20 Mix-and-Match Healthy Snacks
Confession: I am not a fan of snacking. To my way of thinking, you are either hungry or not; if you’re hungry, then eat, and if you’re not, then don’t. Every eating experience is an opportunity to consume nutrients – and to receive pleasure too - but the first is more important than the last. (When you love fresh and wholesome food, nutritious and delicious are the same.) But if snacks (can we agree to call them mini-meals?) have a place in your life, then it's always helpful to have more ideas.
How to Snack
To increase your nutrient consumption at each eating experience, be sure to eat more than one food at your mini-meal. A single food, such as a little bag of Baked Lays, is not a great mini-meal. The single food may be fine but what about the other nutrients that you need? A satisfying mini-meal should be nutritionally dense, balanced, and take a bit of effort. The effort serves as an affirmative action that you want the best.
Food-Combining
Before you snack, it’s a good idea to tally what you’ve eaten and still need for the day. You can make a mental tally or, better yet, use the Calorie Count Nutrition Analysis to help with that. Then, the challenge is to find an in-between meal snack that gives you access to more two or more food groups. (The six food groups are outlined in MyPyramid.gov, the nutrition website of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Inside the pyramid, there are Grains, Vegetables, Fruit, Milk, Meat & Beans, and Oil. There are also Discretionary Calorie foods, but those are extra, not a food group.)
Food-combining is not magic; the practice simply provides more nutrients. Combinations include grain, fruit and dairy, or vegetable, meat/bean and grain, or fruit, meat/bean and dairy, or whatever else meets your daily needs – you get the point. It is fun to mix and match new food combinations and it’s a great way to teach kids about healthy eating
Here is a list of mix and match nutritious low-calorie snacks to get you started. Choose any that you like and then add more. The portion size is up to you.
20 Mix-and-Match Healthy Snacks
- Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb Wedge on a reduced fat Triscuit topped with a slice of roasted red pepper
- Low-fat cottage cheese with fresh strawberries and Back to Nature Sesame Ginger Rice Thins
- Hot air popcorn sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and a touch cayenne
- A small baked potato, topped with 1/4 cup of salsa and 2 tablespoons of non-fat Fage yogurt
- A small whole wheat tortilla, spread with hummus, topped with cucumber slices and grated carrot, rolled up
- One slice of whole grain bread, spread with peanut butter and honey, rolled around a small banana
- 1/4 cup of fat-free Ranch dressing over mixed fresh vegetables and a hard-boiled egg
- 1/2 celery stalk lightly filled with peanut butter and raisins (Ants on a Log)
- Sliced cherries, fat-free ricotta cheese and sliced almonds, with a sweetener if needed
- A dried fig sliced in half, stuffed with a walnut half (rolled in sugar if desired)
- 1/2 whole wheat mini bagel with 1/2 ounce of smoked salmon and a tomato slice
- One baguette slice, one oil sardine, one cherry tomato, and a squeeze of lemon juice
- Whole almonds, Wasa Rye Crispbread, and light Babybel mini-round cheese
- One ham slice, one pineapple wedge and a dab of low fat cottage cheese
- One slice of turkey breast, spread with mango chutney, rolled around a breadstick
- Cherry tomatoes, low-fat fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil (Caprese Salad)
- A Chocolate-Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Pop from Eating Well
- Coco-Nut Bananas also from Eating Well
- Raspberries mixed with fat-free vanilla yogurt and wheat germ
- One graham cracker square spread with 1 tablespoon lemon curd, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and served with 4 ounces of skim milk.
Your thoughts....
There must be a million mix-and-match healthy snacks. Please suggest some more.
Mary_RD does not have a relationship with the manufacturers of the listed products.
Comments
My favorite is usually low fat cottage cheese with some frozen blueberries and almonds mixed in. Hits three different food groups and is not a terribly high calorie snack. By my estimation its about 220 calories. But 220 very tasty calories !
