29 low-calorie snacks
Kanika Banwait
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29 low-calorie snacks
1. One banana
Around 90-100 calories depending on size.
2. Two dried figs
Around 42 calories each.
3. 20 grapes
Around 70 calories for red grapes, and 67 calories for green.
4. A cup of blueberries and 1tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt
Around 65 calories total
5. Two pineapple rings in juice
Around 90 calories.
6. Three sticks of celery with half a cup of cottage cheese
Around 95 calories.
7. One medium corn on the cob
Around 96 calories.
8. 10g of cashew nuts
Around 60 calories.
9. Six dried apricots
Around 96 calories.
10. Two breadsticks with hummus
Around 98 calories, but can be up to 150 depending on types.
You can even make your own hummus!
11. One mini wholewheat pitta bread with 1 tbsp reduced-fat cottage cheese
Around 97 calories (75 for the pita)
12. One portion of Miso soup
Around 60 calories.
13. A hard boiled egg
Around 78 calories.
14. A slice of brown toast spread with Marmite
Around 99 calories.
15. Three oven baked potato wedges with 1 tsp ketchup
Around 105 calories.
16. Two crackers spread lightly with smooth peanut butter
Around 100 calories.
17. An apple
Around 78 calories.
18. One rice cake with 1 tbsp guacamole
Around 95 calories.
And if you feel like you need a bit of a treat...
19. One McVities chocolate digestive
Around 86 calories.
20. Two Jaffa cakes
Around 90 calories.
21. Five squares of 70% cocoa dark chocolate
Around 100 calories.
22. Two Garibaldi biscuits
Around 80 calories.
23. Two ginger biscuits
Around 90 calories.
24. A small bag of Twiglets
Around 98 calories.
25. 25g of milk chocolate covered raisins
Around 100 calories.
26. One cup of plain air popped popcorn
Around 30-35 calories.
27. A packet of Quavers
Around 87 calories.
28. One fun sized Milky Way (18g)
Around 81 calories.
29. Thin slice of malt loaf (Soreen)
Around 78 calories.
Whether you're trying to stick to a new diet and lose weight, or simply want to eat more healthily, it's always a good idea to have a few snacks on hand to tide you over.
Snacking gets a bad rap, but the truth is, if you choose your snacks wisely – they can actually help you to lose weight, and stay on course with your diet, rather than binge-eating on junk later on in the day.
One of the best things about snacking is that it lets you get a wider range of nutrients than you'd get from just eating three main meals a day. With the famous recommendation that we all eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, healthy snacks are a great way to up your intake.
A good snack should help satisfy your cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer in between meals. So try and stay away from empty calories, usually found in things like crisps, chocolate bars and other junk food.
This is easier said than done though, and especially for kids who seem to relish snacking on the bad stuff.
In fact, according to the NHS, half the sugar children are having comes from snacks and sugary drinks. Eating too much sugar can lead to harmful fat building up as well as serious health problems, including painful tooth decay.
So what sort of snacks are ideal for kids, then?
Protein snacks are more likely to fill them up and are necessary for providing energy, as well as healthy bones and joints and fuel for the recovery of muscle tissue.
Calcium-rich cheese, milk and yoghurt is a good source of protein. Just be sure there's no added sugar or sweeteners when you're choosing these options.
Most of our snack ideas are great for packed lunches, or as an after-school snack. If you're having a hectic day, these will really save you some time too.
Supermarkets have plenty of child-friendly fruit and nut based snacks too, just look at for ones with no added sugar.
Check out more ideas on healthy snacks for kids here.
We've got loads of ideas for low-calorie snacks you can enjoy at any time, including a range of both sweet and savoury options.
Basing your snacks around fruits and vegetables is most likely going to be your healthiest, most nutritious choice, but you can always make it a little more interesting by combining with a low-fat dip – like guacamole, hummus or cottage cheese, if homemade, even better.
Alongside fruity snacks like bananas, apples, grapes and pineapple, some of our ideas include carrot or celery batons with cottage cheese, crackers with peanut butter, and rice cakes with guacamole.
