Eating Healthy Doesn't Have to Break Your Bank!

6 Healthy Foods That Are Easy on Your Wallet

By Suzy Buglewicz
 

These days, it seems like we're all trying to stretch our dollars, either by necessity or because we're becoming savvier about the benefits of saving more and spending less. If you've been looking for ways to stretch your grocery budget without filling up on cheap, empty calories, read on. It's a myth that the healthiest foods are the most expensive. With a list and a plan, it's possible—and surprisingly simple—to eat healthily without blowing your budget or sacrificing those hard-earned P90X^® or INSANITY^® results. If you want to keep your wallet fat and your waistline trim, try to put more of these food items in your shopping cart the next time you're at the grocery store.

1. Sweet Potatoes. Also marketed as yams (which are actually a variety of sweet potato), this versatile food is as nutritious as it is economical. Sweet potatoes are used in everything from baby food to main dishes to desserts.
   
   Why they're good for you: At about 140 calories each, sweet potatoes are filling, easy to cook, and loaded with vitamins A and C, iron, and thiamine. They also contain beta-carotene, which may help reduce the risk of certain cancers. Sweet potatoes are also low in sodium and a good source of fiber.
   
   Best way to enjoy: Scrub and pierce the sweet potatoes, then bake them, microwave them, or cook them in boiling water. Use them in recipes that call specifically for sweet potatoes, or to make things interesting, try using them in place of white potatoes. For a special treat (and an instant kid-pleaser), add a small amount of butter and brown sugar.
2. Beans. Long regarded as one of the ultimate frugal foods, beans are as versatile as they are nutritious, with a plethora of flavors, colors, and varieties to choose from. Stock up on the dried (and cheapest!) kind, as well as still-a-bargain canned beans. You'll have tons of cheap, healthy meal possibilities.
   
   Why they're good for you: Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Beans are also high in amino acids, and when combined with grains (like the brown rice mentioned below), they make an excellent source of animal-free complete protein.
   
   Best way to enjoy: Beans can be incorporated into almost any recipe, or just eaten by themselves. Try replacing beef with black beans in chili, soup, or your favorite Mexican recipes. Eat beans hot or cold, alone, in salads, or with rice, for a high-protein, high-fiber meal.
3. Brown rice. One 2-pound bag of brown rice can provide as many as 20 servings. You can combine brown rice with an assortment of other ingredients, or simply enjoy it with a few simple seasonings. Bonus? Brown rice has more flavor and nutrients than instant white rice.
   
   Why it's good for you: Brown rice is a great source of fiber, vitamin B, iron, manganese, and selenium, nutrients that are essential for keeping the immune system strong and healthy, lowering cholesterol, and reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
   
   Best way to enjoy: Cook brown rice with water on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in a rice cooker, then either enjoy it as a side dish or add it to soups, salads, and your favorite main dish recipes.
4. Eggs. At about 75 calories each and often less than $2 per dozen, eggs contain more than a dozen essential nutrients, which make them a healthy bargain. And there's no need to avoid eating eggs for fear of consuming too much cholesterol. Research has shown that egg consumption, when limited to 1 or 2 a day, contributes less than 1 percent to the risk of heart disease when other factors are considered.
   
   Why it's good for you: Eggs have a high proportion of nutrients to calories, which means that they help you stay feeling full and energized while they help you maintain a healthy weight. Eggs are also an excellent source of folate, protein, lutein (which promotes eye health), and choline (which helps brain function).
   
   Best way to enjoy: Eat eggs for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Try them baked, hard-boiled, scrambled, poached, in frittatas, in omelettes, or in any recipe you choose.
5.  Whole-grain pasta. Tasty, filling, and always an economical way to feed a crowd, what's not to love about pasta?
   
   Why it's good for you: Whole-grain pasta is low in sodium and fat and high in complex carbohydrates, which helps you maintain a consistent energy level. Unlike its refined white flour–based brethren, whole-grain pasta is also a good source of fiber.
   
   Best way to enjoy: Whole-grain pasta is easy to combine with other foods, including vegetables, meats, and your favorite sauces. For a healthier dish, toss cooked pasta with olive oil or a marinara sauce instead of a high-calorie Alfredo sauce.
6. Frozen vegetables. While fresh, raw vegetables (and fruits, for that matter) that are in season should always be a first choice, having a supply of frozen vegetables on hand is an inexpensive, nutritious, and versatile backup plan.
   
