Healthy snacks can be a great tool for keeping you on track throughout the day. They power you through that mid-morning (or afternoon) slump so you don’t end up starving and overeating at your next meal, and they give you energy to stay focused while you’re at work or on the go.
The trick to creating a great snack is in the power balance, combining produce and protein to ensure you stay satisfied until your next meal. The fiber in the produce provides a few hours of staying power, and the protein sends a message to your brain that you’re full and satisfied. Adding a little healthy fat doesn’t hurt either.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 medium pear, diced
- 1 tablespoon pistachios, shelled
Directions
Top the cottage cheese with diced pear and pistachios. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 slice whole-wheat toast
- 1/4 avocado, mashed
- 2 slices tomato
- 1 tablespoon feta, crumbled
- 2 basil leaves, torn
Directions
Spread the mashed avocado on the whole-wheat toast. Top with tomato slices, feta and basil.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries
Directions
Combine the chia seeds, almond milk, cocoa powder and honey in a jar. Shake to combine, then refrigerate overnight to thicken. Top with strawberries and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 6.5-inch whole-wheat pita bread
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 6 kalamata olives
Directions
Spread hummus on pita bread, top with sliced cucumbers and olives.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup berries
- 2 tablespoons almonds, sliced
Directions
Spoon yogurt into a bowl. Top with berries and sliced almonds.
Ingredients
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 medium apple
- 1 ounce low-fat cheddar cheese
Directions
Add peeled hard-boiled egg, sliced medium apple, and cheese to a plate or to-go container and enjoy.
Aiming for a 200-calorie snack is easy when you take nutrient density into account. For example, an apple with a handful of almonds will be more satisfying in the long run than a bag of chips.
It might sound like a lot of variables to juggle when you’re reaching for a quick-and-easy bite, but creating healthy produce-and-protein combos is easier than you think. Here are six snack ideas that will keep you energized at just 200 calories:
READ MORE > WHAT A DELICIOUS & FILLING 400-CALORIE DINNER LOOKS LIKE
Tell us your favorite healthy snack combos in the comments below!