Healthy Snack Ideas
Healthy snacks can be an important part of your weight loss plan. Eating a healthy snack when you’re hungry between meals can help you avoid overeating later. The key to snacking and losing weight is to keep an eye on how many extra calories you’re getting when you snack.
If you’re snacking between meals, try to stay within 100 calories for your entire snack. Choose your food items wisely and practice portion control.
100-Calorie Snack Ideas:
- 1 cup of sliced bananas and fresh raspberries
- 2 cups of carrots
- 3 1/2 cups of air-popped popcorn
- 5 melba toast crackers, rye or pumpernickel
- 2 tablespoons of peanuts
- 2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
- 1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup
- 26 grapes
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 10 dry-roasted cashews or 12 to 15 almonds
In some cases, you may find yourself having a quick snack instead of a full meal. It’s important to eat something every few hours, even if you don’t have time to prepare an entire healthy meal. Keep your refrigerator stocked with foods you can put together quickly that are also low in calories and fat.
200-Calorie Snacks-as-Meals Ideas:
- Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice of Canadian bacon, a tomato slice, and one slice of low-fat American cheese.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.
- Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
- Make quesadillas out of a 6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla and 2 tablespoons of shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Mix 1/4 cup of cold, cooked chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon of sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon of plain low-fat yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise, and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.
When you do your grocery shopping, be sure to plan for healthy snacks. Having fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins on hand will make you less likely to reach for junk food when the need for snacking arises.