low-cal snack ideas

[Tinijocaro]

There are some really great ideas here. Thank you so much! I hope people continue to post their ideas.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Orville Redenbacher's 100 calorie microwave popcorn bags. I love these and have them as an afternoon snack, or sometimes after dinner as dessert. You get a lot of popcorn for the 100 calories, so it takes a while to eat it and I like that about it.

ditto... I just enjoyed a bag a few minutes ago.

 

[yoopermom]

I know 300 calories is a bit much for a "snack" but if you like SW stuff, McDonalds SW Grilled Chicken Salad is delish. They coat the chicken in "something" that is good enough for me not to need dressing on it. The beans and corn and peppers are just spicy enough to be satisfying, and I usually pick off enough of the tortilla strip to call it an even 300 calories (it's 320 with them). I find it more filling than a plain child's size hamburger...

Also, Green Giant makes individual microwaveable broccoli or cauliflower in a cheese sauce that are 0 WW points. Sometimes I'll make one and put it on a half baked potato for lunch.

I'm down 9 lbs in 2 wks, and I attribute it to nothing but vegs after supper, they're boring, but filling . "All you can eat" because how many can you really eat?

Terri

 

[Angelhalo]

There are some really great ideas here. Thank you so much! I hope people continue to post their ideas.

Me too! The ideas keep getting better and better!

 

[traviesojmt]

I have lost 34 lbs since March 1st, so I am always looking for new ideas. I have another 27 to go.

Anyway, I have a smoothie that I really love. It sounds odd at first (I got it off the Weight watchers site) but even my DD7 who eats nothing loves it.

1 can of diet cream soda (I use A&W brand) refrigerated
1/2 cup of frozen, whole, unsweetened strawberries (you can use fresh if you want)
1/2 banana ( I use frozen)
1 envelope of any fat free hot chocolate mix (50 calories)

Mix all in a blender and YUMMY!!!! It does make quite a bit and very filling for me. I like mine very thick so if you want it thinner do not use frozen banana.

 

[redlight]

I like fruit, but that isn't always convenient. So, I will buy packages of dried fruit.

 

[minkydog]

Sargento makes a good low-cal string cheese, I think it's call Light Mozzarella. I've been dieting for about 18 months now and lost about 50-lbs. I hate cottage cheese and I would rather eat a little bit of something good, than eat a big serving of low fat, no sugar fake food. I eat normal food, but I eat very little white food--white potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta. Not that I've given them up but I don't eat them every day. I eat a lot of veggies and increased my protein to about 70gms/day. Protein is harder to digest, which helps you feel full longer.

The real trick is to write down every bite of food that passes your lips. The act of documenting it makes you stop and think about it. Sometimes you'll realize that you aren't hungry, but you're bored, anxious, or just thirsty. If you are hungry for something specific, wait 5 minutes. Drink some water or get up and do something--fold clothes, do some wash, repot a plant. I find that if I get my hands dirty, suddenly I'm not interested in touching food. If you are really hungry, consciously decide to eat a healthy snack, like fruit w/some protein. If you're craving some ice cream or chips but you're not interested in anything else, it's probably just a craving.

Some snacks I eat are:
1/4 cup almonds or walnuts--loaded with antioxidants
6-oz light yogurt--about 100 cals
1 Mayfield fudge bar on a stick, the no sugar added kind--only 50cals
2TBS peanut butter and 2 graham cracker planks
1-oz cheese and 4 Triscuits
1-oz cheese and a small apple
1 small peach or 1/2 cup Del-Monte no-sugar-added sliced peaches
1/4 cup peanuts
2-3-oz chicken or tuna
hard-boiled egg
1 cup 1% milk(full of protein)

Be sure you are eating 3 reasonable meals per day and 2-3 low cal snacks. And you probably need at least 1200-1400 cals. Cutting down more than that is just going to make you feel deprived and is not sustainable in the long run. Slow and steady wins the race. Best of luck to you!

 

[mtemm]

I love raw almonds and have a small handful. if you want a bit of chocolate, my sister swears by the 100 calorie packs of cocoa roasted almonds. she gets them at target, but am sure they carry them elsewhere.

the 100 calorie packs of popcorn are good too.

fruit is a great snack! some yummy fruit and a glass of skim milk (love milk, don't like yogurt) make a great snack with low calories and lots of nutrients.

kashi chewy granola bars. sooo good! my favorites are honey almond flax and mocha almond. oh so good and very filling.

 

[mjkacmom]

In the summer, I love tomatoes! Also, pickles, especially those from the farmer's market - so many to choose from. I love the Progresso 0 point soups, they're really fillings. String cheese is my go-to if I'm really hungry, and in a rush - protein. I also LOVE plain light tofu, with a little salt - kind of tastes like fresh mozzarella. In the winter, I keep some very light homemade veggie soups around (someone mentioned the WW 0 point soup, and I also make a cream of brocolli soup with cooked brocolli and chicken broth, that I blend with a hand mixer).

 

[AKL_Megs]

I am currently counting calories as well (staying under 1400). I think I am doing it right, as I have yet to really be hungry!

I like any "100 Calorie" snack item.

My favorite snack right now are Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches... 140, I believe.

I also love an English muffin with peanut butter and jelly or honey... It's under 200.

Veggies raw with a little low calorie salad dressing.

Fresh fruit.

Also, just to add, LET yourself have something "bad" once a week or so. Last weekend, I had a Whopper Jr., a couple onion rings, and a piece of homemade cake and STILL had breakfast and dinner and managed to stay under 1400.

 

[Talking Hands]

air popped popcorn
hummus on veggies
PB on veggies
mini box of raisins
mini candy bar
bananas
banana with dark chocolate
chocolate soy milk
glass of V-8 with garlic and worchestershire (tabasco as well if you like hot)
turkey bacon extra crispy

 

[minkydog]

I am currently counting calories as well (staying under 1400). I think I am doing it right, as I have yet to really be hungry!

I like any "100 Calorie" snack item.

My favorite snack right now are Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches... 140, I believe.

I also love an English muffin with peanut butter and jelly or honey... It's under 200.

Veggies raw with a little low calorie salad dressing.

Fresh fruit.

Also, just to add, LET yourself have something "bad" once a week or so. Last weekend, I had a Whopper Jr., a couple onion rings, and a piece of homemade cake and STILL had breakfast and dinner and managed to stay under 1400.

I totally agree! I give myself permission on Saturday to eat a little more freely. I don't go hog-wild, so I don't gain any weight. But a Whopper isn't going to break the bank and it only has about 330 cals, if you leave off the mayo and cheese. Just beef up your vegs and protein at breakfast and dinner and you'll be fine.

 

[ShesAPirate]

My favorite crispy snack lately is Sensible Portions Veggie Straws and Veggie Crisps. You can have 38 of them (which is a lot more than it may seem) for only around 130 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat. Very tasty, and they really help when I'm craving potato chips or any salty snack

 

[skuttle]

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes early in my pregnancy due to a history of insulin resistance so I've been following that diet.

I have to have 3 snacks per day along with my meals.
First snack includes 1oz protein and 2 carbs (15 carbs = 1carb).
Second snack (after lunch) is 1oz protein and 1 carb.
Third snack (hour before bed) is 1oz protein and 2 carbs.

During the day I usually eat fruit as my carbs and string cheese (low fat or 2% milk). I also sometimes do a tablespoon of peanut butter and 6 no salt crackers. Once in a while I'll do a 100 cal pack but I have to watch those because sometimes the carb count is too high.

At night, I've been eating strawberries, cool whip (low fat), and crushed graham crackers (I can only have 3 at a time). I LOVE this. Not something I can bring to work, but I really enjoy it at night.

If I get hungry in between my meal and snack time, I have a few "free" foods I can have, like cucumbers, carrots (about 4 baby carrots) and celery.

I used to eat a ton of pickles, but those are high in salt and I have to watch that. I also used to eat nuts but those count as a fat and I can't have much of that so I don't eat that anymore.

 

[T*Bird]

Sugar-free jello topped with Lite Cool Whip.

And I am addicted to BlueBell Sugar-Free Bullets! (15 calores each) They don't exactly fill me up, but they are great for when I just want to be eating something.

Another thing I like is to put Crystal Light On-the-go in a bottled water, freeze it until it's slushy, and have it while I'm watching TV at night.

Hope you find these suggestions helpful!

 

[Katy Belle]

These are awesome! For me the key is to prep fruits and veggies before I'm starving. Also, just keeping a list of these on my fridge, so I don't grab something bad.

Today I had 5 slices of Canadian bacon, for 60 calories. Probably high in sodium, but the rest of my day was pretty low.

Looking forward to more!