   Why they're good for you: Frozen vegetables retain almost all of their nutritional value, since they're picked and frozen while at their peak flavor. When the perishables in your refrigerator have, well, perished, it's easy to reach for a bag of frozen vegetables and add them to any meal.
   
   Best way to enjoy: Frozen vegetables have a high nutritional value. Keep them in the freezer and pull them out any time to toss in soups, stews, lasagna, or stir-frys. They also make great side dishes. But always read the ingredients before buying a bag—some food companies add preservatives and sodium to their frozen produce.

BONUS: Try these recipes for healthy, low-cost eating.

Three-Bean Pasta

• 1 lb. uncooked whole-grain farfalle or other pasta
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen green beans, thawed
• 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped
• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, beans, onion, bell pepper, and chickpeas. Mix remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over pasta, toss, and serve. Serves 6.

Chunky Vegetable Chili

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chile powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 28-oz. can tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 cup cubed zucchini
• 6 Tbsp. sour cream (optional)

Place first nine ingredients (including juice from tomatoes) in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, then stirring frequently until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, replace cover, and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until zucchini and sweet potatoes are tender. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of sour cream (if desired). Serves 6.

Everyone Goes Through It

I wanted to share the experience that I had this week in hopes that everyone will understand that being in shape, getting fit, and pushing myself is not easy for me. I get comments all the time such as, "but it's not easy for me," "it's too hard," "I just don't have time," "I could never do THAT," or responses like, "but you are in such great shape," "but my body is not like yours," or the inexplicable, "oh, but I can't commit the way you can."

I have a rebuttle to all of them (and in order), "It's not easy for me either," "If it were easy, everyone would be in shape," "How much time did you spend watching tv yesterday, or how about if you took 10-30 minutes a day now, you could add 10 years to your life?", "Have you ever really tried?", "I'm only in great shape because I decided to make it a priority," "Your body doesn't have to be like mine, heck, my body wasn't like this when I started either," and, "Why wouldn't you want to commit to a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life? Why don't you think you are worth the effort?"

My friends, your life will never be negatively affected by your decision to make health and fitness a priority. When you make the time and commit to it, you will be better at time management, you will feel more energized and be more productive every day, and you will ultimately be much happier with who you are and others around you. I promise you, give me 90 days to of commitment and you will never want to go back to your former self.

This is not easy for me, there are days when I struggle, but I simply do my best and get after it the next day. For instance, this week I began my P90X/Insanity Hybrid Workout program. I have done P90X 3 times already, and each time I got a little better that the last. In fact, it wasn't until my second round that I was fully able to complete Ab Ripper X in its entirety (those Pfiefer Scissors and Mason Twists are murder). In any case, I hadn't done P90X in about a year. I had completed Insanity twice, Chalene Extreme, Asylum and RevAbs, so I was a bit out of practice with the moves in P90X. I did pretty well, although my numbers of Pull-Ups and Push-Ups in the Chest & Back exercise on Day 1 were lower than I remember from before. I bought it as best I could...then was so sore for the next 4 days that it hurt to do some of the cardio moves during the rest of the week. Just the motion in the jumping jacks during warm up were almost unbearable, but I pushed through. I wasn't going to let myself quit when it got a little tough or painful. You have to make the decision if you can keep going, or if you absolutely need to take a break. But you can't just turn and run as soon as things seem a little difficult. How long did it take you to get where you are? I guarantee you weren't in shape yesterday and woke up out of shape, over-weight, and suffering from any number of ailments. So don't expect your body to snap back into shape right away. It could take, months, or even years. But when you finally reach that goal, you will be so glad you did. Let me help you. Let me be your coach.

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P90X2 Top 10 Questions

The Top 10 Questions About P90X2™

By Steve Edwards

What's the difference between P90X^® and P90X2^™? This is the question of the year, and it can't be answered in one simple sentence, or even one article. So I've written this series to help you decide whether or not P90X2 is the program for you. I wish I could tell all of you that P90X2 is right for you, but I'm too responsible for that. I'm sure one program in Beachbody's huge collection will work for each of you, but if you want to know specifically whether that right one is P90X2, read on.

