains in the north, the rolling Euganean hills in the south, vast Lake Garda, Italy”s largest lake, on the eastern border, and to the west, the Adriatic with its beaches and ports.

DOC

Today, Veneto is a thriving agricultural center, a lush land of vines, ranking third after Apulia and Sicily in wine volume but the first with classified DOC wines. Established in 1963 as a law in Italy applying only to Italian bottled wines, DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata. This law determines the areas where wineries can produce certain wines, including factors such as the grapes or the blend of grapes, the soil, the vineyard arrangements, cultivation methods, vineyard yields, vinification, length of maturation, and the blending of different vintages. Labels, bottles, winery names, and even the names of wines are also regulated under the DOC.

Areas Of Production In Veneto

There are three general areas of premium wine production in the Veneto region: the western province of Verona in the hills between Lake Garda and the town of Soave, the central hills in the provinces of Vincenza, Padova, and Treviso, and the eastern plains of the Piave and Tagliamento river basins along the Adriatic coast northeast of Venezia. Wine clubs usually feature wines from all of these areas.

Vernoa is the leader in classified DOC wines and the site of Vinitaly, the largest wine trade fair in the world. Major parts of the DOC wines in the region are Soave, Bardolino, and Valpolicella, a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. When young, Valpolicella is a full, fruity red, but when the grapes are partly dried, they are made into Amarone, one of Italy”s most noble wines adored by wine of the month club members. Bardolino is made from the same grapes as Valpolicella but is a lighter version. Similar to Soave, Bianco di Custoza is another DOC white as is Lessini Durello, a steely dry wine, usually sparkling.

The central hills produce white wines similar to Soave as well as Tocai, the Pinots, Merlot, and Cabernet, eternal wine of the month club favorites. Prosecco, a dry to lightly sweet white wine, is produced in the area, as is the renowned Venegazzu, both usually sparkling.

Merlot and Cabernet Franc have dominated the eastern plains for decades, but the local red wine Raboso and white wine Verduzzo still have admirers amongst wine clubs. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, and Chardonnay wines are also gaining ground.

Rich in beauty, history, fertile land, and delicious wines, the winemaking region of Veneto, Italy is sure to remain an eternal favorite of wine clubs, wine connoisseurs, and the people who live there alike.

About The Author

Kent Campbell is a co-author for Celebrations Wine Club in collaboration with Anna Maria Knapp. Celebrations Wine Club is a reputed wine of the month club, and one of the few wine clubs offering the best wines for over 18 years.

» No Comments

How to Find a Culinary School for You

By J Logsdon

Once you decide to go to a culinary arts school it can be a daunting task to find one that is right for you. There are many types of culinary schools, from 4 year degree programs to month long certificate programs, in many locations both in America and over seas, and they focus on anything from baking bread to being a chef to running a hotel restaurant.

Each type of school offers its own advantages and disadvantages and different people will get different things out of each type of school. Here”s several suggestions to help you find a culinary school that is right for you and will help you meet your goals.

The first step to finding a good culinary school for you is to determine what your goals are. Do you want to be a world class chef, a local caterer, a personal chef, or a baker or pastry chef? Would you prefer the business side of the food industry and rather own a restaurant, run the business side of a catering company, or do restaurant consulting? Or maybe you just are interested in learning more about cooking so you can apply it at home? Think about your goals and where you picture yourself being in 5 years and in 10 years.

Once you determine what you are trying to accomplish then you can begin to narrow down your list of culinary schools. For instance, if you want to stay on the cooking side of the food industry then you should try and focus on schools that are very hands on and have a bigger focus on the cooking itself. But if you are more interested in owning or running a restaurant you would want to learn towards programs that offer much more business side knowledge in addition to the cooking.

The next step in narrowing down your list of potential schools is to figure out how much time you are willing to take to accomplish this, and how much money you can afford to spend. Since schools often range from several months to several years you will need to find out what works for you. Look at the different programs you are interested in and how much they teach over their time span.