Ever since I've improved my diet, I have been eating three moderate meals and no snacks. But sometimes I miss the snacks themselves (not eating them in between meals). So I'll plan a dinner that consists of a few different hors d'oeuvres. It helps me not feel deprived since even in restaurants I don't do appetizers anymore, but I still really like the experience of eating "finger foods". This way, I have finger foods for my dinner and it's a splurge that's not out of my calorie range. Win, win, win!
a clementine or small apple and 8-10 mini wheats, usually Kashi or Fiber One.
organic soy yogurt, 1/2 cup berries and 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean-- add a few nuts (walnuts/pecans) for a great breakfast!
great mini lunch-- sandwich thin (preferably toasted), red roasted pepper warmed up a bit and thin layer of hummus with lettuce.
I don't know about this mini-meal thing. If you get enough nutrients (from a variety of food groups) during your regular meals, why can't your snack be 100 calories of chocolate? The way I figure it, you should keep fresh fruit, raw veggies, yogurt, and whole grain crackers in your house so that when you want a snack you can reach for those things. But if what you are actually craving is something from the naughty food group, eat it! For instance, when I make brownies I cut them into 200 calorie squares and put them in separate baggies. Then I can have a brownie a day for like a week! :)
Plus, peanut butter and honey on bread wrapped around a banana sounds like lunch, not a snack. The banana alone is enough food for me when I just need a snack.
its about mixing the foods, and getting all your nutrients and to keep you from eating bad high fat high cholesterol and high carb. foods
I joined this website and my nutritionist told me its not how much you eat its what you eat, and so far by snacking on carrots and good food that has little to no processing i have lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks.
I guess the point was to get a little more balance in your eating but you are also right the if you are craving something, you will eat everything else until it's satisfied. So it's better to eat the naughty something and get over it. I have to keep starting over as that naughty something happens more often and more often then I'm back where I started before I know it.
Mulitgrain light English muffin.100cal for the whole muffin..8gm fiber. topped with sliced tomtoe,red onion,and laughing cow mini bell light..a little red pepper hummus. Also a great lunch with a vegetable salad.
I used to snack on mostly carbs and found that it left me hungrier than when I started, so now I try to make sure that I have some protein and fat with every snack. Made a world of difference. For the protein and fat I grab some roasted almonds (that I roast myself), turkey pepperoni or light cheese.
I don't do "snacks". I do do 5-6 meals a day. Having a meal planned for every 3-4 hours keeps me from getting overly hungry. Sometimes my meals are of equal nutriion and calorie value, sometimes not but a variety of ingredients at each meal is of utmost impoirtance to me. I also "pack" 100-calorie healthy treats for when I'm on the go (usually nuts). Everything fits into my daily calorie total. The idea is to never be in a position where a craving leads me to bad food choices. Does this work for me? Yes, 55lbs worth!
Original Post by: claudiadpI'm lactose intolerant and wish there were more choice of snacks without diary products
Have you tried Almond Breeze? The light version is only 40 calories per cup, and there are plain, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. 3/4 cup of a multigrain cereal with 1 cup of almond breeze would only be around 130 to 150 calories, and you would get healthy carbs, fats and proteins.
I also like to take an apple, slice it, and smear a little bit of peanut butter on each wedge.
My favorite snacks is Chex Mix, I make my own with a lot of whole wheat Chex. I enjoy the individual cheese snacks sold in the grocery stores and the Fiber One bars. Also add a can of black bean brownies to your favorite brownie mix and enjoy healthier brownies. Do an internet search and you'll find lots of black bean brownie recipes. I agree that having a piece of chocolate as a snack is okay, just not an entire candy bar :)
Original Post by: trinity1020Mulitgrain light English muffin.100cal for the whole muffin..8gm fiber. topped with sliced tomtoe,red onion,and laughing cow mini bell light..a little red pepper hummus. Also a great lunch with a vegetable salad.
I like to use these muffins with some Kraft 2% mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, and about 1 tsp Ragu Pizza Quik sauce. Pop in the oven for a quick pizza fix. About 150-160 for both halves of the muffin.
I don't snack, I have mini-meals throughout the day. My 'snack', or as I put it when I log my calories, is whatever I had for dessert, or if I ate again after dinner.
