Whether you’re on a diet or simply want to focus on your diet more, snacks are your best companion. And while chips and donuts may not be the healthiest choice, we have our 5 top picks that make you feel full and give you the energy to continue with your day!
Regular snacks or mini-meals can improve metabolism, help regulate blood sugar, and prevent overeating later. The secret to a successful and harmless snacking is to keep the calorie count low. It is so easy to overindulge on snacks when you get hungry, and we often don’t even notice that we are doing it. It’s important to remember that your snack is not your main meal and should not contain more than 300 calories. If you are all out of ideas for low-calorie and tasty snacks, read on for our list of snacks with fewer than 200 calories.
Apple with 1 Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
This healthy and delicious snack comes up to just 157 calories while packing in a bunch of fiber and protein. Fresh fruits like apples have lots of minerals and vitamins in addition to natural sugars to boost your energy. As for the peanut butter, it adds extra protein to help keep you feeling full. One tablespoon of natural peanut butter has 94 calories and 8 grams of fat and half an apple has 63 calories.
A Half-Cup of Frozen Yogurt
If you have a sweet tooth that tends to strike from time to time, you can turn to some frozen yogurt. Just make sure that it is low-fat or non-fat frozen yogurt. Most varieties have less than 150 calories per serving. For added nutrients, you can also top it with chunks of fresh fruit.
Fresh veggies with 2 Tablespoons of Dip
Carrot, pepper, or celery sticks are a diet staple for a good reason. One cup’s worth has up to 50 calories. On top of that, your mother was right about carrots: the carotenoids and vitamin A really can boost your eyesight. Pair 10 veggie sticks two tablespoons of creamy hummus or another vegetable dip (which comes to 132 calories) for a filling snack that won’t blow your diet.
One-Quarter Cup of Almonds, Cashews, or Pistachios
Unsalted almonds, pistachios, and cashews are all rich in protein and fiber. These tasty snacks are full of healthy monounsaturated fats too. Knowing that nuts are high in calories, you should keep in mind that you have to watch the portion sizes. Cashews have 157 calories per quarter-cup serving, almonds have 155 calories, and pistachios have 170.
Two 100-Calorie Bags of Popcorn
When you’re craving something salty and crunchy, feel free to reach for two 100-calorie bags of air-popped popcorn. Due to its volume, it’s really filling, so you can eat a lot for just a few calories and feel full. Microwaveable popcorn can vary widely, but they’re usually very calorie-dense. So, you should always opt for a plain popcorn that’s free of trans fat and low in saturated fat.