Snacks! A single word but an important one! Never underestimate the role of small things, well in this case snacks. Snacks have an important role in your diet, they can actually make or break your waist line. Even if you eat healthy and count everything in your main meal or other meals, choosing unhealthy snacks can actually ruin your whole diet. Yet, choosing the right snacks makes you feel better and have more energy during the day.
Next time you get the urge to reach for something which will add pounds to your waistline, try to grab one of these healthy snacks. Do not forget to prepare your snacks ahead of time, so that when the next craving hits, you have them already ready wherever you are.
Let’s have a look at these amazing and easy snacks!
- Cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is famous for its abundant supply of complete protein. Per ½ cup: 80 calories, 2 g fat, 10 g protein, 5 g fiber
- Sliced tomato with a sprinkle of feta and olive oil. This savory dish will make your taste buds happy.
- Banana. Naturally prepackaged goodness you can take anywhere, with the added benefit of cramp-preventing potassium.
- Low-fat Greek yogurt with chopped walnuts and honey.
- Spicy Watermelon and Pistachios Toss 2 cups cut-up watermelon with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and ½ teaspoon grated lime zest. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons chopped unsalted roasted pistachios. 126 calories | 2 g fiber | 3 g protein | 3 g fat
- Sliced cucumbers and one or two wedges of Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original Cheese
- Baby carrots with hummus. The crunchy texture keeps choppers busy, and tangy hummus feeds your need for comfort food. 1 c baby carrots with 2 tbsp. hummus. 1 c baby carrots with 2 tbsp. hummus.
- Cantaloupe. Like most fruit, melon contains a lot of water. So you get a lot of food—and beta-carotene—for not a lot of calories use 1/2 cantaloupe
- Peanuts & dried cranberries. 1 tbsp. peanuts and 2 tbsp. dried cranberries. Toss together this pared-down trail mix and pre-measure into plastic baggies.
- Raspberries with Greek yogurt. 1 cup raspberries with 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt and 1 tsp honey.
- Frozen yogurt. About 1/2 c frozen yogurt. When you crave a cool treat, dip into smooth and yummy fro-yo—it's nowhere near as high-calorie as ice cream.
- Soy chips. A pack of soy chips racks up as many as 7 g of soy protein in about 100 calories, which leaves room for a 1/4 cup of Guiltless Gourmet bean dip. The dip adds 60 calories and another 4 g each of fiber and protein.
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Cherry Tomatoes with Goat Cheese. Dividing evenly, top 5 halved large cherry tomatoeswith 2 tablespoons fresh goat cheese. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chopped herbs (such as basil or parsley).
98 calories | 1 g fiber | 6 g protein | 7 g fat - Mango and Raspberry Smoothie. In a blender, puree ½ cup coconut water, ½ cup frozen mango, ½ cup frozen raspberries, 2 ounces tofu, and 1 teaspoon agave nectar until smooth. 173 calories | 7 g fiber | 6 g protein | 2 g fat
- Celery Sticks with Hummus and Olives Dividing evenly, top 3 celery sticks with 3 tablespoons hummus and 3 sliced olives. 129 calories | 5 g fiber | 5 g protein | 8 g fat
- Handful of almonds mixed with dried tart cherries or blueberries.
- Two to four tablespoons of hummus with crudités.
- Hard-boiled egg with freshly ground black pepper.
- Cinnamon. Studies shown that cinnamon can curtail your appetite.
- Grapefruit. The grapefruit is very healthy eaten as a snack or as part of your breakfast. You can eat it any way you want: peeled or cut in halves, eighths, or quarters.
Bon appetit!