If you are calorie conscious, then you will know the daily struggle to find healthy, yet tasty snacks to tide you over between meals. All of the below snack ideas are under 150 calories each, and there are many exciting and interesting options to suit any taste.
Sweet snacks
Satisfy your sweet tooth the healthy way with one of these easy-to-make, low-calorie snacks.
- Chocolate-dipped banana: Enjoy ½ a frozen banana dipped in chocolate sauce made from 2 teaspoons of dark chocolate chips (melted in a small glass bowl set atop boiling water). Add the sprinkles of two crushed walnuts or almonds for an extra treat. You can freeze peeled bananas shortly after they ripen, and keep them for whenever you feel peckish!
- Berry delight: 1 cup of blueberries/strawberries/raspberries and 2 tablespoons of skim milk ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese is delicious and indulgent, and in small amounts (and in the skimmed milk version), it can be a perfect “naughty”, creamy snack during a diet.
- Dark chocolate: Provided you choose dark chocolate with a minimum of 75% cocoa solids, around 3 blocks can make a great healthy snack. You can also try dark chocolates with nuts, fruit, or even salt in it for a taste variation!
- Soya chocolate or vanilla pudding (1 serving): Soya is a great dairy alternative, especially if you crave creamy, dairy-based desserts. A small (125 gram) pot of soya dessert makes a great after-lunch or after-dinner snack, and it’s satisfying as well as healthy.
- One banana (sliced) dusted with cinnamon: For an energy boost and a bit of sweetness, try a banana with cinnamon! The banana is high in potassium, and cinnamon is great for aiding digestion and managing blood sugar levels.
Savoury snacks:
Prefer something less sweet? Snack on tasty savoury snacks without compromising your diet.
- Herbed popcorn: Air pop two cups of popcorn and toss them in a tasty herb and salt mixture for extra zing. Rosemary and sea salt is a great savoury combination to sprinkle on your warm, crunchy popcorn.
- Sweet potato with cottage cheese: Microwave or oven bake one small sweet potato, and serve with a low-fat cottage cheese topping and some chopped chives. Alternatively, you could make chips from one small sweet potato, and enjoy it with a cottage cheese dip with chives.
- Light tuna salad: Mix a ¼ tin of white tuna (packaged in water, not oil) with one chopped stick of celery, a quarter cup of chopped tomatoes, and a third of a cup of sweetcorn, all tossed together with an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
Special snacks:
Treat yourself with something out of the ordinary for an immediate pick-me-up on your calorie counting days.
- Strawberry salad: Mix sweet and tangy flavours for a delicious summer salad. Combine 2 cups of raw baby spinach, 1 cup of sliced strawberries (hold the sugar!), and drizzle a bit of fig-infused balsamic vinegar over the lot for a true taste experience.
- Stuffed apricots: This is another unique flavour combination – tart, sweet-and-sour dried apricots stuffed with ripe blue cheese. Three stuffed apricots are enough for a nutritious and very tasty snack!
Dieting needn’t be boring, or based on deprivation – simply look to the list above, and swap your usual unhealthy snacks for fresh, delicious, and low-calorie snack options. Simple!