If you feel like treating yourself, why not try a couple of Jaffa Cakes, some dark chocolate, or a packet of Quavers?
Most of our snack suggestions are just 100 calories and under per serving too, so there's no need to feel guilty in having a couple of them per day as well as your main meals.
If you're sticking to a diet or a certain calorie intake, you might find it helpful to invest in a pair of scales, so you know how many grams of a certain food you can have to stay within your limit.
Other ideas for low-calorie snacks
- A cup of blueberries with 1tbsp of low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 10g of cashew nuts
- A handful of dried apricots
- A small bowl of miso soup
- A slice of wholemeal toast with marmite
- A boiled egg
- Two ginger biscuits
- A cup of plain popcorn
- A thin slice of malt loaf
- Two baby cucumbers
- A salted rice cake
- Kale chips
- 40g of edamame beans
We've got snacks that are high in fibre, as well as snacks focusing on fat or protein content – ideal for those doing the keto diet.
Don't forget to check out our low-calorie recipes page too, to find all the inspiration you need for healthy meals for the whole family.
And remember, enjoying wholesome, unprocessed snacks is a great way to keep healthy and full, without having to say 'no' to another snack request, or deal with a rumbling tummy all day!
Top tips for healthy snacking
Of course, even with all these healthy snack options, it can still be easier said than done to avoid temptations to snack on rubbish. A banana is never going to look quite as tempting as a bar of chocolate or bag of crisps, especially when you're tired, bored or stressed.
These expert nutrition tips can help you stay on track:
It all starts with shopping
If you have unhealthy snacks in the house, they'll always be a source of temptation. That's why it's always a good idea to make a healthy shopping list – and stick to it!
If you can help it, never go shopping when you're hungry. That'll make it all the more tempting to fill your trolley with junk.
Instead, aim to stock up on plenty of fruit, veg and other healthy snacks from our list above. Limit the amount of chocolate, crisps and other unhealthy snacks you buy.
Pay attention to serving sizes
When you're eating ready-made foods, the nutrition info on the front of the pack should give you some idea of the recommended serving size. It's especially important to try to stick to this when you're indulging in a less-healthy snack.
Sadly, a serving of biscuits is usually more like two or three biscuits, rather than the half-pack serving that tempts us!
To help yourself stick to this, don't keep open packs of unhealthy food nearby. Instead, take out a couple of biscuits and put the pack straight back into the cupboard, to reduce the risk of mindless grazing.
Get long-term energy
OK, so there's nothing like a sugary treat for giving you an immediate boost of energy. But the downside of sweet foods is that you're likely to experience a serious sugar crash soon afterwards!
For longer-lasting energy that will see you through your day, you're better off opting for protein and healthy carbs – you'll find plenty of options in our list above.
Distract yourself
Are you really hungry, or are you just bored? The NHS suggests that you could try distracting yourself for 10 minutes when snack cravings strike (for example, by going for a walk, calling a friend or reading a magazine).
If you're not really hungry, you might just forget about your craving altogether! If you are still hungry after 10 minutes, go ahead and try one of our healthy snacks above.
Plan ahead
Whether you're heading out to work or on a day trip with the kids, it makes sense to plan ahead when you're leaving home.
Pop some dried fruit or nuts in your bag, and you'll be less tempted to splurge on high-calorie snacks while you're out and about; saving your wallet as well as your waistline!
Listen to your emotions
It's especially easy to reach for junk food when you're feeling down. If you're struggling with unhealthy snacking, you might want to look at the possible reasons why. Are you under a lot of stress? Not getting enough sleep?
Dealing with these issues – or even just talking to a friend about them – may help to reduce your cravings, and make it easier to opt for healthy snacks.
Quick and Easy Without the Calories: Low-Calorie Recipes, Cheats and Ideas for Every Day by Justine Pattison is a great investment if you're looking for a healthier way to prepare food. See more details here at Amazon.
What low-calorie snacks do you love to snack on? Let us know over in our forum:
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