Healthy snack recipes for weight loss? I always find it amazing when I hear of someone that has lost a significant amount of weight by eating a healthy snack every few hours. I was one of those people and still practice this today! By eating lightly between meals, and avoiding junk food, you can easily lose weight.
If sneaking treats is tripping you up on the way to your weight loss goal, it’s time to change up your snack game. This list of healthy snacks under 200 calories can get you back on track. Try these healthy snacks for weight loss if you are looking for healthier alternatives to common snack foods. Below are the benefits of snaking.
Healthy Snack Recipes for Weight Loss
An apple and natural peanut butter
- One medium-sized apple: 95 calories
- One tablespoon of natural peanut butter: 95 calories
- Total calories: 190
Snacks that incorporate protein can help you feel fuller longer, which may reduce overeating and subsequent weight gain.
Natural peanut butter is a great plant-based protein source, and apples are high in soluble fiber, which studies suggest may aid weight loss as well as reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Cottage cheese and pineapple
- One-half cup of 2% milk cottage cheese: 90 calories
- One-half cup of pineapple: 41 calories
- Total calories: 131
In addition to the protein which helps keep you full, cottage cheese is also packed with calcium which can help support bone health.
You can pair it with pineapple, which contains bromelain — a compound with anti-inflammatory benefits that can also aid digestion, says Ingram.
Plus, a sweet, healthy fruit like pineapple, cantaloupe, or mango is perfect to add a burst of flavor to a snack.
Fruit and plain Greek yogurt
- One cup of strawberries: 53 calories
- One container of plain Greek yogurt: 100 calories
- Total calories: 153
While yogurt may seem like a healthy choice, many flavored varieties are loaded with added sugar. Added sugars can easily lead to excess sugar consumption which is linked to obesity.
You can avoid added sugar by opting for plain Greek yogurt, says Alicia Beltran, MS, research dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine.
Incorporate flavor and sweetness by adding your fruit of choice. Berries, including strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, are a great option because they’re loaded with antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of conditions like kidney and cardiovascular disease caused by free radical damage.
Plus, Greek yogurt contains probiotics, which may have benefits like maintaining a healthy microbiome and cardiovascular health.
Hummus and carrots
- Two tablespoons of hummus: 60 calories
- One cup of raw carrots: 50 calories
- Total calories: 110
The benefits of this snack are twofold: One, the hummus is a good source of protein and fiber, both of which help you feel full and satisfied, says Beltran. And two, carrots contain beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A by your body. Vitamin A can benefit your eyesight, immune system, and cholesterol.
Plus, eating more vegetables can aid general weight loss because veggies are more satisfying which can help with hunger control, according to a 2014 study of overweight adults.
String cheese with a side of cashews
- One light mozzarella string cheese: 50 calories
- One-fourth cup of cashews: 197 calories
- Total calories: 247
The combination of string cheese and cashews contains healthy fats and protein, which won’t cause a blood sugar spike that could later leave you tired and sluggish, says Allison Childress, PhD, dietitian and assistant professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University.
Opting for light or low-fat versions of snacks like cheese can help you easily cut back on fat and calories as you’re on your weight loss journey.
Plus, nuts like cashews, almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are heart-healthy and may help lower “bad” cholesterol levels.
A banana and almonds
- One medium-size banana: 105 calories
- One-fourth cup of almonds: 207 calories
- Total calories: 312
“This snack combines the carbohydrates from the banana with the fat, fiber, and protein from the almonds to create a well-balanced snack that will fill you up,” says Childress.
The banana is high in potassium, and dieticians recommend bananas as a weight-loss snack. This is because bananas contain pectin and resistant starch, which keeps you full.
Note: This snack is a bit higher in calories than the others on this list, so it may not be a snack you want to reach for every day.
Whole grain toast with peanut butter
- One slice of whole-grain bread: 110 calories
- One tablespoon of natural peanut butter: 95 calories
- Total calories: 205
Bread is often vilified in weight loss diets like keto and Whole30 for its high-carb content. But if you eat the right kind of bread, you can still enjoy a slice every now and then.
In fact, one small 2012 study found that overweight female participants who ate bread as part of a low-calorie diet were more likely to stick to the diet than those told to cut out bread entirely.