1. Is P90X2 better than P90X? How can you beat the most popular workout program in the country? You can't. P90X2 is an extension of P90X. It's not necessarily better, but it's definitely evolved. For a more in-depth look at its development, read the first article in this series (see "The Next X: What's New About P90X2?" in the Related Articles section below).
2. Is it more Muscle Confusion^™? You betcha! If you thought your muscles were confused last time around, you ain't seen nothin' yet!
3. Is it harder? Remember the first time you did P90X? Could anything feel harder than that? Probably not. So while P90X2 isn't technically harder, it's probably going to feel harder until you get used to it. And since it's Muscle Confusion, it's going to take you some time to adapt. During this adaptation period, it's going to feel very difficult, but you're used to that, right? And when you take your X2 body back to another round of P90X, that program's going to feel harder too, because you'll be prepared to push yourself farther than ever before.
4. Is it still 6 days per week? No, it's only 5, though we suggest active recovery on your rest days. The more intensely you work out, the less time you need to spend doing it. With more breakdown, you also need more rest. P90X2 has evolved to the point where less is more.
5. Will there be options like Lean and Doubles? Instead of giving you different program options, P90X2 gives you the option of increasing each phase long enough to get the most out of it. If you're having trouble with your balance, you may decide to spend more time in Phase One. For bigger muscles, spend more time in Phase Two. Want to get faster, jump higher, or become more agile? Spend more time mastering Phase Three. You'll definitely want to read the guidebook, because it provides ideas for how to tailor your training personally for you (and much more). In P90X, we made the most versatile home fitness program ever created. P90X2 will open up even more options.
6. Is it true that there's no cardio? Here's a little secret: There was no true cardio in P90X, either. At least not in the kind of training generally associated with that word. P90X used anaerobic interval training to improve your cardiovascular system; although it's technically cardio, it isn't the public perception of cardio. "Cardio" is a training colloquialism for training your heart. So while you won't see any cardio in the title names, doing Plyocide or P.A.P. Lower will train your cardiovascular system as well as any cardio routine you've ever done.
7. Will I need any new equipment? There's a lot of new equipment for P90X2, and you'll eventually want to own all of it. But the cool thing is that we've created an option that can be done with nothing but a few exercise bands and furniture found in any hotel room. This "hotel room" option virtually eliminates excuses for not working out.
8. So what is this equipment? Here's a list of the equipment needed, which we'll go into in detail in a later article. Did I say "needed"? It's not, really. Besides the hotel room option, we also do most movements in a variety of ways to make it easy to add equipment as you can afford it. Here's a prioritized list:
   
   
   • Bands and/or weights: You need some form of resistance.
   • Pull-up bar: Just like P90X.
   • Yoga mat: You must have one of these by now, right?
   • Stability ball: We highly recommend this, because the benefits outweigh the cost many times over . . . and over.
   • Foam roller: You may not have heard of this before, but don't be surprised if it
     changes your life.
     
   • Push-up stands: You know 'em. You love 'em. How come you don't already have them?
   • Medicine balls: Mainly used for balance, so easily replaced with substitutes (basketballs, etc.) if need be, though once you've used the real thing you'll wonder why you ever waited to buy them.
   • Pull-up assist: While highly optional (we got away with chairs all these years), the pull-up assist will not only improve your ability to finish all your reps, it'll greatly improve both your form and exercise efficiency.
   • Yoga blocks: If you need these, you probably have them already.
9. Foam rolling? What the?! Foam rolling is a myofascial release technique. Hmm . . . not much help? Okay, how about this? It's a form of self-massage that forces your muscles to lengthen and align properly. Used regularly, it'll increase your mobility and range of motion and actually help you get stronger, because it frees your muscles to work the way they're supposed to. This one simple practice is often enough to change your alignment and allow you to move freer and easier.
10. How has the diet plan changed? For P90X2, the diet has evolved along with the exercise plan. Not that there was anything wrong with the old one, but we've been listening to your suggestions, and we've revamped the diet guide to give you more options on what to eat, how to increase effectiveness, and how to simplify the entire eating process. This subject is more than we can cover here, so the X2 nutrition plan is the topic of next week's P90X2 article.

9 Foods That Can Fool You

Denis Faye

 

During my 1970s childhood in South Dakota, my mom used to order something called the "Diet Plate." Common in most Sioux Falls-area and greater-Minnesota region restaurants, it consisted of a scoop of cottage cheese, a couple of canned peach halves still dripping syrup, a hamburger patty, some iceberg lettuce, and a sprig of parsley.