I don't have any usuals, but things I might have for my mini-meals are:
Small salad, 2 tbs light Italian dressing, mini babybel light
2 slices Whole Wheat toast, 1 tbs peanut butter, 1 tbs nutella, 1/2 cup fruit salad
Whole wheat pasta cooled, cubed tomatoes and cucumbers, 2 tbs light Italian dressing
2 oz ground turkey, 1/2 cup black beans, spices, 2 tbs light ranch dressing, salad
Hummus with almost ANY raw vegetable! My favorites: Celery and baby carrots!
Original Post by: mariam33My favorite snacks is Chex Mix, I make my own with a lot of whole wheat Chex. I enjoy the individual cheese snacks sold in the grocery stores and the Fiber One bars. Also add a can of black bean brownies to your favorite brownie mix and enjoy healthier brownies. Do an internet search and you'll find lots of black bean brownie recipes. I agree that having a piece of chocolate as a snack is okay, just not an entire candy bar :)
I love Almond Breeze! So delicious and it makes me never want to drink milk again.
I take a fiber one peach yogurt and put in 1/2 a cup of frozen blueberries and 1/4 cup kashi cereal and mix it all up. it has about half a gram of fat and 2 grams of sugar total, and is about 100 calories, and provides dairy, grain, and fruit healthfully.
Original Post by: reginabcOriginal Post by: claudiadpI'm lactose intolerant and wish there were more choice of snacks without diary products
Have you tried Almond Breeze? The light version is only 40 calories per cup, and there are plain, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. 3/4 cup of a multigrain cereal with 1 cup of almond breeze would only be around 130 to 150 calories, and you would get healthy carbs, fats and proteins.
I also like to take an apple, slice it, and smear a little bit of peanut butter on each wedge.
Almond Breeze is FULL of nasty chemicals. If you want some almond milk, soak some almonds over night, through them in your blender with some water, honey and vanilla, blend then pour through a cheese cloth. It will keep for 5-6 days, and save you LOTS of money.
I get frozen baggies for Edamame from Costco, the whole bag is 140 calories and it is so delicious, full of protein and vitamins.
I love mini-meals but they can add up calorie wise!
I agree about the whole wheat bread, PB and banana being too much for a "snack"...snack for me should be less than 200 calories.
Fruit is a great snack, as are cheese and nuts. I would like to add more vegetables as snack foods but so find them less convenient than fruit - any suggestions beyond carrot sticks for "non-messy" veggies (either raw or cooked) that I can take to work to snack on?
Laura
@stacy: is that edamame in pods or already de-podded (is that even a word??!
) And have you tried the edamame hummus from Trader Joe's? It is amazing!
Laura
Drizzle 6 slices of cucumber with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and top with about a tablespoon of feta cheese (I think a serving is more like 2 if you really like feta but it's strong enough to just go with 1). Great snack!
Original Post by: dbhadra@stacy: is that edamame in pods or already de-podded (is that even a word??!
Laura
It is in pod, you steam it in the microwave for about 3 minutes and enjoy. It takes a while to eat (because it is not "de-popped" haha) so its a fun thing in the middle of the day, to feel like you are eating for a while, and it's just delicious. I sprinkle some roasted garlic and pepper seasoning on.
Fresh fruit sliced and topped with yogurt or cottage cheese.
Tomatoes and mozzarella on toast with a small bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Apple and peanut butter with cinnamon dusted on (om nom nom)
Raspberries are roughly 1 calorie each (http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-raspberries-i9302?siz e=3), and a rare treat for me due to cost, so I feel like I'm REALLY indulging.
For normal days, though, I get various fresh fruits (or a fruit plate from the work cafeteria), chop everything into medium-sized pieces, and freeze it in single-serving containers (plastic baggies, little tupperware, whatever you have). This encourages me to slow down and savor the flavors. Yes, it's only one food group, but it includes quite a lot of variety :o)
After a workout, I like to dump a frozen fruit serving into the blender, and blend it up with either sparkling water for delicious mock soda, or water and a packet of emergen-C (25 calories per packet).