Just be sure to avoid white bread and other options made from refined grains, like bleached flour. These will typically have little to no fiber. Instead, opt for, whole grain bread, which provides more fiber and nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, and folate.
You may also want to consider toasting your bread, as research suggests this can lower its glycemic index — a measure of how likely a food will spike blood sugar. However, more studies are needed to determine how much toasting will lower GI for whole wheat bread and how that might affect weight loss.
Healthy Snacks Under 200 Calories
A small fruit smoothie can make for a healthy snack under 200 calories, depending on the recipe.
If weight loss is one of your goals and you’re in the mood for a quick nosh or nibble, beware. Research suggests that snack preferences tend to skew toward energy-dense desserts, candies, sugary beverages, and salty foods. And, overall, snacking can account for between one-quarter and one-third of your total daily calories, studies show. All that less-than-healthy snacking can very easily add up to weight gain.
But don’t give up on snacking just yet! “Even in a well-balanced and proportioned daily diet, there is room to enjoy treats and snacks,” says Malina Malkani, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Westchester, New York, and the author of Simple and Safe Baby-Led Weaning. Regular mini-meals or snacks can add valuable nutrients to your diet, promote satiety, help you maintain a healthy weight, and prevent overeating later, according to a review published September 2016 in the journal Advances in Nutrition.
The secret to a weight-loss-friendly snack is a low calorie count. As a bonus, limiting calories may improve “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity, even in adults without obesity, according to a July 2019 study in The Lancet.
Small Apple With 1 Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
This healthy snack adds up to only 183 calories yet packs a punch of protein and fiber. “Fresh fruits like apples have lots of vitamins and minerals in addition to natural sugars to boost your energy,” says Laura Catalusci, a certified health education specialist in New York. Apples offer vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps create other antioxidants and plays an important role in immune health, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). And the peanut butter adds extra protein to help keep you feeling full.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one small apple has about 78 calories and 7 milligrams (mg), or 8 percent of the daily value (DV), for vitamin C. And one tablespoon of natural peanut butter has 105 calories, 4.5 grams (g) of protein, and 9 g of fat, per the USDA.
10 Carrot Sticks With 2 Tablespoons of Dip
Carrot sticks are a diet staple for good reason. As the USDA notes, one cup of these snackable veggies has only 50 calories, with fiber and nutrients that support overall health, such as beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin K. “When paired with a creamy dip made with healthy fats like guacamole, hummus or tzatziki, the combination of fiber and fat is satisfying, satiating, and may help prevent oversnacking later on,” Catalusci says. Try 2 tablespoons of creamy yogurt-based veggie dip (about 58 calories, per the USDA) for a filling snack that won’t blow your diet.
Two 100-Calorie Bags of Popcorn
When cravings for something salty and crunchy strike, reach for one (or two!) 100-calorie bags of air-popped popcorn. “Popcorn is a whole grain and a good source of fiber,” says Jessica Levinson, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City. According to the USDA, two bags (totaling about 2 ounces) provide about 6 g of fiber (22 percent of the DV), along with 5.22 g of protein. “Plus it has a lot of volume, so you can eat a lot for few calories and feel full,” she says. Microwave popcorn can vary widely, so go for a plain popcorn that’s free of trans fat and low in saturated fat.
10 Baked Tortilla Chips With a Half-Cup of Salsa
Baked, not fried, chips and fresh salsa make this snack a better choice than greasy potato chips with dip. As the USDA notes, 10 tortilla chips have about 74 calories, while a half cup of salsa contains about 20. A word to the wise: Store-bought salsa can be high in sodium — the USDA points out that 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of Pace Chunky Salsa has a whopping 230 milligrams (mg) of sodium, or 10 percent of the DV. Be sure to read nutrition labels carefully.
Half a Whole-Wheat Pita and One-Quarter Cup of Hummus
Although calories will vary with the weight of the pita, half a medium-size whole-wheat pita has 75 calories, and a quarter-cup serving of hummus has 100 calories, notes the USDA. Together, the two make a filling snack. “Whole grains are a great source of fiber, and hummus is high in protein,” Catalusci says. Pair the two foods and you’ll score roughly 4 g (16 percent DV) of fiber and 5 g (10 percent DV) of protein.