You will also need to look at your current life and see how much and for how long you can disrupt it. A single 21 year old aspiring chef will have much different needs than a 40 year old married person with kids who hopes to use their management experience in the food industry.

Location is also another big factor that is determined by you current place in life. Some people will only consider schools that are close enough for them to commute to while others are willing to relocate across the county (or even to Europe!) for the school they love. Figure out how far you are willing and able to go.

Now that you have narrowed the list down it is time for the fun part! Go visit the different schools you are interested in. Most schools have tours that you can take and will give you a peek into how they are run. Talk to the staff members, see how they like teaching there and what their graduates are doing. Also talk to the students, see how they like their teachers, if they like the teaching techniques, and what they plan on doing when they graduate.

Once you been to all the schools on your list you should have a pretty good idea of where you would like to go. It is then time to make the leap and get your culinary career started!

About The Author

J Logsdon is a home chef and caterer who makes following your culinary dreams easy for the aspiring chef.
Get even more great culinary school information.

» No Comments

Authentic Vegetarian Recipes And Lifestyles

By Mike McCoy

Our Company launched just in time to the relief of thousands of people who have made a resolution for the New Year that involves changing from the popular “eat everything” lifestyle to one that is more committed along the lines of a vegetarian lifestyle. Of course many people are still confused by the meaning of the word vegetarian and others associate it with only eating tasteless vegetables otherwise known as “rabbit food”.

It would be important to first categorize the more popular types of vegetarians that currently exist in society at this point. There are mainly two types and these are vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegans are the ones who do not consume any form of fish, meat, poultry or diary. The lacto-ovo vegetarians are the ones who do not consume any fish, meat or poultry. Some people find the transition easier by starting to cut out the meat and poultry and still consume fish in their transition period.

It would be fair to say that they all lead very healthy lifestyles just like anyone else except that they increase their chances of a longer life that is free from the common complaints of heart disease and other serious ailments. The phrase ”you are what you eat” suddenly makes one aware of how important it is to consume the right foods in order to maintain a long and healthy life.

Our main focus is to make the change from ”meat eating” to vegetarianism a smooth, seamless transition by providing hands on tips and tricks to attain a lovely healthy diet using everyday foods and items in a smart way so as to attain all the necessary daily requirements and without blowing your budget. Best of all express meals are very common as well as no hassle recipes.

So why become a vegetarian? Generally speaking a lot of research has been done which shows that a vegetarian diet once followed correctly can lead to a much healthier lifestyle.

The top 5 reasons are; vegetarians have much lower cholesterol than meat eaters because their meals are typically lower in saturated fat; vegetarians have much lower blood pressure than non-vegetarians as there is a general reduction in sodium intake; less calcium is lost with a vegetarian diet which will in turn prevent osteoporosis, gallstones and kidney stones, this is because consuming large amounts of animal protein (meat) encourages the loss of calcium from the bones quicker than that of plant foods; a vegetarian diet helps prevents cancer because they eat less fat and more fibre and because they have a high intake of vegetables or plants that contain cancer-fighting substances; an individual on a vegetarian diet have a better chance of controlling diabetes because their meals are based largely on whole grain, fruit and vegetables with peas and beans which is a diet low in fat and sugar giving them control over their diabetes.

About The Author

Being a member of the Authentic Vegetarian club would mean access to 366 online vegetarian recipe videos so that you will spend less time in the kitchen and more quality time eating fun nutritious vegetarian foods. Visit www.authenticvegetarian.com now for more information.

» No Comments

3 Vegetables That Lower High Blood Pressure

By Casey Yew

When your doctor tells you that you have a high blood pressure or hypertension, it signals that your health is at risk. Hypertension exposes you to heart diseases and stroke. These two belong to the top three conditions that kill many Americans annually.

How Do You Know That You Have High Blood Pressure?