When I want to avoid consuming too much sugar, though, I go with cottage cheese with only a slice of fruit. I also like half an avocado sprinkled with the juice from a lemon wedge and a slight bit salt. Yes, it's fatty, but it's good fat and has impressive amounts of fiber.
Original Post by: reginabcOriginal Post by: claudiadpI'm lactose intolerant and wish there were more choice of snacks without diary products
Have you tried Almond Breeze? The light version is only 40 calories per cup, and there are plain, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. 3/4 cup of a multigrain cereal with 1 cup of almond breeze would only be around 130 to 150 calories, and you would get healthy carbs, fats and proteins.
I also like to take an apple, slice it, and smear a little bit of peanut butter on each wedge.
I started using this recently - alternating with Lactose free Organic Valley non-fat milk. The unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze is great and about half the calories of non-fat milk. It tastes great with cereal and fruit in the morning. The only down side is that it doesn't have as much protein as milk.
Original Post by: annautOriginal Post by: claudiadpI'm lactose intolerant and wish there were more choice of snacks without diary products
To claudiadp - I am also lactose intolerant and find that Greek yogurt does not bother me. In fact, most yogurt doesn't...I just prefer to eat the plain Greek yogurt with apples or berries because it means less fat, less sugar and a lot more protein than the "regular" types of yogurt. Also, if I am craving cheese, I eat 1/2 slice Swiss with carrots or other veggies (Swiss does not seem to bother my stomach like all other cheeses!).
I am lactose intolerant as well - I eat one 6 ounce Fage 0%fat greek yogurt every day as an afternoon snack - it doesn't give me the same problem that other dairy products do. I add a packet of splenda or truvia to it and it's like a creamy dessert. I really look forward to it!
Original Post by: dbhadraI love mini-meals but they can add up calorie wise!
I agree about the whole wheat bread, PB and banana being too much for a "snack"...snack for me should be less than 200 calories.
Fruit is a great snack, as are cheese and nuts. I would like to add more vegetables as snack foods but so find them less convenient than fruit - any suggestions beyond carrot sticks for "non-messy" veggies (either raw or cooked) that I can take to work to snack on?
Laura
I like to cut up bell peppers and cucumbers, too. Be careful with cucs, if you cut them too early in advance they seem to go bad pretty fast. I usually do it the night before. I also like cherry tomatoes (I know, I know, technically a fruit...) tossed in a baggie. Just be sure they don't hang out at the bottom of your purse! :o)
Original Post by: mariecarmi think most of the foods listed are excessive as a snack but would constitute balanced meals in themselves. if you used these as a snack the calorie intake would soar sky high in an instant. i snack on plain fruit and (very few) nuts with no extra 'decorations' at all!
I agree. Keeping meal and snack choices simple works for me. These suggestions seem way too much food. I snack on unsalted mini pretzels, fruit, raisins, nuts, carrots and celery. That's it!! I have lost 28 pounds since January. I went from size 12 to size 4. Keeping your choices simple make healthy eating very easy. My lunch and dinner choices are also very simple and delicious. Good luck to everyone who decides to lose weight and stay healthy.
Original Post by: staceyolsonOriginal Post by: reginabcOriginal Post by: claudiadpI'm lactose intolerant and wish there were more choice of snacks without diary products
Have you tried Almond Breeze? The light version is only 40 calories per cup, and there are plain, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. 3/4 cup of a multigrain cereal with 1 cup of almond breeze would only be around 130 to 150 calories, and you would get healthy carbs, fats and proteins.
I also like to take an apple, slice it, and smear a little bit of peanut butter on each wedge.
Almond Breeze is FULL of nasty chemicals. If you want some almond milk, soak some almonds over night, through them in your blender with some water, honey and vanilla, blend then pour through a cheese cloth. It will keep for 5-6 days, and save you LOTS of money.
These are the ingredients in Almond Breeze Vanilla
Ingredients: purified water, almonds, tapioca starch, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, d-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin E).
Carrageenans or carrageenins (pronounced /ˌkærəˈɡiːnənz/, with a hard g) are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides which are extracted from red seaweeds.
Gelatinous extracts of the Chondrus crispus seaweed have been used as food additives for hundreds of years,[1]. Carrageenan is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin.
