Indian appetizers and desserts have more sugar and fat than most entrées, so limit how much and how often you enjoy them.

Suggestion: One or less per week.

Snacks can round out your diet. Look at your own dietary habits and use snacks to make up any gaps. If you tend to be low on fruit consumption (most people are), fruit would be an excellent snack.

Other ideas:

• Plain lassi rather than mango or sweet lassi.
• Milk or Chai tea, no sugar added.
• Fruit skewer: pineapple, grapes, melon.
• Celery stalk with peanut butter or light cream cheese and stud with raisins or craisins.
• 6 oz fruit yogurt (no added sugar):
  • May dip apple or pear wedges into lemon or vanilla
  • May sprinkle with high fiber cereal or nuts or ground flax meal
• 1 chapati or dosa with dal or chutney.
• 3 cups low-fat popcorn. For kids, mix in peanuts to increase calories
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese and fruit.
• Raw veggies dipped in coriander chutney.
• Raw veggies dipped in plain yogurt (add turmeric, cayenne and cumin).
• One-half cup hot cereal with soy milk or low-fat milk:
  • Poha and farina are processed, oats are a better choice
• One to two idli with coconut or peanut chutney.
• One-half portion high fiber cereal to one-fourth nuts to one-fourth chopped dried fruit. Season with garam masala or toasted cumin seeds.