A simple blood pressure test done by a doctor or nurse will determine if you have high blood pressure or not. Or if you have a device to check it at home, you can do that too. A reading below 120/80 is considered the normal blood pressure.

Once your blood pressure hovers over the 120/80-139/89 level, then you have what is called prehypertension. You don”t have high blood pressure yet, but unless you take steps to lower it, then your chances of having it will increase in the future.

Finally, if you reach the 140/90 level and above, then you already have high blood pressure. You should now take serious steps to normalize it. Otherwise, you run the risk of suffering from heart diseases and stroke, as we mentioned earlier.

How Can You Lower Your Blood Pressure?

Changing your diet is one of the first steps you should take to lower your blood pressure. This is especially the case if you are accustomed to eating foods that are high in fat and cholesterol since these two things contribute a lot to having hypertension.

There”s a diet plan called DASH which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. This diet plan involves eating foods that are low in saturated and total fat, and cholesterol. Also, people under this plan are required to eat whole grains, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables, among other healthy foods.

Eating Fruits and Vegetables to Combat Hypertension

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the most effective ways of dealing with high blood pressure. Why? Because these foods are effective in flushing cholesterol out of your system. Aside from that, they do not contain cholesterol. Thus, you don”t add more cholesterol to your body when you eat fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables that are Effective Vs. Hypertension

If you”re looking for vegetables that should be a part of your diet, then refer to the list below.
1. Spinach – this green leafy vegetable is a rich source of fiber which helps flush out cholesterol from your blood stream. High cholesterol levels contribute to hypertension because it clogs your arteries, making your heart work harder to pump more blood through these narrow arteries.
2. Sweet potatoes – are also a good source of fiber so always have them on your menu to counter hypertension.
3. Tomatoes – are rich in potassium. Although the relation between potassium and lower blood pressure is only suggested and not completely established, potassium-rich foods such as tomatoes are still widely considered to prevent hypertension and stroke.

How You can Fight Hypertension Effectively

Of course, it isn”t enough that you just eat healthy in the hopes that it will lower your blood pressure. You should also combine it with regular exercise and healthy living to maximize your chances of putting up a better fight against hypertension.

About The Author

Eat plenty and different variety of vegetables. Find out how to ensure their freshness and wholesomeness, and how to use them to enhance the quality of food at your table at http://www.thevege.com.

» No Comments

Potato Potahto I’ll Take Them Both!

By Kristi Ambrose

In order to create a culinary American staple, the plant in which it comes from has to come from close to home. For this reason, it”s no surprise that the potato that french fries are made from was first created by our neighbors in South America. The Irish potato was first created in the Andean Mountains to be more specific. The Irish potato is the most common potato is America. Otherwise known as the “white” potato, the Irish potato is very different from the sweet potato.

I love potatoes in all forms, however, I am going to tell you all about our Irish friend. The potato is the most widely grown tuber crop in the world, and it only comes in fourth as the largest food crop. The potato can be purchased fresh, frozen or instant, but I prefer fresh. The ways a potato can be prepared seem endless. I have narrowed it down to my three favorites; mashed, baked, and fried. As in french fried, I am a devoted fan of the golden arches.

My favorite form of the potato, and my favorite food of all time, would have to be mashed potatoes. In order to make good mashed potatoes, you must use fresh potatoes, never frozen. Since potatoes are grown in the ground, washing them before cooking is a necessity. You may choose to keep the skin on, or use a peeler to remove the skin before chopping them up and placing them in a pot of boiling water. Timing is key for good mashed potatoes, you can”t leave them in the water for too long, or not long enough.

If you leave them in too long, they will be very sticky and might even stick to the roof of your mouth. However, if you take them out of the water too soon, you will have unappetizing chunks in your potatoes. When left in the correct amount of time, and cooked at the perfect temperature, your mashed potatoes will be creamy and delicious.