While delicious by mid-20th century Midwestern standards, it wasn't nearly as calorie-restrictive as you'd think compared to the chicken-fried steak and baked potato my dad was eating across the table. Still, the perception was that this was diet food, most likely because each element in the Diet Plate had a vague resemblance to another healthier foodstuff (except the hamburger, that is). But that had to be there because this was South Dakota, and any other meat would be deemed un-American.
Today, it'd be nice to think we've transcended the Diet Plate. Sadly, this isn't the case. Even today, there are dozens of foods we fool ourselves into thinking are healthful when in truth they do nothing but pad our hips and arteries. Here are nine of the worst offenders on your grocery store shelves.

1. Yogurt. It starts out as good stuff. Fat aside, there's the calcium and protein you find in all milk products, along with probiotics, which make it easier to digest for those with lactose issues. The only problem is that straight yogurt can be pretty bitter, so manufacturers load the stuff with sugar and masquerade those carbs as fruit in an effort to make the whole thing more palatable. Have a look at most flavored yogurt and you'll find the second ingredient to be sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. One container of Yoplait^® Original Strawberry has 170 calories, with 5 grams of protein and 33 grams of carbohydrates, 27 of which are sugar. Oddly enough, these are the exact same nutrition facts for Yoplait's other, less healthy-sounding flavors, including Key Lime Pie and White Chocolate Raspberry.
   
   Solution: Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. You'd be amazed at how far a handful of raspberries or a tablespoon of honey will go to cut the bitter taste. And while you're at it, choose the low-fat or fat-free stuff. You'll still get all the nutritional benefits.
2. Wheat Bread. If you're reading this, you probably know enough about nutrition to understand that whole-grain wheat is better for you than refined wheat. By keeping the bran and germ, you maintain the naturally occurring nutrients and fiber.
   
   But for some reason, manufacturers constantly come up with new chicanery to lead you back to the refined stuff. One of their latest tricks is to refer to refined flour as "wheat flour" because, obviously, it's made of wheat. But just because it's wheat-based doesn't mean it's not refined. The distracted shopper can mistake this label for "whole wheat flour" and throw it in his cart. Another loaf of cruddy, refined, fiberless bread has a new home.
   
   Solution: Slow down when you read the label. That word "whole" is an important one.
3. Chicken. Just because you made the switch from red meat doesn't mean you're in the clear. If you opt for dark meat—the wings, thighs, and legs—you're losing protein and gaining fat. Three ounces of raw chicken breast, meat only, has 93 calories, 19.5 grams of protein, and 1.2 grams of fat. Three ounces of dark meat, meat only, is 105 calories, 18 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat. It may not seem like much, but it adds up.
   
   Solution: Go for the breast, and while you're at it, ditch the skin. It's nothing but fat.
4. Frozen or canned fruit. Any food swimming in juice or "light syrup" isn't going to work in your favor on the scale. Furthermore, most canned fruit is peeled, meaning you're being robbed of a valuable source of fiber.
   
   Frozen fruit is a little trickier. While freezing preserves the fruit itself, adding sugar during the freezing process preserves color and taste; so many store-bought frozen fruits throw it in.
   
   Solution: Read that ingredients list! You want it to say fruit, water—and that's it.
5. Canned veggies. "What?" you declare. "There's light syrup in canned string beans too?" Nope—actually, they add salt to preserve this produce. A half-cup serving of canned string beans has approximately 300 to 400 milligrams of sodium.
   
   Solution: Many companies offer "no salt added" options. If you can't find one to your liking, go frozen instead—no salt (or light syrup), or better yet, buy fresh.
6. Peanut butter. Squish up peanuts, maybe add a little salt. How hard is it to make that taste good?
   
   Apparently, it's so incredibly difficult that many companies feel compelled to add sugar or high-fructose corn syrup into the mix. Why? I don't know. Some manufacturers, such as Skippy^®, are up front enough to admit this and call their product "Peanut Butter Spread," but many others still refer to this sugary concoction as good old "peanut butter."
   
   Solution: Read the label. (There's a theme emerging here.) Considering real peanut butter has one ingredient—two ingredients, max—it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out.
7. Juice. The range in the nutritional value of store-bought juices is massive. On one end, you have "fruit drinks" with just a modicum of actual juice in them. On the other end, you have fresh-squeezed, 100 percent preservative-free juices like Odwalla^® and Naked Juice^®. But no matter which one you choose, it's important to remember that it's never going to be as healthy as whole fruit. And if you're trying to lose weight, it's a flat-out bad idea. First off, it's been stripped of fiber, so you absorb it faster, which makes it more likely to induce blood-sugar spikes. Secondly, you consume it faster and it's less filling, so you're more likely to drink more.
   