An Apple With String Cheese
This nutritious duo of apple and string cheese is the perfect on-the-go snack. What’s more, snacking on this diet-friendly choice will fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied. A stick of low-fat string cheese is 80 calories, and a medium apple is about 95 calories. “The string cheese has calcium and protein, which will keep blood sugar from rising too quickly from the fruit,” Levinson says. One string of cheese provides 7 g of protein and 200 mg of calcium for 15 percent of the DV.Top
Half an English Muffin and 2 Tablespoons of Cream Cheese
Pitch the mid-morning bagel in favor of this slimmed-down treat. According to the USDA, half an English muffin has 66 calories, as well as 2.5 g of protein and 1 g of fiber for 4 percent of the DV. Meanwhile, a 2 tbsp serving of cream cheese has 100 calories — you can also trim roughly 70 calories by using a fat-free variety, notes nutrition information from the USDA.
One-Quarter Cup of Almonds, Cashews, or Pistachios
“Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and pistachios are a great, health-promoting option because they are rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients,” Malkani says. Almonds, for example, are a great source of vitamin E (7 mg, or 45 percent DV per ounce), an antioxidant that plays a key role in immune function, according to the NIH. But because nuts are high in calories, the key is to watch portion sizes, Malkani says. Almonds have 214 calories per quarter-cup serving, cashews have 190 calories, and shelled pistachios have 186, per the USDA.
A Protein Bar
Adam Korzun, RD, the director of performance nutrition for the Green Bay Packers football team in Wisconsin, recommends this simple on-the-go treat — though it’s important to watch out for added sugar in store-bought protein bars. Look for protein bars made with natural ingredients that are lower in calories and sugar, and high in protein and fiber. One Quest Apple Pie protein bar, for example, provides 190 calories and 4 g of sugar, as well as 20 g of protein and 16 g of fiber for 60 percent of the DV.
Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Try these 5 snacks if you are looking for healthier alternatives to common snack foods.
When you’re living with chronic pain, it can be hard to have the energy to exercise or cook healthy meals. However, making good choices and maintaining a healthy weight may reduce your chronic pain symptoms. If you are looking for ideas for healthy snacks for weight loss, congratulations on taking a step forward!
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is important in general but is especially crucial if you are living with chronic pain. Being overweight or obese may have a direct impact on the root cause of chronic pain. The good news is that healthy, gradual, weight loss can significantly improve chronic pain, and may even be an option for some people to avoid surgery.
Making the commitment and sticking to it is the first and most difficult step of the process. The next step is making a plan. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ve got 5 quick and easy healthy snacks to help you lose weight and get healthier:
Apple Slices and Almond Butter
Apples are a great source of nutrients and antioxidants. They are also high in fiber. They can aid in digestion, improve gut health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Nut butters such as almond butter are filled with healthy fats, protein and fiber. You may opt for peanut butter instead, but remember that almond butter is more nutrient dense than peanut butter and provides more grams of fiber.
Apple slices and almond butter not only tastes great but it is also easy to prepare and good for you. The fiber and protein give your body lasting fuel without the empty calories of chips or cookies. To make the most out of this healthy snack, try to avoid nut butters with added sugar.
For a quick mid-morning snack, try slicing up one medium apple and adding one tablespoon of your favorite nut butter. You’ll get 2.4 grams of protein and over a dozen vitamins and minerals at under 200 calories.
Vegetables and Hummus
Did you know that a diet deficient in fruits and vegetables is one of the root causes of chronic pain and other degenerative diseases? Keeping fresh plant foods out of your diet can result in what is known as a pro-inflammatory state. In other words, if you don’t eat enough greens, reds, oranges and blue foods, your body tends to experience inflammation that can cause chronic pain.
An easy way to incorporate more veggies into your diet is to include them in your daily snack routine. Instead of dipping your vegetables in dressings, try hummus.
Hummus typically is made of chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, tahini and lemon. It is high in protein (plant-based protein at that – about 6 grams for only ½ a cup!) and is delicious on vegetables. Buy it pre-made in your local grocery store or whip some up yourself at home in under 10 minutes.
Carrots, sweet potato slices, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices and celery sticks are all excellent choices of vegetables to dip in the hummus. They all have high water and/or high fiber content that help keep you feeling full while helping to keep you hydrated.