Although mashed potatoes are my personal favorite, baked potatoes are the most popular form in America. There is something about the variety of condiments and the way you can transform the taste each time you eat one that Americans love. In the land of choice, it”s no surprise that we like to choose our food as well. Since Americans eat potatoes at one out of three meals minimum a day, I guess even I have to learn to mix it up a little. The baked potato is self explanatory, all it takes is a few holes poked into it with a fork and into the oven it goes.

When you remove it from the oven, you have your choice of butter, sour cream, chives, bacon bits, or really anything you can imagine to add onto it. As an American, you”re going to consume over 126 pounds of potatoes a year, so you might as well make it interesting.

There is no question about it. America loves french fries. We love them plain, seasoned and cheesy. We”ll take them in any shape, we like them straight, curly, crinkly and waffled. Whatever your preference, there is a french fry for you. Deep fried and crispy, we even vary with the condiments we dip them in. I challenge any American to drive through a town in America without being able to find french fries somewhere.

It”s amazing to think that something that tastes so good, comes from something that is so good for us. Potatoes are high in vitamin C and potassium, not to mention an excellent source of fiber. America somehow found a way to make junk food out of a vegetable. It”s no question why America”s favorite vegetable is the potato, no matter how you slice it.

About The Author

This author is a HUGE fan of Free Cooking Recipes

» No Comments

Smart Foods For A Better Immune System

By Dan Baker

The immune system helps keep the body healthy by fighting of infections and disease. Regular exercise and stress reduction activitive such as meditation can assist in strengthening the immune system, but the types of food we eat make the largest contribution to a healthy immune system. Eating a well-balanceddiet including a variety of healthful foods will boost this system”s effectiveness.

Free radicals are the main cause of breakdown in the immune system. Free radicals damage healthy cells by causing cell mutations which can lead to serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Fortunatley, some foods contain antioxidants, which can destroy these free radicals.

The strongest, and most well known of these antioxidants are vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamen C can boost the immune system to aggressively react on cancer cells. Diets high in this nutrient are linked to reduced risks for stomach, breast, prostate and other cancers. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges and amalaki, peppers, cantaloupes broccoli. Vitamin E this helps to slow down the symptoms of aging and strengthen body cells that fight infection. People who eat foods rich in vitamin E have an added weapon against bacteria and viruses” it also helps in the fight against heart disease and cancer. G ood food sources for vitemin E are whole grain foods and vegetable oils. Supplements are recommended to reach the daily requirement of both vitamin C and E. Check with your doctor on the dose.

Another excellent source of protection against disease is the antioxidant carotenoids. Carotenoids help to strengthen the immune system by producing lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are cells important to fighting infection. The best sources for carotenoids are the red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupes, pumpkin, etc. and leafy green foods. The four important carotenoids are beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

The immune system also gains strength from minerals such as zinc, iron, and selnium. Zinc increases the number of lymphocytes and helps fight cancer. Whole grains are a good source of zinc. Iron, helps fight infection and strengthens overall immunity. Meats, dried beans and tofu are good sources of iron. Selenium helps to increase the number of antibodies and encourages growth of immune cells. Food sources are fish, grains and nuts.

A low fat diet is very important for a strong immune system. Excess fat hampers the ability of the body to fight off bacteria and free radicals. Lowering fat in the diet can be accomplished by limiting the intake of fatty foods and making low fat and low calorie meal substitutions.

About The Author

Dan Baker is a Realtor in Northern California http://www.danielbakerhomes.com. For many years Dan suffered from sleep apnea. Dan found relief from this debilitating condition by taking steps to lose the extra pounds he was carrying and through Zrii! http://www.lifeofz.com

» No Comments

Spice Up Your Life

By Shaun Parker

Summers on its way! Well, this may be a little optimistic but what else is there to look forward to after Christmas apart from the long, long dark nights of dreariness and cold with a little frostbite and flu thrown in? So, you see my point, Christmas is over therefore summer is on its way!

