Sweet Strawberries: Get Your Fill of this Summer Taste
It seems like strawberries are everywhere this time of year. On their own, fresh strawberries provide a nice dose of vitamin C and fiber in exchange for a fairly reasonable 45 calories per cup. Turn the fresh berries into pies, smoothies, and ice cream, though, and you’ve turned an innocent summer fruit into a weapon against your waistline.
If you’re interested in sticking to your diet while enjoying the fresh tastes of summer, keep reading! You can choose any of our protein packed, strawberry flavored meals and snacks, and know you’re taking advantage of what summer has to offer.
Sipping on a Strawberry Smoothie
Smoothies are sneaky. They parade around as health foods, but when all is said and done, your “healthy snack” can have hundreds of calories, and a few days’ worth of sugar. We suggest going for something a little more appropriate for your waistline.
For a thick and creamy smoothie, how about a Strawberry Yogurt Protein Smoothie or a Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie? Each has only 100 calories and no more than 5 grams of sugar, plus 15 grams of protein to help tide you over until your next meal or snack. Our Strawberry Kiwi Cold Fruit Drink can also give you the fruity fun you’re after, without the sugar high and crash that can follow when you down a fruit smoothie from a smoothie shack.
A Sweet and Cool Protein Treat
Strawberry ice cream? 300 calories for a small helping. Strawberries and cream? About the same – and no protein. The bottom line is that extravagances like these are just not worth it.
But what about Strawberry Protein Pudding? Now you’re talking! For a cool after-dinner treat or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, you can get 15 grams of delicious protein for only 100 calories. Just mix a single-serve packet with 4 ounces of cold water and enjoy!
Strawberry Protein Bars on the Go
Your diet is a full-time occurrence. It doesn’t stop when you leave the house, so you’ve got to be prepared with healthy snacks. Instead of taking strawberry dessert bars or strawberry cheesecake squares with you, go for something a little – okay, a lot – better for your blood sugar: protein bars. From Strawberry Shortcake to Strawberry Cheesecake, you will look forward to snack time all day.
Innocent Fun in the Kitchen
If you love cooking and baking, a weight loss diet can seem like bad news. When you see a basket of strawberries, you may just itch to make strawberry pie, strawberry cheesecake, or strawberry macarons. But you know that’s dangerous for your meal plan.
Instead, sharpen your culinary skills by making smaller portions of healthier dishes. You can still get that great strawberry flavor, but you can add protein while cutting back on sugar, calories, and tempting leftovers (who hasn’t been tempted to eat just another one or two slices of strawberry pie when the whole thing is just sitting there?). To start, check out BariatricPal recipes such as our Strawberry Deluxe float and Strawberry Almond Meringue Cookies. Warning: you may need to make extra so you can share with the non-dieters in your family.
Regardless of your diet, you want to be able to enjoy the tastes of summer. The great news is that you can get your strawberry fix without going overboard on calories and sugar. The BariatricPal Store has plenty of great-tasting strawberry-flavored choices that also provide protein.
