With a little planning and strategic portioning, your favorite snacks can help you nip cravings in the bud, stave off hunger, and fight feelings of deprivation. All of the snacks listed here are 150 calories or less, so you can give in to your sweet tooth or satisfy your mid-afternoon stomach growl and still fit into your skinny jeans. And with so many choices—from sweet and chocolaty to salty and savory—there’s a nibble to match every mood.
Satisfy a Sweet Tooth
- 1 cup berries or fruit salad topped with a dollop of reduced-fat whipped topping
- 6 ounces plain, non-fat yogurt drizzled with 1-2 teaspoons honey
- 1 frozen fruit pop or Italian ice
- 2 Tootsie Pops
- 100-calorie snack packs (such as Lorna Doones, Chips Ahoy!, and Honey Maid cinnamon rolls)
- 2 small cookies
- Half sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 8 vanilla wafers
- Microwaved sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg
- 2 graham cracker sheets (two squares per sheet)
- 35 Jelly Belly jellybeans
Get Your Chocolate Fix
- 1 oz. dark chocolate (preferably at least 70% cacao/cocoa)
- Two fun size chocolate bars (Snickers, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, etc.)
- 1 regular pack Pretzel M&Ms
- 1/2 cup low-fat chocolate pudding
- Chocolate-flavored 100-calorie snack packs (such as Oreos, Grasshoppers, and Fudge Grahams)
- One low-fat hot cocoa packet mixed with 6 oz. plain nonfat yogurt
- 4 Dove Promises mini chocolates
- 5 Hershey Kisses
- 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips mixed with ½ cup whole grain cereal
- Chocolate-covered strawberries: 1 oz. dark chocolate melted over 5 whole strawberries
- ¾ cup Chocolate Cheerios
- 1 serving (50 pieces) Chocolate Goldfish Grahams
- 16 mini chocolate rice cakes
Salty Satisfaction
- 1 ounce baked chips (potato, tortilla, vegetable, lentil)
- 1 ounce soy crisps
- 1 ounce pretzels
- 4 cups air popped popcorn (optional seasonings: cumin, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, cinnamon, etc.)
- 100-calorie bag microwave popcorn
- Salty/savory 100-calorie snack packs (such as Cheez-Its, Sun Chips, and Ritz Snack Mix)
- ¼ cup plain or flavored almonds
- ½ cup pistachio nuts (in the shell)
- 2 Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges spread on 2 Light crackers or 4 Triscuits
- Half a baked potato topped with salsa and/or nonfat sour cream
- Half a medium avocado, drizzled with fresh lime juice and lightly sprinkled with kosher salt
- ¼ cup hummus and 10 baby carrots (or celery sticks)
- Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
Thanks to By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. @ joybauer.com