   Solution: If you must buy it, go fresh-squeezed, but you're usually better off just skipping it entirely.
8. Canned soup. As is also the case with canned veggies, you're entering a sodium minefield. Half a cup of Campbell's^® Chicken Noodle Soup has 890 milligrams of sodium. That's 37 percent of the recommended daily allowance—and who eats half a cup?
   
   Solution: Read those labels carefully. Most companies make low-sodium versions.
9. Fat-free salad dressing: Dressing by definition is supposed to be fatty, and thus highly caloric. You use a little bit of it, and in doing so, you get a healthy hit of the fats you need for a nutritionally balanced diet. Unfortunately, people prefer to buy fat-free versions so they can drown their greens while avoiding excess fat. Nothing's free. All this stuff does is replace the fat with carbs and salt, so you've basically gone from pouring a little healthy unsaturated fat on your salad to dumping on a pile of sugar. For example, Wish-Bone^® Fat Free Chunky Blue Cheese has 7 grams of pure carbs and 270 milligrams of sodium for 2 tablespoons, which you'll never stop at anyway. Also, given that there's no fat or protein in this particular dressing, one can only imagine what makes it chunky.
   
   Solution: Make your own salad dressing. One part vinegar and one part olive oil with a blob of Dijon mustard makes an awesome vinaigrette. And here's another trick: Make your salad in a sealable container, add a tiny bit of dressing, and shake it up. It'll coat so much more than tossing will.
   
   And finally, make that salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, or some other nutrient-rich leafy green. As far as we're concerned, nutrient-poor iceberg lettuce should have gone the way of the South Dakota Diet Plate.

*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Related Articles
"9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids"
"Is Fro-Yo a No-No? 5 Healthy Frozen Alternatives!"
"7 Superfoods from the Sea"
Questions about your workout program, diet, the latest newsletter, or anything wellness related? Chat with Denis Faye, Beachbody Fitness Advisor, in the Team Beachbody Chat Room on Monday, September 12th, at 3:00 PM ET, 12:00 PM PT.
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, just email us at mailbag@TeamBeachbody.com.

Is Frozen Yogurt a Smart Choice

Is Fro-Yo a No-No? 5 Healthy Frozen Alternatives!

By Joe Wilkes
 

Most neighborhoods in Los Angeles—and the rest of the country—seem to have a frozen yogurt shop. Pinkberry^®, Red Mango^®, Kiwiberry, Céfiore^®, you name it—they're in strip malls, shopping centers, office complexes—even airports, hotels, and casinos. Frozen yogurt is touted as being low in calories and having lots of healthy flora for your intestinal health. So what's the deal: Is frozen yogurt good for you—or too good to be true?

The history of frozen yogurt

Dannon^® made the first frozen yogurt in the 1970s. It was sold in supermarkets as a frozen treat on a stick—usually a variation of Dannon's tart berry yogurt, but coated with chocolate or carob. Later, companies like TCBY^® (The Country's Best Yogurt) began processing yogurt in soft-serve ice cream machines, adding artificial flavorings, along with sugar or artificial sweeteners, in an effort to duplicate popular ice cream flavors. They also offered toppings like chocolate chips, M&M's^®, and crushed candy bars. Supermarket brands like Häagen-Dazs^® and Ben & Jerry's^® also began adding frozen yogurt flavors to their ice cream lines in the 1980s.
In 2005, Pinkberry opened its first store in Los Angeles, and the chain quickly grew to more than 50 stores, spawning hosts of imitators. Many say Pinkberry is a knockoff of the Korean chain Red Mango, but whoever imitated whom, Red Mango has benefited from Pinkberry's opening up the American market to this new/retro style of yogurt. Pinkberry yogurt is a back-to-basics formulation, similar to what Dannon peddled in the 1970s. Pinkberry yogurt is more tart than the sweeter TCBY-style soft-serve yogurt, and is usually offered in just a few flavors (currently original, chocolate, salted caramel, coconut, mango, pomegranate, and watermelon). These gourmet yogurt shops offer mainly fresh fruit toppings, as well as some less nutritious ones, and they all claim the health benefits of the high levels of favorable bacteria in their yogurts, like Lactobacillus and L. acidophilus.

 

Is it healthy?