Potassium citrate is a potassium salt of citric acid. As a food additive, potassium citrate is used to regulate acidity.
Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues, and in egg yolk, composed of phosphoric acid, choline, fatty acids, glycerol, glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids
Vitamin A is derived from Vitamin A acetate, a synthetic organic chemical. The Vitamin A molecule is very unstable by itself. To create a more stable configuration, it is reacted with methyl palmitate. This is called Vitamin A Palmitate, which is considered a synthetic product. It is the only form of Vitamin A used to fortify dairy products. There is some recent information raising concerns about this ingredient.
So your argument is that these addives are better than almonds, water and honey?
You forgot to mention, by the way, soy lecithin, which, if produced in the United States is probably genetically modified.
And synthetic vitamin A? I think I'll pass. Thanks!
All these food ideas sound great but a lot of then aren't available outside the US. I'm living overseas currently so I'm going to try and adapt some of these.
My favorite snacks are things to do with ricotta!
These sound like great after work out snacks but on days I'm not as active I try to keep my snacks 150 or less but on days I'm pretty active I'm fine with them being 200-250 calories!
I find I really rely on snacks since my meals are only 300-400 calories, I have to eat every 3-4 hours, it really helps with not feeling deprived by the end of the day!
Reduced Fat Triscuits spread with Laughing Cow Cheese (any flavor) and a variety of toppings, like roasted peppers (red or green or chili peppers), green or black olive rings, green onion, radish slices, or a lowfat ham or smoked turkey slice or smoked salmon. This can also serve as a meal. Think of it as a grown-up version of Lunchables!
Another favorite- apples with peanut butter!
Original Post by: dreamsmith26Reduced Fat Triscuits spread with Laughing Cow Cheese (any flavor) and a variety of toppings, like roasted peppers (red or green or chili peppers), green or black olive rings, green onion, radish slices, or a lowfat ham or smoked turkey slice or smoked salmon. This can also serve as a meal. Think of it as a grown-up version of Lunchables!
Another favorite- apples with peanut butter!
I concur with the apples with peanut butter!
1 tbsp of all natural peanut butter
half of and Braeburn or Fuji apple cut in halves.
Only comes to about 150 calories and 8 grams of fat!
Original Post by: rosenbalDrizzle 6 slices of cucumber with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and top with about a tablespoon of feta cheese (I think a serving is more like 2 if you really like feta but it's strong enough to just go with 1). Great snack!
Laura....yes, yes I HAVE tried that edamame hummus from Trader Joe's....love it!
I also love hummus w/garbanzo beans, but it did things to my digestive system, so when i saw the edamame hummus, thought i'd give it a try. I'll never go back to the regular hummus, this stuff is wonderful!!!
I agree with buddyandme about keeping snacks simple and nutritious. Many of the snacks listed are processed or they are high in sugar or chemicals. My goal lately is to eat things that my body will actually recognize as "food": lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, and a little bit of whole grains, lowfat dairy, nuts and seeds. I eat those things for both meals AND snacks. I have tried to stay away from almost anything you buy in a package or can. A good rule to follow when buying packaged foods is to only buy things that have 3 ingredients or less. If sugar or corn syrup are one of those, then avoid it. I have been trying to only drink water (lots and lots of it!) and the occasional homemade fruit smoothie. I am losing weight and feeling better!!
I'm not a big fan of snacking either. If I'm hungry I eat, if I'm not I don't because it just messes up my hunger for mealtimes. Honestly, I am rarely ever hungry in between because I usually eat enough to sustain me. HOWEVER, the best snack in life is apple slices dipped in warm all-natural peanut butter OR a banana dipped in warm nutella! Pair that with a glass of milk and it's awesome! I'd much rather have that than something unhealthy anyday. Plus, it always fills me up.
Stacy, my point is that just saying things are nasty is useless, people should have information that they can use and make their own decisions.
Also there has to be a balance that one makes in deciding what they feel comfortable eating and what they feel has too much risk or potential negatives associated with it. That balance is a personal decision.
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I always keep Dill Pickle Spears in the front of the Fridge for a quick snack.