Along with that comes the great outdoors living and weekends of barbecues. So, it”s been a long, hard winter with miserable weather and miserable news on every bulletin so let”s spice it up a little. Let”s inject a little fun into our lives and brighten up those summer barbecues with something a little different and a little more upmarket without a drastic expense.

A rotisserie is just as healthy as your average barbecue but brings more options, particularly for those cooking for bigger parties. In fact, if you are simply cooking meat for the family, a rotisserie is worth using. It allows all the fat from the meat to drain away, leaving you with a much healthier meal that is full of flavour.

For those who like to experiment with their food to make it that little more interesting, you would do well to take a look at a few recipes for spicing up rotisserie meats.

Tandoori Chicken: Mix together one cup of plain yogurt, one tablespoon of paprika, on tablespoon of fresh ground ginger, 2 cloves of garlic, one tablespoon of oil, two teaspoons of salt, one and a half teaspoons of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and one teaspoon of turmeric. Marinate a whole chicken in this mix for at least three hours and then cook on a rotisserie. This will produce a beautifully spicy meat that is a little different from your average barbecue meat.

For those who love nothing more than a Chinese takeaway, don”t go without just because it”s barbecue weather. Get out the rotisserie and try this: Get a quarter cup of lime juice, quarter cup of orange juice, quarter cup of soy sauce and quarter cup of chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) and mix together with one tablespoon of chopped garlic, one tablespoon of sesame oil, one teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Chuck it all in a bag with your chosen meat, seal and leave for about six hours and then cook over the rotisserie.

These are just a couple of ideas but you can easily create some exciting recipes of your own. Just remember that if you want to tenderise meat you should marinade it in something acidic such as white wine, kiwi or lemon juice or vinegar etc. This can then take other strong flavours such as garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander, rosemary, chilli or a variety of others.

You can use a mixture of dry spices or herbs to coat your meat or for something a whole lot more subtle, simply put herbs or aromatic wood chippings on the heat below the meat. This will infuse flavours into the meat without becoming over-bearing and all adding to making your barbecue that little more exciting and unique. Play around with different flavours until you find a favourite for al the family.

About The Author

Shaun Parker is a leading culinary expert with many years of experience in the catering industry. Find out more about rotisseries at http://www.superiorfoodmachinery.com/products/cooking/rotisseries/rotisseries.asp

» No Comments

Family Cooking At Home Is Fun And Saves Money

By Art Gib

In today”s precarious economic times, families are cooking at home more than ever and rediscovering the joys of eating dinner together while discussing the issues of the day. When cooking at home, it takes planning and foresight to maximize nutrition while minimizing the impact on your pocketbook. Here are some helpful tips for you.

– When you go shopping, leave your husband and children at home, take a list, and stick to it! Grocery stores depend on shoppers to buy impulsively when you come through the doors. This is why they put essentials such as milk, produce, meat, and bread at different locations throughout the store: they hope that you will pick up other items in between!

To limit impulse buying, it”s best to leave other family members behind; chances are good that your husband will find those batteries he “has” to have and that your children will nag you into buying the expensive sugary cereal they saw on TV. Have a shopping list, and use self-discipline to stick to it.

– Use recipes and make meals from scratch instead of buying prepared foods and boxed mixes. Although such foods may save a little bit of time, they definitely cost more in the long run. These expensive items also contain extra sodium and preservatives which are unhealthy for your family. Think basic: cook from scratch, and use the freshest ingredients possible.

– Build menus around coupons. Coupon clipping is back in style because it saves cash: every little bit helps and it all adds up. Pay attention to the newspaper grocery store circulars and shop in the supermarket where you will save the most money this week. Each store often has weekly specials on certain kinds of meat: this is the time to stock up. Use your freezer! As a word of caution, however, beware of coupons for those unhealthy or more expensive prepared food items.

– Buy store brands instead of national brands. The store brand of cereals, canned vegetables, and baking items are often of the same quality as the more expensive ones, but cost a lot less. Experiment with different store brands and keep a list of the ones you like.

