Healthy Snack Bites

When you’re always on the go it seems you may not have time for a quick snack. But snacks are the ideal way to curb hunger and keep you focused on the run. An ideal snack that satisfies for a few hours should consist of carbohydrates and a small amount of protein and fat. A snack gets extra points if it contains more nutrients like calcium. The right snack for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Do you feel a gnawing hunger a few hours before dinner? Are there nutrients missing from your other meals that you want to include in a snack?

If you are watching your calories, a container of thick satisfying low-fat Greek yogurt may be ideal. If you’ve just finished a workout at the gym and need to refuel, a yogurt parfait with chopped nuts and berries may hit the spot. If you tend to skimp on fruits and vegetables during meals, you might try snacking on carrot sticks, broccoli, apple wedges, bananas, or dried fruit, which are portable and last the day without refrigeration. Other examples of nutrient-packed filling snacks are low-fat chocolate milk, peanut butter on whole grain crackers, unsalted nuts mixed with dried fruit and string cheese. Your blood sugar will be more stable and therefore your appetite more controlled with these types of snacks rather than cookies, potato chips, or candy bars filled with fat, salt, sugar and little else.

You may need just one snack a day, or up to three! If you are watching your weight, make sure your snacks fit into your total daily calorie needs to prevent overeating and weight gain. Portion control is key to smart snacking so stick with specific portions of snacks like these listed below.

Easy healthy snack combinations between 200-300 calories:
These are all snacks that can be easily kept in your pantry (or fridge) or stashed in your bag for a quick snack anywhere.
• A piece of fresh fruit and a small handful of almonds
• 6 oz container of nonfat yogurt or Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts
• Fresh fruit wedges or vegetable sticks with a half cup of 1% cottage cheese or 2 tablespoons of hummus
• 15 baked tortilla chips with a half cup of salsa
• 7 whole grain Triscuits with 1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter
• 2 sheets of graham crackers spread with 2 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• Trail mix: ¼ cup nuts, 2 tablespoons of raisins or other dried fruit, 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips
• A hard-boiled egg and 1 mozzarella string cheese
• Packet of instant oatmeal with 2 tablespoons raisins or other dried fruit and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• A toasted English muffin or whole-wheat mini bagel spread with 1 tablespoon of nut butter or hummus
• A smoothie made with 6 oz nonfat yogurt, 4 oz calcium-fortified orange juice, ½ banana, and ¼ cup frozen berries