20 Healthy carb-counted snacks from a dietitian’s kitchen

Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)

Are there really snacks with healthy carbs out there? Figure out if snacking is for you and get ideas for healthy carb-counted snacks using foods from a dietitian's kitchen.

Why healthy carb-counted snacks, and how often?

Many people try to target a certain amount of carbohydrates in snacks, usually for weight or blood sugar management. Think about your personal preferences, along with your nutrition and fitness goals. Reasons people snack:

It might help take the edge off a voracious hunger at meals.
Suppose you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or hypoglycemia. In that case, it may be helpful to snack when meals are longer than 4 hours apart to help control wild swings in blood sugar.
A bedtime snack may help manage blood sugar overnight.
Small, more frequent meals and snacks may help you manage heartburn.
Boredom, habit, and anxiety can also lead to snacking. Ask yourself, "Am I really hungry?"

Plan for snacks with healthy carbs

Think of snacks as mini-meals that can provide both energy and nutrients. Planning helps prevent you from grabbing whatever is available, such as the candy on a co-worker's desk or the donuts in the break area.
Keep healthy carb-counted snacks interesting to prevent you from going for sugary treats.
Always pre-portion snacks to prevent mindlessly consuming multiple portions from the large package. Snack-size baggies or small containers work great for packing weight-loss-friendly snacks.

Snacks featuring healthy carbs

These examples have a targeted amount of carbs balanced with protein and fat. The protein and fat can extend the energy to help keep you satisfied longer.

Carbohydrate target: 1-5 grams/snack

1 hard-boiled egg, 5 grape tomatoes (79 cal, 3g carbs)
5 cucumber slices, 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, 2 tomato wedges, 1 tablespoon yogurt salad dressing (93 cal, 5g carbs)
3 celery sticks, 3 large radishes, 3 pepper slices, and 1/2 tablespoon olive tapenade (25 cal, 1g carb)
1/3 cup lupini beans and 10 pistachios (69 cal, 5g carbs)
3 kalamata olives and 1 string cheese (99 cal, 2g carbs)
3 carrot sticks, 5 cucumber slices, and 1 tablespoon bean dip (33 cal, 5g carbs)
1 ounce of turkey and 1 teaspoon reduced-fat mayonnaise in a lettuce wrap (51 cal, 1g carbs)
2 rice crackers, 1/2 tablespoon cream cheese, 3 black olives (79 cal, 5g carbs)

Carbohydrate target: 10-15 grams/snack

4 ounces plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup berries, 1 tablespoon granola, 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds, and a dash of cinnamon (162 cal, 15g carbs)
Small apple, cut in wedges with 2 teaspoons peanut butter (113 cal, 10g carbs)
1/4 cup trail mix (140 cal, 15g carbs)
Small corn tortilla with 1 ounce melted cheese, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon bean dip (158 cal, 15g carbs)
1/2 cup cubed mango and 10 walnut halves (178 cal, 15g carbs)
1/4 bagel thin topped with 1/4 cup cottage cheese and a dash of cinnamon (100 cal, 14g carbs)

Carbohydrate target: 16-20 grams/snack

1 cup cubed watermelon topped with 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon honey (106 cal, 17g carbs)
Small (96 g) orange and 7 almonds (94 cal, 13g carbs)
1 thin-sliced whole grain toast, 2 teaspoons nut butter, and 2 sliced strawberries (153 cal, 16g carbs)
3 cups popcorn sprinkled with 1 teaspoon parmesan cheese (172 cal, 19g carbs)
1 cup strawberries, 2 tablespoons whipped topping, 10 chopped peanuts, and 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup (145 cal, 20g carbs)
7 pita chips, 1 tablespoon hummus, and 4 small olives (156 cal, 18g carbs)