What's in a Healthy Snack?

Snacking can be part of a healthy diet; however, not all snacks are created equal! A planned snack can fit well into your daily routine without expanding your waistline and will often prevent us from overeating at meal time. For example, if you eat lunch at 11am and don't eat dinner until 7pm, that's a long time to go without eating! So, plan a healthy snack around 3pm to hold you over. Try and keep snacks around 100 calories so that you are not increasing your total daily calories. The ideas below combine healthy (complex) carbohydrates and protein to make these snacks yummy and satisfying!

• 6oz plain, nonfat Greek yogurt with ¼ cup berries
• ¼ whole wheat bagel with 1T almond or peanut butter
• ½ whole wheat English muffin with ¼ c low-fat shredded cheese melted on top
• 1/2c cooked oatmeal with ¼ c nuts
• 8 oz skim milk
• 1/2c fat free cottage cheese with ½ peach
• 5 whole grain crackers with 1/3 c hummus
• ¼ c plain fat free Greek yogurt mixed with 1T powdered ranch dressing and raw carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers