Five healthy snacks to tide you over

Published 2:20 pm Thursday, June 3, 2010

Snacks aren’t bad. In fact, they can curb hunger and help supplement nutrients you may not be getting enough of from meals, like fiber from fruits and veggies.

Studies show that waiting too long to eat between meals can cause you to overeat later in the day — not exactly the best way to lose weight or stay healthy.

Stick to snacks that are 100 and 200 calories each. A few ideas:

Peanut butter and whole-wheat crackers

Combine lean protein, fiber and healthy fat and you’ve got a satisfying snack.

Portion: 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter and 4 whole-wheat crackers

Values: 180 calories, 5 grams of protein

Vegetable soup

Try snacking on a warm, hearty vegetable soup — 20 minutes later you’ll feel like a new person.

Portion: 1 cup vegetable soup

Values: 100 calories, 4 grams protein

Low-fat cottage cheese and fruit

With its good balance of protein, carbs and fat, cottage cheese is one of the most underappreciated foods.

Portion: 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup sliced or 1 medium piece of fresh fruit

Values: 140 calories, 14 grams protein

Hummus and vegetables

Two tablespoons of plain hummus has 50 calories and 3 grams of fat, so you’re probably better off measuring out two to three tablespoons instead of sitting down with the entire container.

Portion: 3 tablespoons of plain hummus plus 1 cup sliced vegetables

Values: 120 calories, 7 grams protein

Trail mix

Almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts or pecans are full of healthy fat, fiber and protein. To minimize calories, choose nuts that are dry roasted or raw.

Portion: 15 nuts plus 2 tablespoons of dried fruit

Values: 170 calories, 7 grams protein