50 Healthy Snacks...100 Calories or Less

Snacktime doesn't need to be boring or unhealthy. These 50 healthy snack ideas, each 100 calories or less, will help to keep things interesting

When it comes to afternoon snacking, the busier I am, the better I do. A long to-do list guarantees that I can grab something quick to recharge my energy, and then move on. Idle time leads to idle ways. Well, maybe not idle. I mean, it does take some work to rummage through the fridge and pantry to find something to satisfy my hunger which, by the way, is not actually hunger. It's boredom.

Yep, boredom is not my friend. Though it's amazing how many "original" combinations of food I can come up with when boredom sets in. Turkey wrapped around a pickle, Nutella spread on graham crackers...a can of black olives. Not that I've ever eaten any of these things. Ahem.

Whether it's a busy day or a "boredom" day, I try to be more conscious about what I'm eating and follow my own advice on portion control.

100 calories may sound like very little food, but it's enough to refuel the body and brain, and curb hunger until the next meal.

But there's a trick. Once you've eaten that 100 calorie snack, find something else to do. Quickly. Drink some water, leave the kitchen, go for a walk, run an errand. If you stand in the kitchen, surrounded by snack food, chances are that your well-intentioned snack will balloon to 300 or 400 calories.

Below are some of my favorite snacks, but I would love to hear your ideas. I need all the help I can get at snack time!

Fruit & Vegetables:

Raw veggies and hummus, such as Asparagus Hummus, Creamy Curry Hummus or Artichoke Hummus with Hazelnuts & Mint
Celery with peanut butter (2 stalks celery + 1 tablespoon peanut butter)
Blueberries (1 cup)
Banana (1 medium)
Apple (1 medium)
Cantaloupe (½)
Grapes (1 cup)
Mango (1 cup chopped)
Pear (1 medium)
Peach (1 medium)
Edamame (½ cup shelled)
Jicama
Clementine orange (2 to 3)
Fruit leather
Avocado (½ small)
Unsweetened applesauce (1 cup)
Dried apricots (¼ cup)

Asparagus Hummus

Savory:

Almonds (about 10)
Pistachios (about 25)
Raw almonds and dried cranberries
Egg whites (2) with whole wheat toast (½)
Hard-boiled egg (1 egg)
Baked potato (½ medium) with salsa
Baked sweet potato (1 small)
Popcorn (3 cups air-popped)
Granola Bars, such as Low-Fat Granola Bars with Bananas, Cranberries & Pecans
Granola Bites, such as No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites or No-Bake Zucchini Bread Granola Bites
Cooked quinoa (⅓ cup)
Salsa with a few tortilla chips or vegetables
Pretzels, preferably whole wheat
Small bran muffin
Low-fat granola
Kale chips
Cheerios (⅔ cup) with skim milk (¼ cup)

No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites

Dairy:

Sharp cheddar cheese (¾ oz.)
Starbucks Tall Skinny Latte
Low-fat yogurt with fruit
Low-fat cottage cheese (½ cup)
½ whole wheat English muffin with light cream cheese
String cheese (1)

Sweets:

Dark chocolate (⅔ oz.)
Healthy Choice Fudge Bar
Skinny Cow 2 Mini Fudge Pops
Chocolate covered banana (dip ½ banana in dark chocolate, then freeze)
Frozen grapes (1 cup)

Beverages:

Almond milk (1 ½ cups)
Skim milk (1 cup)
Tomato juice (2 cups)
Sparkling water with a splash of orange juice

Be sure to check in on Sunday for my next edition of Run Like a Girl.