Add these low calorie snacks to fill you up for hours!

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

Snacks can fit into a healthy eating plan but if you are trying to lose weight you want to make sure the calories fit within your daily budget. Need low-calorie snack ideas? Here are some sweet and savory snacks that can fill you up between meals.

Low-calorie snacks that fill you up

Pairing a protein or healthy-fat choice with a veggie, fruit, or whole grain is a great way to have variety and also keep you full longer. Because they are digested more slowly, protein and fat stay with you longer than carbs.This does the job to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Also, choosing healthy snacks instead of junk food punches up your nutrition for the day.

Dietitian-approved low-calorie snack ideas

Super light snacks with less than 50 calories

• 1 small clementine orange or tangerine
• 1/2 cup berries with 1 Tbsp whipped topping
• Plain unsweetened herbal tea such as cinnamon spiced or ginger tea
• Water infusions (water with sliced citrus and/or herbs for flavor)
• Flavored seltzer water
• 6 oz Crispy zucchini chips
• Non-starchy* vegetables - raw, roasted, or grilled with salsa or hot sauce
• 1 sweet or dill pickle (note: high in sodium)

*Non-starchy vegetables to eat raw: Bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chayote, cucumber, jicama, mushrooms, radishes, snow peas, tomatoes, zucchini

*Non-starchy vegetables that are great for roasting, to eat hot or cold: Asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, chayote, eggplant, greens, kale, leeks, mushrooms, spinach, summer squash (crookneck, zucchini), swiss chard

Light snack ideas at 50-99 calories

• 8 fl oz skinny mocha or latte (skim milk, sugar-free syrup)
• 1 graham square and 1/2 cup light vanilla soy milk
• 4 oz Greek yogurt with vanilla
• 1/2 cup berries or sliced melon with 2 Tbsp whipped topping
• 10 frozen grapes dipped in 1 Tbsp chocolate hummus
• 1/8 avocado slice spread on thin sliced whole-grain toast
• 2 oz lean ham wrapped around a small melon slice
• cucumber boats
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter on celery sticks
• 4 oz nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup 2% low fat cottage cheese and 1/2 cup strawberries
• Small baked apple with cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar-free pudding
• 1 chocolate or caramel rice cake
• 1 low fat fudge frozen bar

100-150 calories

• 12 fl oz skinny mocha or latte (skim milk, sugar-free syrup)
• 1 oz cheese and small apple or pear
• 1 tablespoon nut butter and 1/2 medium banana
• 1 tablespoon nut butter on celery sticks with 1 tablespoons raisins
• 1/4 cup trail mix
• 3 cups air-popped popcorn and 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1 small bag light microwave popcorn (100 cal bag)
• 5 oz low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with 1 tsp pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 sandwich thin with 1 oz turkey, lettuce, tomato and mustard
• 1 cheese stick and 1 oz whole grain crackers
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1 tbsp reduced-sugar jam and 1/2 oz whole grain crackers
• 1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon hazelnut spread
• 12 baby carrots with 3 tablespoons hummus
• 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas
• 1 whole wheat fig bar and 6 oz 1% milk
• 1/2 cup low fat vanilla ice cream and 1/2 cup berries
• 1 chocolate rice cake, 2 tablespoons whipped topping and 1/2 cup berries

151 - 200 calories

• 1 oz sweet & salty snack mix
• 1 oz (1/4 cup) almonds
• 1 oz roasted kale chips
• 1 oz extra dark chocolate
• 1 oz plain animal crackers and 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips
• 1 cheese stick and 10 whole grain crackers and 1 small apple
• 1/4 cup black beans on small whole wheat tortilla with salsa
• 3 tablespoons hummus and 1 mini whole wheat pita with sliced cucumber, tomato, and carrot

As you can see from these snack lists, there are many food combinations to make tasty, satisfying snacks. Enjoy!

Adapted from original content by Kathy Isacks MPS, RDN, CDCES

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