– Use extenders in your meals to help stretch your grocery dollar. Add oatmeal to hamburger when making meatloaf or shredded cabbage and leftover vegetables to soup. Cheaper ingredients added to more expensive ones will feed more for less.

Sharing cooking duties and eating together around the family table at the end of the day is a great way for members to reconnect and stay in touch. Now”s the time to add new favorites to your recipe box while practicing prudent money saving techniques.

About The Author

For quality recipe software to help make home cooking and baking easier, contact the experts at DVO Enterprises (http://dvo.com/). Art Gib is a freelance writer.

» No Comments

Your Restaurant Guide to the Best Dining in Atlanta

By Billy Kite

In today”s fast paced society, it is becoming common practice for restaurants to provide menus, ordering and reservation options online. Unfortunately, it takes a certain amount of detective work to gather the necessary information from all over the Internet. This is why there is now an online restaurant guide that gives you the best dining places to eat out in your area on one website. The following are some of the featured restaurants in Atlanta.

Wildfire Restaurant

Wildfire is reminiscent of the typical 1940”s style dinner club. It”s warm and stylish atmosphere is created through the decor full of pictures of famous entertainers and the vintage jazz music. This provides patrons with one of the best dining experiences in the area if you are looking for classic upscale American cuisine which appeals to a variety of dining tastes. Some of their provisions include:

* Dining rooms for private parties
* Holiday and special event party planning
* WiFi web access
* Continental breakfast
* Signature steaks that can be ordered and shipped

Buckhead Diner

At first glance, this diner presents a neon and chrome exterior and trendy interior reminiscent of the best dining experiences of the 1950”s era. Buckhead diner is always packed with customers waiting to enjoy their latest experience eating out. Often there is a short waiting period, well worth the modern and comfort food main courses. The breads are baked fresh daily and the homemade potato chips are like no other. The food, service and atmosphere keep patrons coming back time after time.

Mary Mac”s Tea Room

First opened in 1945, this is another of the best dining experiences you can find in the Atlanta area. The owner built her reputation for good southern cooking at a time when women could not run restaurants on their own due to societal constraints. It is the only tea room still standing in downtown Atlanta after nearly seven decades.

The classic southern cuisine includes burgers, steaks, country fried steaks, classic fried chicken and many typical southern side dishes. They are also famous for their cinnamon buns and everyone from truck drivers to businessmen and government elects go out of their way to frequent the place. You have the option of choosing refreshments from the full bar or ordering the ever popular sweet tea.

Rathbun”s

Selected as the city”s best restaurant, Rathbun”s offers upscale modern cuisine ranging from beef, chicken, lamb and seafood (including some raw plates) to meals referred to as “second mortgage plates”. The owner”s primary goal is to provide patrons with meals featuring steaks that are of the finest quality found anywhere in the country. This attention to detail and passion for food has made Rathbun”s one of the best places to eat out in Atlanta.

Agave

For the best dining when looking for eclectic southwestern cuisine, Agave stands above the rest. Since 2000, this southwestern eatery and tequila bar has appealed to a wide array of tastes and styles with focus on southwestern flare.

The menu offers traditional choices; all within a reasonable price range. Aside from their claim to fame of approximately 97 different brands of tequila to choose from, the restaurant offers another unique characteristic that appeal to all tastes. There are no microwaves or freezers anywhere on the premises.

What does this mean to you? Their produce, seafood and natural beef products are delivered fresh daily. This level of quality in their food sets them above the rest as the best southwestern eatery in Atlanta.

These are only a few of the best dining choices available on this complete online restaurant guide. To find more great places to eat out, search this amazing website today.

About The Author

Billy Kite is a researcher writing on behalf of I Must Eat. Offering the consumer an extensive restaurant menu guide for San Francisco Restaurants , Atlanta restaurants and much more.

