Here’s what I’ve been munching on this month!

Smucker’s Organic Peanut Butter

Ok, who does not have a peanut butter craving from time to time? Lately, I’ve definitely been on a peanut butter kick. My favorite way to consume peanut butter is on a pure, plain, and simply peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Nothing beats it. Nothing.

What I love: Smucker’s Organic Peanut Butter (I buy the creamy kind) has just two ingredients: peanuts & salt. If you take any of the regular peanut butter types, you can be stuck with high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, hydrogenated oils, and other ingredients which simply take away from the goodness and flavor of natural of organic peanut butter. I love the fact that this peanut butter is creamy, not too salty, and perfectly natural.

What I don’t like: The fat and calorie content still tends to be quite high, which is true for just about any peanut butter you’re eating. Stick to a tablespoon or two a day and you’re in the clear.

The Verdict: Have some real, natural, organic peanut butter and get a good dose of monosaturated fats (the kind that lower the “bad” cholesterol LDL), antioxidants, and protein as an added side benefit!

Trader Joe’s Sesame Soba Noodles

This is an excellent example of a great, wonderful, and nutritious lunch or other meal-on-the-go. All you need is a microwave and you’ve got yourself a tangy, aromatic Asian meal.

What I love: These noodles are so delicious and filling! They literally keep me full for hours after I eat them. Soba noodles tend to be low in calories as well and this dish doesn’t contain more than 250 of them! The noodles, tofu, and veggies have a wonderful, tangy, sesame flavor that I definitely crave from time to time.

What I don’t like: The only drawback here would be that one bowl of these noodles does contain 25% of your daily sodium allotment. In addition, it is a frozen, not fresh meal, so as addictive as these may be, try to switch things up and eat some fresh foods as part of your meal as well.

The Verdict: Definitely give these a try! As I mentioned, you can find them at your local Trader Joe’s, in the freezer section. They are decently priced as well (under $3.00, I believe), so this makes for a great, cheap, and tasty lunch when you’re on-the-go.

Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar

If you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert, look no further! These bars are a great way to keep calories in check while satisfying your sweet tooth.

What I love: CHOCOLATE! I’ll eat pretty much anything even remotely related to chocolate, but the down side of that is that the calories tend to pile up quickly. This Kashi fruit & grain bar contains only 120 calories in addition to 4g of fiber and 4g of protein. It’s also free of preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors.

What I don’t like: I can’t believe I’m typing this, but sometimes these can get a little TOO much in terms of sweetness. One of them is definitely enough, but that’s probably a good thing anyway =).

The Verdict: Toss one in your lunch bag or have one for dessert. It’s a lot more satisfying and definitely healthier than some of the other desserts you could be having. Once in a while, you’ve got to indulge, but Kashi makes it easy to do so, even when it feels like you’re being bad. Check out some of their other (less dessert-like) flavors as well.