When an afternoon slump hits, it can be tempting to reach for the candy jar or swing by a vending machine. But while that sugar rush may feel satisfying at first, it quickly fades away, sending you back for more unhealthy snacks. A research review found that people who experience larger dips in blood sugar report greater hunger and have a higher body weight than those whose blood sugar is more stable throughout the day.
Smart snacks on the other hand can have positive effects: “Snacking helps ensure that blood sugar doesn’t drop too low, so you don’t feel dizzy, weak, irritable, and hungry,” says Los Angeles–based dietitian Mascha Davis, RDN, author of Eat Your Vitamins. In addition, incorporating healthy snacks into your routine can provide beneficial nutrients, prevent overeating, and help you maintain a healthy weight.
For a waistline-friendly snack, look for low-calorie options with nutritional benefits. To narrow your search, check out this list of 19 snacks with 100 calories or fewer.
1
1 Cup of Blueberries
Don’t let their small size fool you: Blueberries are packed with impressive benefits for weight and health. These tiny pearls are high in antioxidants such as anthocyanin and vitamin C. They’re also a great source of fiber, with 3.5 grams (g) per cup. Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar, improve satiety, and support a healthy weight. Plus, 1 cup of fresh blueberries has about 84 calories.
“Blueberries are a simple, delicious snack, especially if you're craving something sweet,” says Amy Anderson, RD, founder of A+ Nutrition in Portland, Oregon. Fresh and frozen blueberries are equally nutritious, so don't hesitate to choose frozen when they’re out of season or if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, she adds.
2
1 Hard-Boiled Egg
Boil up a batch of large eggs, put them in the fridge, and you’ve got an instant snack that packs 6.3 g of protein into 78 calories.
Anderson recommends high-protein snacks like hard-boiled eggs. “Protein helps promote fullness, making it a good choice for curbing hunger between meals,” she says. It’s also essential for building and maintaining muscle, which can help support a healthy metabolism and body size, according to an international review of research.
Eggs are also among the few food sources that provide vitamin D, a key nutrient for bone and overall health. You’ll get roughly 1 microgram (mcg) per egg (7 percent of the daily value).
To keep things interesting, Anderson suggests sprinkling an egg with everything bagel seasoning, smoked paprika, or a pinch of sea salt and pepper for extra flavor.
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3
1 Orange
Oranges are a great snack because they’re high in helpful vitamins and fiber, and contain 72 calories each. A single orange provides nearly 3.7 g of fiber, making it a good source, as well as a whopping 82 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, an excellent source. “Vitamin C is an important nutrient for immune function, skin health, and lung health,” Davis says.
Plus, spending time peeling and sectioning oranges may help you eat your snack more mindfully. With regard to eating, mindfulness involves being attuned to hunger and fullness cues, approaching food nonjudgmentally, and taking the time to savor the sensory experience.
One study of Mexican college students found that those who ate more mindfully were less likely to consume unhealthy foods and more likely to have a lower body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist circumference, suggesting that mindful eating may help with weight management.
4
1 Cup of Strawberries
A cup of sliced strawberries is a good source of fiber, with about 3 g, and it is an excellent source of vitamin C, with 97.6 mg per cup. The same serving of these red fruits has 53 calories.
“Fresh or frozen strawberries are a naturally sweet, refreshing snack that's low in calories and packed with nutrients,” Anderson says, adding that frozen strawberries are just as nutritious as fresh and can make a great cold treat in the summer.
5
1 String Cheese
String cheese “is a perfect preportioned snack that’s easy to eat on the go,” Davis says. Choose one stick of part-skim mozzarella string cheese for a whopping 6 g of protein in 70 calories. Plus, string cheese is a good source of calcium, a key mineral for bone health.
6
½ Cup of Oatmeal
When the afternoon slump rolls around, toss some oats into the microwave, since ½ cup of oatmeal cooked in water contains 83 calories. You’ll also get 2 g of fiber.
A review suggests that regularly eating oats may help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, reduce appetite, and support a healthy body size.
Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon to add sweetness and flavor without sending your blood sugar soaring.
7
11 Almonds
Almonds are a great source of plant-based protein — there are 6.1 g of protein in 30 g of almonds — and vitamin E, with 5.7 mg in the same serving, making almonds an excellent source. “The protein will help keep you full, while vitamin E has important antioxidant properties that will support your overall health,” Davis says.
Plus, almonds have heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. A research review found that regularly eating almonds may help reduce LDL cholesterol, increase satiety, and support weight loss. (That review was funded by the Almond Board of California.)
And plenty of other research has established that nuts, including almonds, are nutritional powerhouses with several potential health perks. So instead of reaching for that coffeehouse muffin for an energy boost, grab some almonds to power you through the afternoon.
Keep portions in mind, however: 30 grams of almonds, which is about a handful or ¼ cup, provides 200 calories. Sticking to half that (about 11 almonds or fewer) will keep you within the 100-calorie limit.
8
¼ Cup of Dried Cranberries
Dried cranberries make a tangy treat that’s easy to eat on the go. Plus, this snack is loaded with antioxidants like quercetin, which can help reduce harmful oxidative damage in the body, Davis says. Stick to ¼ cup of dried cranberries with no added sugar for about 100 calories.
9
8 Baby Carrots With 1 Tablespoon of Hummus
Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene and lutein, two important nutrients for eye health, Davis says. Plus, they’re low in calories: about 42 calories for eight baby carrots. Pair them with a tablespoon (tbsp) of hummus (41 calories), which provides protein (1.25 g) and a dose of healthy fat (2.9 g), and you’ll feel satisfied until your next meal, she says.