» No Comments

Hungry? Healthier Vending Machine Choices

By Shawn Wilson

You”re sitting at your desk, it”s 11:00 a.m., and your normal lunch time is still a few hours away. You have a couple of choices. You can go back in time and remind your 7:00 a.m. self to pack an apple and a handful of granola. Or you can grab a snack from the vending machine.

Unless you find yourself in the kind of place full of hip, cutting-edge vending machines that are filled with healthy foods, you probably don”t have a whole lot of choice. And if you”re trying to cut calories, eat healthier, or just shave a few pounds off the weight posted on your internet dating profile, you may feel like anything you choose will sabotage all of your efforts. No so. While most of what you find in a vending machine will do your body a lot more bad than good, there are healthy choices to be found. You just have to know where to look.

Good Salty and Sweet Snacks

Pretzels. Because pretzels are the most “famous baked snack” they”re also the healthiest. Most servings of pretzels contain just over 100 calories per serving and about 1 gram of fat. Not too shabby. Plus, they”re salty, crunchy, and take just a little extra effort to chew… which makes them that much more satisfying to eat.

Nuts. Yes, nuts are high in fat and calories. But the fat you”ll find in most nuts not only isn”t harmful for you, it”s actually beneficial to your heart. And while your average packet of vending machine peanuts has a full 280 calories, you rarely need to eat a whole package to feel satisfied. Full of protein and healthy fats, nuts are tasty, healthy, and deeply satisfying. Don”t see any almonds or peanuts in your company”s vending machines? Sunflower seeds are a great option, too. Plus, they”re a lot of work to open and eat, making them a great long-lasting snack.

Baked Chips. Yes, commercial corn snacks and chips are full of chemicals and they”re not great for you– even the baked kind. But sometimes you just need a little taste of something salty with an ingredients list a mile long. If so, the baked versions of your favorite fried snacks are a far better choice. They”re almost as tasty as their fried counterparts, but a lot better on the waistline.

Hard Candies. Have a sweet tooth and want a sweet snack that won”t ruin your diet? Choose a packet of hard candies, such as Life Savers or lollipops. Each small candy lasts for minutes and minutes on end (unless you chew them, so don”t!), and is lower in calories than almost any other sweet in the vending machine. In fact, one Lifesaver has only 15 calories… so suck away!

Animal Crackers. With all of the cookies and pastries and snacks in your average vending machine, Animal Crackers often go ignored. But they shouldn”t, because of all of the sweet snacks in the vending machine, Animal Crackers are by far the best for you. They”ve only got about 120 calories per serving and about 2 grams of fat. They”re just slightly sweet, wonderfully crunchy, and pretty darned satisfying for 120 calories. You”ll miss eating that big chocolate chip cookie, sure, but… your waistline wont.

Vending Foods to Avoid at All Costs

Fried Chips. You didn”t expect to see your favorite flavor of Doritos on the “good food” list, did you? Your average bag of fried snack chips will run you about 10 grams of fat and far more calories than you want for a mid-morning snack. And if you get a bag every day… goodbye diet.

“Juice” Drinks. These look innocent, and are covered with pictures of dew-moistened fruits and plump berries. But most of them have way more sugar than they have actual fruit juice. Read the label, and steer clear of anything that”s not actual juice. Go for a sugar free tea or fat-free milk instead.

Grandma”s Cookies. One packet of those tasty (but small) Grandma”s Cookies is almost 400 calories. Enough said.

Poptarts. Poptarts seem like such an easy choice if you”ve missed breakfast or want a sweet mid-morning snack. After all, how can something with the consistency of cardboard be high calorie? Well, they are. Your average Poptart has about 210 calories… which means that the 2-tart package you just ate was 420 calories. That”s not much more than two Snickers bars!

Don”t let your local vending machine ruin your waistline. Armed with a little knowledge about the right choices, it”s easy to have a healthier snack on the run.

About The Author

This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where internet dating is always free. Datepad has a massive directory of informative dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on their dating blog.

» No Comments