One-half cup of hummus alone delivers about 20% of your %DV of fiber. Together with a serving of vegetables, you can meet up to half of your daily fiber recommendations just in this snack. Fiber will help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Plus, you’ll enjoy the health-boosting benefits of the nutrients in vegetables.
Coconut Yogurt and Mixed Berries
Coconut yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and magnesium, both of which are crucial for muscle function. Thanks to plant-based diets going more mainstream, it’s never been easier to find coconut yogurt in your local grocery store. You can find many other non-dairy yogurt options as well.
Mixed berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries have antioxidants and vitamins that help to fight free radicals and inflammation. This is crucial for preventing and treating chronic pain.
For an easy healthy snack on-the-go, mix a handful of berries into your coconut yogurt.
Guilt-free Savoury snacks
1. Cheese and Zucchini bites
These cheese and zucchini bites are PERFECT. At only 39 calories each, they’re hard to stop at just one.
Packed with nutrition, they take no time at all to throw together and can be devoured on-the-go, especially if you’re trying to lose weight on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
Feel free to substitute with any other veggies you have on hand such as grated carrot, corn, or finely chopped capsicum.
2. Hidden Veg Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls are a hit with both kids and adults and this healthy “hidden veggie” version can be enjoyed all year round.
3. Easy Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini Muffins are a popular savoury muffin recipe from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge which is perfect for a mid-morning/mid-afternoon snack.
4. Cheesy Broccoli Bites
These cheesy Broccoli Bites will appeal to the whole family. Serve them up hot as a healthy snack, or pop them in the lunchbox to enjoy cold the next day.
Benefits of a Snacking
1. Increases Sustained Energy
Sugar-laden processed foods, snacks full of trans fats, or a mighty carb-overload can result in awful energy crashes come mid-afternoon. As prolific as junk food is in the modern office, it’s no wonder that the “afternoon slump” has become so commonly accepted in our work culture.
Having healthy snacks at your office work against energy crashes by providing nutrition along with fantastic taste. Foods that balance protein, fat, and carbohydrates, such as Kind’s Cranberry Almond Fruit and Nut Delight, are an ideal choice for keeping your team energized for hours at a time.
2. Improves Cognitive Function
Recent studies have shown that foods high in trans fat take a serious, long-term toll on memory, sharpness, and concentration. On the other side of the coin, an article from Web MD has reported that foods rich in antioxidants, proteins, and B vitamins provide excellent support for concentration, memory, and cognition. By providing on-site access to foods rich in these nutrients, such as fruit bars by That’s It, you can nurture the very best in your staff’s mental capabilities.
3. Better Nutrition for a Better Mood
According to this recent article from Lifehack, foods rich in nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin C, magnesium, and B-12 can have both short and long-term impacts on a person’s mood. If you work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, the best office snacks will include a selection of fruits and veggies. Those needed nutrients will go a long way toward helping people keep calm, focused, and optimistic when extra challenges land in their path.
4. Physical Health Boosts Mental Health
The beneficial effects of improved physical health on one’s mental well-being are nearly boundless. In addition to improved mood, cognitive function, and energy, better health goes a long way toward stress management and self-esteem. What better way to encourage your team members to believe in themselves, think creatively, take risks, and find the courage to present bold new ideas?
5. Improved Focus
A healthy snack delivery service will keep your team sharp, so avoid foods rich in harmful trans fats and invest in lighter substitutes, such as Barbara’s cheese puffs. To boost focus even further, choose snacks full of antioxidants and healthy fats. A trail mix including almonds, dried berries, and dark chocolate would be a delicious way to promote mental acuity throughout the day, nurturing productivity and efficiency while keeping palates happy.
6. Healthy Snacks Can Make Healthy Meals
It happens all the time in American work culture. A person forgets to bring in their packed lunch, then needs to go to a restaurant or fast food establishment where they’ll spend time and money they may not be able to afford, on less-than-nourishing food, because they believe that’s their best option. If they’re especially pressed for time or money, they’ll grab a candy bar from the vending machine instead, leading to sugar crashes and energy slumps soon afterward.
A monthly delivery of healthy office snacks can help your team avoid such measures. By providing a balanced range of nutrition, a well-rounded snack selection can be mixed-and-matched into a variety of delicious, makeshift meals that will give the mind and body what they need to perform their best, even for the tightest of budgets.