We’ve all been there: hunger striking before dinnertime, a sudden craving for something sweet, the need for a quick energy boost before working out. The solution? A small and satisfying snack that won’t tip that calorie count over the edge—after all, a quick nibble can easily turn into the calorie equivalent of a full-blown meal. These flavorful, low-calorie treats can please any palate while still leaving room for dinner.
1. Chocolate Banana
1/2 frozen banana dipped in 2 teaspoons dark chocolate chips, melted
2. Frozen Grapes
28 grapes (about 1 scant cup), placed in the freezer for 2+ hours
3. Honeyed Yogurt
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 dash cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey
4. Mini PB&F
1 Fig Newton with 1 teaspoon peanut butter
5. Spiced Orange
1 medium orange, sprinkled with cinnamon
6. Grilled Pineapple
2 1/4-inch thick pineapple rounds (3 1/2-inch diameter), grilled (or sautéed) for 2 minutes or until golden
7. Berries ‘n’ Cream
1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping
8. Stuffed Figs
3 small dried figs stuffed with 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta and sprinkled with cinnamon
9. Nuts ‘n’ Berries
2/3 cup blueberries sprinkled with 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
10. Dark Chocolate
1/2 ounce (about 1 block or 3 squares)
11. Nut-Stuffed Date
1 medjool date filled with 1 teaspoon natural unsalted almond butter
12. Chocolate Milk
6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup
13. Cinnamon Applesauce
1 cup unsweetened applesauce, sprinkled with cinnamon
14. Citrus-Berry Salad
1 cup mixed berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
15. Maple-Pumpkin Yogurt
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (go Greek for extra protein) mixed with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup
16. Chocolate Pudding
1 4-ounce container fat-free pudding
17. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
7 strawberries dipped in 1 tablespoon dark chocolate, melted
18. Tropical Juice Smoothie
1/4 cup each 100-percent pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice
19. Vanilla and Banana Smoothie
1/3 cup sliced banana, 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, and 1 handful ice, blended until smooth
20. M.Y.O. Banana Chips
1 sliced small banana dipped in lemon juice and baked
21. Baked Apple
1 small apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 sprinkle cinnamon, baked until tender
22. Fruity Waffles
1 toasted Kashi 7-Grain Waffle topped with 1/4 cup mixed berries
23. Skinny S’more
2 graham cracker squares with 8 roasted miniature marshmallows and 1 teaspoon dark chocolate chips
24. Cinnamon Graham Crackers and Peanut Butter
2 graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter, sprinkled with cinnamon
25. Cereal and Milk
2/3 cup crisped rice cereal with 1/3 cup skim milk
26. Milk and Cookies
5 animal crackers with 1/2 cup skim milk
27. Warm Spiced Cider
6 ounces apple cider, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, warmed
28. Fruity Soft Serve
Purée 1 small frozen banana into ice cream
29. Café Latte
8 ounces steamed skim milk with 1 shot espresso
30. Fruit Leather
2 no-sugar-added strips, like Stretch Island Fruit Co.
