Healthy Snack Suggestions
Many people think they should not eat snacks between meals. However,
whether you want to lose, gain or maintain weight, healthy snacks can be a part
of your daily diet. Healthy snacks boost your energy and help to reduce hunger
throughout the day so you are less likely to overeat at meal times. To enjoy
tasty snacks that help meet your nutrition needs, choose healthy foods from at
least two food groups (fruits, vegetables, grain, dairy, meat and beans). For
example, have a piece of fruit with whole-grain crackers, or nonfat yogurt with
low-fat granola.
Remember to count calories from snacks as part of your total calories for the
day. Follow the guidelines below to help you pick healthy, low-calorie snacks.
Fruit
Blueberries, grapes, kiwi, melon,
oranges, pineapple (or any other fruit of
your choice)
• Serve fresh or frozen fruit without added sugar or
canned in juice or water
Apples
• Dip slices in nonfat vanilla yogurt spiced with
cinnamon
• Try frozen grapes in nonfat lemon yogurt
• Drizzle slices lightly with nonfat caramel topping
Bananas
Dip in nonfat yogurt (plain or flavored), fruit juice or
low fat chocolate syrup
Fruit fizz
Add club soda, Diet 7UP® or Diet Sprite® to fruit
juice instead of serving regular soft drinks
Fruit shake
Blend skim milk, low fat yogurt or tofu with fresh
fruit (bananas, berries or a peach) and add a dash of
cinnamon
Vegetables
Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, • Cut into small pieces and serve plain or with a dip
peppers, radishes (or any other
of low fat cottage cheese or yogurt blended with
vegetable of your choice)
dried buttermilk dressing mixes
• Try nonfat salad dressings and dips
Celery sticks
Spread with low fat cottage cheese, ricotta cheese or
low fat cream cheese, and sprinkle with raisins or
shredded carrots
Grains
Cereals
Bake Cheerios®, Kix®, Rice Chex® or Wheat Chex®
with your favorite seasoning mixture, pretzels and a
small amount of margarine
Crackers, mini bagels or breadsticks
• Spread lightly with low fat or nonfat cream cheese
and top with chopped bananas, pineapple or carrots
• Top with tuna, tomato and cucumber
Muffins and quick breads, such as
biscuits, corn bread or fruit breads
• Choose low fat recipes that substitute applesauce
for oil
• Use carrots, zucchini, oats, pumpkin, bananas,
squash or berries
Pita bread or flour tortillas
• Bake split pitas or tortillas at a very low
temperature until cracker-like
• Sprinkle with your favorite herbs and spices or a
little parmesan cheese
• Try salsa and other nonfat dips
Popcorn
• Serve plain, using a hot air popper, or sprinkle with
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and ½ tsp garlic or
onion salt
• Try butter-flavored sprays
Dairy
Cheese
String cheese stick with a piece of fruit
Pudding
Make instant or regular pudding with skim milk
Yogurt
Select nonfat, plain or flavored yogurt; Add fruit and
eat with low fat crackers
Meat and beans
Beans
• Dip whole corn tortilla chips in heated refried
beans
• Try a ¼ cup roasted soy nuts
• Steam edamame beans in the shell; Remove beans
from shell
Deli meats
• Make a mini-sandwich with a slice of lean deli
meat, mustard, tomatoes and lettuce on a whole
grain dinner roll
Nuts and seeds
• Sprinkle ¼ cup of walnuts into nonfat plain or
flavored yogurt
• Create and try ¼ cup of your own trail mix. Add
dry cereal, seeds, nuts and dried fruit.
Courtesy Christine Melko, RD, LD
The Säjai® Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children why
to value and how to live a healthier life by encouraging them to experience the outdoors, to be
active and to make smart nutrition decisions. Learn more about us:
www.sajaifoundation.org
twitter.com/sajaifoundation
facebook.com/sajaifoundation