10
1 Slice of Raisin Bread
For a healthy morning snack that tastes like a treat, try a piece of whole-grain sprouted cinnamon raisin bread, which has 100 calories, 4 g of fiber, and 4 g of protein per slice.
Whole-grain foods, including some bread, provide several potential health benefits, such as helping manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as promoting a sense of fullness that can help you eat less overall.
11
¾ Cup of Cheerios
This classic children’s snack can work for adults, too, Anderson says. In fact, you can enjoy a healthy snack of ¾ cup of original Cheerios for 78 calories. You’ll also score 2.1 g of fiber and some calcium (about 75 mg).
“Original Cheerios are a simple, budget-friendly snack made with whole-grain oats,” Anderson says. “I also love that Cheerios provide a crunch, which adds to the satisfaction factor.”
To make the whole-grain goodness last, take a cue from kids and eat them one by one.
12
Berry Smoothie
“Smoothies are an easy way to pack in a bunch of nutrients and even sneak some extra veggies into your diet,” Davis says. For a low-cal smoothie snack with tons of vitamins and minerals, she suggests blending ¼ cup of frozen spinach (roughly 16 calories) with ½ cup of frozen blueberries (40 calories). Then add 1 tsp of dried spirulina (roughly 7 calories) and ¾ cup of unsweetened almond milk (29.3 calories).
Spinach is a good source of calcium, with 145 mg in ½ cup, plus 2 mg of iron. And spirulina, a type of sea green, is a rich source of antioxidants, amino acids, and nutrients such as copper (with about 42 percent of your daily value per tablespoon). Copper is necessary for several aspects of health, including metabolism, iron absorption, and the formation of connective tissues.
13
1 to 2 Cups of Fresh Melon
Mixing different types of melons gives your taste buds a burst of flavor filled with nutrition while making your snack feel more substantial.
“It’s colorful, and when served cold, it satisfies any sweet tooth,” says Janet Colson, PhD, RD, a professor of nutrition at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
Cantaloupe, for example, has about 60 calories per cup of diced fruit, along with 17.4 mg of vitamin C, making it a great source of the nutrient. A cup of diced honeydew contains about 61 calories and 30.6 g of vitamin C, an excellent source. Meanwhile, a cup of diced watermelon contains 45.6 calories, 12.3 mg of vitamin C, and 6,890 mcg of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant also found in tomatoes. Toss together a few diced pieces of each melon variety (about 1 to 2 cups total) for a satisfying low-calorie snack.
14
1/3 Cup of Edamame
Edamame (immature soybeans) is loaded with protein and fiber, says Davis. Specifically, 1/3 cup of the shelled variety contains about 6.1 g of protein and 2.69 g of fiber. It also provides 2.69 g of healthy fat.
This trio of nutrients makes edamame a good, satisfying snack, Davis says. Best of all, 1/3 cup of the shelled beans is 63 calories.
15
2 Cups of Air-Popped Popcorn
At 31 calories per cup, unbuttered air-popped popcorn is the perfect food to reach for when the urge to head to the vending machine hits. Plus, it delivers about 3.48 g of fiber per 3 cups, making it a good source.
Microwave plain kernels in a brown paper bag or use an air popper to avoid the fat and salt of prepackaged varieties. Enjoy 2 cups of unbuttered popcorn for about 62 calories, and eat it one kernel at a time to make it last longer, Dr. Colson suggests.
16
Raw Veggies and 2 Tablespoons of Low-Fat Ranch Dressing
Vegetables such as chopped broccoli (29.6 calories per cup), celery (9 calories per large stalk), and sliced green bell peppers (18 calories per cup) are simple yet crunchy snacks you can enjoy in abundance.
“Raw veggies are a great source of fiber, a nutrient that helps keep you full,” Davis says. Enjoy them with 2 tbsp of low-fat ranch dressing (35 calories) for dipping.
17
Small Latte With Skim Milk
The next time you could use an afternoon energy boost, use snack time as an excuse to get your coffee fix. Besides, coffee has a ton of health benefits.
A review suggests that there's an association between moderate coffee consumption (about 3 to 5 cups per day) and reduced risks of several health issues, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline. These potential benefits apply to both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties prepared with little or no additives like sugar or cream. (One of the review’s authors previously consulted for the National Coffee Association.)
Many health organizations agree that this antioxidant-rich drink may have health perks.
Order your latte with skim milk and skip the flavored syrups to lower the amount of sugar and calories. “Hot beverages are satiating, and lattes are mostly milk, which is a good source of protein and calcium, a nutrient many people are lacking,” says Jessica Levinson, RD, who’s in private practice in New Rochelle, New York. A cup of skim milk provides 83.6 calories, 8.4 g of protein, and 325 mg of calcium (an excellent source).
18
½ Cup of Cottage Cheese With Cucumbers
Low-fat cottage cheese has 92.5 calories in a ½ cup. Pair it with a ½ cup of crunchy cucumbers at 7 calories and you have yourself a hydrating and filling snack.
“Cottage cheese is a good source of protein, and cucumbers are rich in water, which means they fill you up without a lot of calories,” Levinson says. In fact, a ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese provides 12.5 g of protein and 116 mg of calcium.
19
Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Pick up a ½ cup of Greek yogurt for a satisfying, healthy snack, and single containers are easy to grab on the go. “Greek yogurt is high in protein and calcium, which are important nutrients for bone health,” Davis says.
This snack is also chock-full of probiotics, which promote gut health, she adds. Choose a fat-free variety to stay under the 100-calorie mark. For 91.5 calories, a small container packs in a whopping 15.4 g of protein and 166 mg of calcium, making this snack a good source.
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