31. Maple-Cashew Pear
1/2 medium sliced pear dipped into a mix of 1 teaspoon each maple syrup and cashew butter
32. Protein Chai
1 1/2 tablespoons hemp protein powder, 1/2 small frozen banana, and 1/2 teaspoon chai tea mix (from a tea bag) blended with 6 ounces water
33. M.Y.O. Popsicle
6 ounces bottled lemonade, frozen in an ice pop mold or small paper cup
34. Apple Chips
1/2 cup unsweetened, such as Bare Snacks
35. Cucumber Salad
1 sliced large cucumber tossed with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
36. Pistachios
25 kernels
37. Cheese and Crackers
5 Kashi Original 7 Grain crackers with 1 part-skim mozzarella cheese stick
38. Spicy Scramble Egg
2 scrambled egg whites on 1/2 slice whole-wheat toast, drizzled with 1 teaspoon sriracha
39. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes
2 roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese
40. Curried Sweet Potato
1 small sweet potato microwaved for 6 minutes and mashed with 1 teaspoon curry and salt and pepper to taste
41. “Cheesy” Popcorn
2 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
42. Guacamole-Stuffed Egg Whites
1 halved hard-boiled egg, yolk removed, stuffed with 2 tablespoons guacamole
43. Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta
2 slices precooked polenta (look for the tubes in the grocery store) topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and 1 handful spinach
44. Soy Edamame
1/3 cup boiled shelled edamame with 1 teaspoon soy sauce
45. Dijon Pretzels
2 pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
46. Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad
2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) canned white tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and 2 chopped ribs celery
47. Greek Tomatoes
2 medium tomatoes chopped and mixed with 2 tablespoons feta and 1 squeeze lemon juice
48. Shrimp Cocktail
8 large shrimp with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce
49. Smoked Beef Jerky
1 ounce
50. Cheddar and Tomato Soup
1 cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
51. Kale Chips
2 cups raw kale (stems removed), tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and baked at 400 degrees until crisp
52. Sweet Potato Fries
1 light bulb-sized sweet potato, sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
53. Cucumber Sandwich
1/2 English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and 3 slices cucumber
54. Turkey Roll-Ups
2 slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard
55. Wasabi Peas
1/4 cup
56. Antipasto Plate
3 pepperoncini, 1/2-inch cube cheddar cheese, 2 slices pepperoni, 2 extra-large olives
57. Pumpkin Seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, spritzed with oil, and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown, sprinkled with kosher salt
58. Choco-Soy Nuts
3 tablespoons soy nuts with 1 teaspoon cocoa nibs
59. Mixed Olives
8 large olives
60. Balsamic Veggies
3 cups raw peppers, sliced, dipped in 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction
61. Cheesy Roasted Asparagus
6 spears, spritzed with olive-oil spray, sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and baked at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
62. Carrots and Hummus
12 medium baby carrots with 2 tablespoons hummus
63. Spinach and Feta Egg White Scramble
3 scrambled egg whites mixed with 1/2 cup raw spinach and 1 tablespoon feta cheese, cooked over the stove or in the microwave until egg whites are no longer runny
64. Crunchy Kale Salad
2 cups chopped kale leaves tossed with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
65. Chickpea Salad
1/3 cup chickpeas tossed with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, 1 squeeze lemon juice, and 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
66. Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob
1 small corn cob brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéed minced garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil, grilled until tender
67. Pretzels and Cream Cheese
15 mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
68. Bacon Brussels Salad
7 thinly sliced Brussels spouts mixed with 1 crumbled piece turkey bacon
69. Rosemary Potatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
70. Spicy Black Beans
1/3 cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt
71. Caprese Salad
1 ounce (about 1 hockey puck) fresh mozzarella with 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
72. Goldfish Crackers
38 crackers
73. Chips and Salsa
10 baked tortilla chips with 1/4 cup salsa
74. Mini Ham Sandwich
2 slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard, rolled in 1 lettuce leaf
75. Lox Bagel
1/2 whole-wheat mini bagel with 1 ounce (2 thin slices) lox
76. Apples and Peanut Butter
1/2 slice apple dipped into 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter
77. Apples and Cheese
1 light mozzarella cheese stick with 1/2 sliced medium apple
78. PB & Celery
1 medium (about 6 inches long) celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
79. Cottage Cheese Melon Boat
3/4 cup melon balls with 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
80. Carrot and Raisin Salad
1 cup shaved carrots with 1 1/2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
81. Tropical Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese with 1/4 cup each chopped mango and pineapple
82. Blue Cheese-Stuffed Apricots
3 dried apricots with 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
83. Rice Cake and Almond Butter
1 rice cake (try brown rice!) with 2 teaspoons almond butter
84. Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Pecans
5 pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
85. Chocolate Trail Mix
8 almonds, 1/2 tablespoon chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon raisins
86. Chocolate-Hazelnut Crackers
5 Wheat Thins dipped in 1/2 tablespoon Nutella or other hazelnut spread
87. Strawberry Salad
2 cups raw spinach with 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
88. Cacao-Roasted Almonds
8 nuts
Originally posted December 2012. Updated July 2015.