When it comes to losing weight or even just maintaining a healthy body weight, “snacking” should not be a dirty word. Eating between meals can have a place in a healthy diet as long as you keep your calories reasonable and snack on foods that have nutritional value. Snacking multiple times per day could put you off your game, but having an afternoon snack often results in eating less at your evening meal, furthering your long-term goals.
Bottom Line Personal asked Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, nutritionist and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, for the lowdown on low-calorie snacks.
What’s a good calorie target for snacks?
Try to keep your total snack below 250 calories. More than that, and you might jeopardize your efforts. When we feel like having a snack, it’s usually not calories we need but rather foods that satiate hunger, such as those high in fiber, protein and water content.
What snack foods should I avoid?
Surprisingly, you should steer clear of foods that shout “low-calorie” on the packaging. Some of the lowest-calorie foods might not do anything for you nutritionally. Sugar-free gelatins, synthetic fruit snacks, snack bars and other ultra-processed offerings might keep you within your calorie target, but they won’t nourish your body and they’ll often leave you feeling hungry.
What should my snack consist of?
The healthiest snacks are those that comprise a “perfect pair”—that means two low-calorie foods that complement one another, create volume and provide nutrition. A perfect pair will make you feel like you’ve eaten something healthy but haven’t been cheated out of anything. Examples of perfect pairs…
Greek yogurt with fresh raspberries (110 calories)
Six ounces of plain low-fat yogurt with delicious berries is one of the best low-calorie-high-protein snacks, offering more than 10 grams of protein, plus antioxidants, calcium and probiotics for gut health.
Two tablespoons of hummus with baby carrots (116 calories)
This is a delicious and filling snack that offers 3.5 grams of protein and 4.5 grams of fiber, plus beta-carotene, zinc, magnesium and other micronutrients.
Cheesy popcorn (157 calories)
Air-pop three cups of popcorn, then sprinkle two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese on top. That’s a lot of food for a snack, filling your belly with 3.6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
Apple with one tablespoon of nut butter (about 158 calories)
You can use almond, peanut, cashew or any nut butter, but make sure it’s natural and without added sugar, salt and/or palm oil. The apple provides you with fiber and water content to make you feel full, and the nut butter gives you the healthy fats your body needs.
One-half cup of 2% cottage cheese and four whole-grain crackers (172 calories)
The cottage cheese delivers 12 grams of protein and more than 100 grams of water content. With the crackers, add on 2 more grams of protein plus 2 grams of fiber, making for a snack that should get you through to dinnertime without a problem.