Yogurt is generally healthy. It has calcium, is low in calories and fat, and contains cultures that are helpful in maintaining intestinal health. A small serving of original Pinkberry (1.5 servings, as figured on their nutritional information page—a "large" is considered to be 3.8 servings!) contains about 150 calories, 4.5 grams of protein, no fat, and about 15 percent of your daily value of calcium. The fresh fruit toppings are unsweetened and add only 10 to 35 calories per scoop. So, generally speaking, Pinkberry yogurt makes for a reasonably healthy snack. Old-school TCBY has a few more calories, but is not dissimilar to Pinkberry in its nutritional makeup. However, keep in mind that most of these calories come from added sugar, so they're more likely to turn into stored fat in your body if you don't burn them off. While its calcium content is also fairly decent, you'll get nearly twice as much calcium from regular unfrozen yogurt than you'll get from the frozen kind. Regular yogurt also contains more protein.
Things really go off track, however, when it comes to toppings other than fresh fruit. If you're going down to the gourmet yogurt joint, crumbling a candy bar or two on your yogurt, and adding a dollop of syrup to boot, it's pretty hard to claim you're "eating light." Obviously, this is also true if you're going to the supermarket and getting a pint of Ben & Jerry's fro-yo with chunks of cookie dough or brownies swirled in. You'd think common sense would kick in here, but most of us have somehow fooled ourselves into thinking that toppings don't count, when in fact the number of empty calories they contain is usually much higher than the calorie total for the actual yogurt. And when you get your yogurt in a cone instead of a cup, you're adding even more empty calories to your dessert or snack—120 calories for a typical waffle cone.
In short, frozen yogurt isn't terrible for your diet, but it isn't a miracle food either. It's a much better option than ice cream (which has high levels of saturated fat), but yogurt doesn't necessarily have less sugar. It's also better than cookies, cake, or candy, but it can't hold a candle to fresh fruit as a food that can satisfy your sweet tooth while helping to make you healthy at the same time. Simply put, it's better for your figure and your pocketbook just to have a bowl of fresh fruit mixed with your favorite plain unfrozen yogurt.
However, if you just can't get past your craving for a frosty delight, try one of these 5 healthy frozen treats!

1. Frozen fruit. Even people with no cooking experience can manage this one, because there's no cooking involved! Just pop some fresh grapes, strawberries, bananas, etc., into the freezer for a bit, then pop them in your mouth. This is an option that's particularly good for parents, because kids who turn up their noses at fresh fruit in a bowl will often appreciate it in this delightful "new" frozen form.
2. Fancy ice cubes. Try pouring your favorite fruit juice into an ice cube tray and inserting toothpicks when the cubes start to get slushy enough to allow the toothpicks to stand up. (Or if you're rushing out, just lean 'em at an angle; it'll still work.) You've made your own healthy miniature frozen pops! For bartenders, these can make a great addition to beverages. Try a glass of seltzer water with some frozen lemon juice cubes on a hot summer day. It'll make you forget about lemonade.
3. Speaking of bartending . . . This tip's for adults only. Here's a professional bartenders' secret—they usually add extra sugar in frozen drinks. Why? It tastes better and it makes you thirstier! More sugar = more thirst = more drinks (= more sugar you've consumed without realizing it). You get the idea. When making your own margaritas or daiquiris on a hot summer day, skip the store-bought mixers and make your own from fresh juice, using as little sugar as you can stand. Also, add extra ice to the blender. You'll be able to make your drink last a lot longer and do a lot less damage to your diet.
4. Make your own sorbet. This is a little more on the gourmet side. But if you're willing to invest a little money (in an ice cream/sorbet maker) and a little time, you can make delicious ice creams and sorbets from fresh fruit and keep out a lot of the artificial colors and flavors—and the obscene amounts of added sugar—many store brands contain.
5. Make your own frozen yogurt. If a dish of fresh fruit and regular plain yogurt is better for you than the soft-serve kind sold in yogurt stands, why not switch it up? Blend frozen fruit—berries, peaches, or any other favorites—with some plain yogurt in the blender. (Or you can use a hand blender or mixer.) If you absolutely can't live without it, you can add a little sugar (or honey, or agave nectar), but if you reduce the amount a little every time you make it, pretty soon you'll have weaned yourself off the excess sweet stuff. Before you know it, fruit and yogurt will be enough of a treat, and you won't even miss those crushed Oreos!