For people brought up on three meals a day, the thought of between meal snacking sounds like a bad idea. Research shows that eating smaller, more frequent meals and snacks reduces stomach capacity, which in turn can make you feel satisfied with less food. Other benefits include more stable blood sugar levels and reduced serum cholesterol levels.

There is no doubt that many Americans are consuming unhealthy amounts of sodium, fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and sugar when they eat large amounts of highly processed snack foods. And snacking out of habit rather than when hungry may mean that you are eating more calories than your body needs.

Instead of buying expensive, calorie dense snack foods on the potato chip and cookie aisles, consider using “real food” to satisfy your hunger between meals. Take advantage of the abundance of fresh produce during the summer for a low calorie, high fiber snack. A whole cucumber has only 10 calories. One-half cup green pepper has 15 calories. A peach, nectarine or plum or 1/2 cup of berries has less than 50 calories.

Eating a vegetable or fruit snack should satisfy your hunger for an hour or two. For a more filling snack, combine fruits or vegetables with grains, low fat meats and/or low fat dairy products. Here are some ideas for snacks that will stay with you for two or three hours:

€ Half-cup lemon light yogurt with half-cup blueberries

€ Small tortilla spread with nonfat cream cheese and topped with sliced fruit

€ Whole grain waffle square topped with half-cup berries

€ Half-cup fat free cottage cheese with half-cup crushed pineapple

€ One slice ham wrapped around cantaloupe slice

€ Whole grain crackers dipped in salsa or hummus

€ Mini pita pocket filled with chopped vegetables and shredded reduced fat cheese

€ English muffin pizza topped with tomato slices and part-skim Mozzarella cheese

€ Frozen grapes or sliced fruit dipped in fruit yogurt

€ Sugar-free flavored gelatin with fruit and whipped topping

€ Celery stalks filled with fat free cream cheese, sprinkled with raisins

For the maximum health benefits of between meals snacks, be sure to choose minimally processed foods and eat a snack only when you are truly hungry.

Cantaloupe is available now at the farmers markets in Cayuga County.

For a refreshing taste of Cantaloupe Soup stop by the Cornell Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn Farmer's Market Thursday, Aug. 23.

Visit www.cce.cornell.edu/ cayuga for more nutrition information and easy recipes.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.

Cantaloupe Soup

Makes 6 servings

1 cantaloupe

1/2 cup fruit juice

(pineapple, orange or apple)

2 tablespoons lime juice (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice)

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup low fat or light vanilla yogurt

Wash cantaloupe, remove skin and cut into chunks.

In a blender or food processor, blend with remaining ingredients until smooth.

Chill and serve in bowls as a soup, snack or dessert or freeze as popsicles.