Healthy Snack Options

In the past few months, I have had a few reader requests for posts about meal planning, meal building and healthy snack ideas.

I previously addressed meal planning and balanced meal building (though if there is anything more specific you want to know on either of those subjects, shoot me an email).

So now it’s time to get on with your snackeroo options!

Most who requested wanted snack ideas that fell into calorie brackets, so below I have snacks under 250, 200, 150 and 100 calories.

They are all balanced snacks, providing a fruit or veg serving or a whole grain or protein serving and/or a healthy fat, though some are better used as your ‘treat’ and others as sustenance snacks to get you through the day. They are ALL vegetarian, many vegan, many gluten-free. None of them involve sugar either ;). At least, not sugar in its white or brown processed form, but instead low-glycemic natural sweeteners, in keeping with other recipes on this blog.

If you have any others to add, please do in the comments below and I will update this post as we go. I love to get snack ideas myself, so would appreciate any input you have!

NOTE: In the nutritionals in brackets, c = cals, F = fat, C = carbs, P = protein :).

• Cracker snack: 2 graham crackers spread with 2 tbsp lowfat cream cheese, 1 tsp honey and 1/4 cup kiwi fruit slices (223 c, 7.3g F, 35.6g C, 5.3g P)
• Apple and cheese: 2 ounces of halloumi cheese, grilled, served with 1/2 cup seedless green grapes (237 c, 17.1g F, 9.3g C, 12.5g P)
• Homemade trail mix: 1/4 cup almonds (or other nuts) mixed with 1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit (245 c, 11.9g F, 33.9g C, 6.2g P)
• Baked apple: stuff with 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp chopped almonds, 1 tsp vanilla, cinnamon (232 c, 11.3g F, 30.6g C, 4.3g P)
• Healthy protein-rich Java Chip Frappuccino (225 c, 6.6g F, 18.2g C, 21.5g P)
• Protein Muffin in a Mug (222 c, 6.2g F, 15.1g C, 27.4g P)
• Better-than-Starbucks’ Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin (206 c, 10.3g F, 24.3g C, 4.2g P)
• Better-than-Ice-Cream Chocolate Protein Shake (220 c, 7.2g F, 13.1g C, 29.1g P)
• Protein and veg mini-meal (idea from Sarah) – 1 hardboiled egg with 1/2 cup chopped veggies and 1 rice cake spread with 1 tbsp almond butter (222 c, 14.2g F, 16.4g C, 9.2g P)

• Mini green smoothie: 1/2 frozen banana, 3/4 cup almond milk, 2 tsp peanut butter, 1 cup spinach and 2 tsp agave nectar blended together (191 c, 7.9g F, 28.5g C, 4.9g P)
• Half a PB & J: 1 slice bread spread with 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tbsp fruit-sweetened jam (194 c, 8.4g F, 26.3g C, 4.7g P)
• Hummus platter: 1/3 cup carrot sticks, 1/3 cup cucumber sticks and half a pita (you can grill it and tear it up to make pita chips if you like) with 4 tbsp hummus (196 c, 5.9g F, 29.5g C, 7.7g P)
• Oatmeal: 1 packet regular instant oatmeal made with 1 cup almond milk. Top with 1 tsp peanut butter, 1 tsp honey and 1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce (200 c, 7.5g F, 29g C, 6g P)
• Edamame: 1/2 cup shelled edamame sprinkled with salt (188 c, 8.7g F, 14.1g C, 16.6g P)
• Deviled eggs lightened up (recipe here): 4 halves (181 c, 9.7g F, 8.3g C, 15.4g P)
• 1 apple, quartered and cored, served with 1 tbsp peanut butter (189 c, 8.4g F, 28.3g C, 4.5g P)
• Apples in a jar: nutrition similar to apple + pb, above
• 1 banana, dipped in 1 tbsp peanut butter (199 c, 8.5g F, 30.1g C, 5.3g P)
• Strawberry banana tofu shake – this recipe sounds fabulous (vegan but with soy)! (196 c, 4.5g F, 34.7g C, 8.4g P)
• LUNA protein or regular bars (varies, around 170-190 c)
• Mini brunch: toast 1 wholegrain toaster waffle and top it with 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt stirred with 1 tsp honey, and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries (or bananas, or fruit of choice) (178 c, 2.5g F, 28.8g C, 9.7g P)
• 1/2 cup Healthy Peanut Butter Honey Granola with 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (190 c, 4g F, 26g C, 11g P)
• 1 serving seaweed snacks (idea from Jocelyn) (167 c, 15.9g F, 3.9g C, 1.9g P)
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (plain) topped with 1/2 cup healthy cereal of choice (idea from Sara) (166 c, 0.5g F, 27.5g C, 13.8g P)

• Greek yogurt parfait: 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt mixed with 2 tsp honey and layered with 1/2 cup sliced strawberries (138 c, 0.2g F, 21.6g C, 12g P)
• Cup of soup: My personal favourites are Gardennay soups that come in low-sodium varieties. I love their butternut squash soup (approx. 120 c, 1.2g F, 23g C, 3g P)
• Mini tortilla pizza: 1 tortilla spread with 2 tbsp tomato paste or sauce and sprinkled with 1 ounce lowfat mozzarella. Top with 1/3 cup chopped cherry tomatoes (133 c, 4.3g F, 15.3g C, 3.2g P)
• Cheese and fruit take 2: 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (140 c, 2.3g F, 14.3g C, 15.9g P)
• Sweet potato with cinnamon yogurt: Microwave a medium sweet potato till cooked and serve topped with 4 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt and 1 tsp cinnamon (145 c, 0.2g F, 27.7g C, 8.1g P)
• Apple Maple Walnut Protein Muffin (116 c, 3g F, 13g C, 8g P)
• Double Chocolate Protein Muffin (113 c, 2.8g F, 12.2g C, 8.1g P)
• Lemon Poppyseed Protein Muffin (108 c, 3.3g F, 10.3g C, 8g P)
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse-Pudding (147 c, 3.9g F, 24g C, 7.9g P)
• Raw Peanut Butter Ball (125 c, 10.3g F, 6.1g C, 3.1g P)
• Homemade blueberry muffin (119 c, 2.8g F, 21.7g C, 2.2g P)
• Healthy brownie balls – recipe here (109 c, 6.8g F, 12.2g C, 3.6g P)
• 1 cup strawberries and 1 piece string cheese (idea from Stephanie) (126 c, 6.4g F, 12.1g C, 7g P)
• 1 rice cake spread with 2 tbsp light cream cheese and sprinkled with 1 tbsp chopped pecans (idea from Stephanie) (150 c, 12.1g F, 8.8g C, 2.9g P)

• Mini Greek salad: 1/3 cup chopped cucumber, 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, mixed with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp olive oil 2 tsp lemon juice, a sprinkling of oregano and 1.5 tbsp lowfat feta cheese (97  c, 6.2g F, 5g C, 3.4g P)
• Popcorn: 3 cups popped popcorn (93 c, 1.1g F, 18.7g C, 3.1g P)
• Date Dough Ball (86 c, 3.2g F, 13.8g C, 1.6g P) 
• 15 olives (76 c, 7g F, 4.1g C, 0.6g P)
  
• Chocolate-dripped strawberries: melt 1 tbsp chocolate chips and cut up 3/4 cup fresh strawberries. Dip and enjoy! (91 c, 3.4g F, 14.5g C, 1.5g P)
• Chocolate protein pudding: stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 1 packet stevia into 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (96 c, 1.4g F, 10.4g C, 13.4g P)