Foods to curb holiday appetite, fight fat

When you're driving around or at the mall, it's pretty hard to bring along the turkey slices, so here's a look at some protein pickups that you can tote with you on the go.

Weight loss studies prove that eating more protein during the day helps curb appetite, and it should be included in snacks, as well as meals.

While string cheese isn't new, companies like Precious and Sargento include a bonus by offering Omega-3 -- fats you typically find in fish without the fishy taste.

Each stick of string cheese has 80 calories, six grams of protein, with a dose of calcium.

Jif sells reduced fat peanut butter in guilt-free packages to keep portions honest. Smart snackers know there's two portions in each tub, so save half for later. It'll give you 190 calories a serving, seven grams of protein, with a bit of fiber. If you've got apple or celery, you've got a healthy combo.

Edamame or soy beans are a sushi house favorite. Seapoint packets of dry roasted edamame offer a crunchy snack, with 14 grams of protein and eight grams of fiber.

Next best is Kame Green Tea Snack Mix, which has six grams of protein and three grams of fiber. But for both, remember to pay attention to the serving size of a quarter cup.

Finally, there's a handful of bars that will put a dent in your hunger, but you have to check the nutrition facts closely, and then make sure they taste good. Look for low-sugar bars that contain at least eight grams of protein and some fiber so that it will stay with you for a while.

The Mojo bar is a decent choice at eight grams of protein, but a Think Thin bar is made with a whopping 20 grams, and it's made with sugar alcohol, so it can be declared sugar-free.