Snacks can be an important part of a healthy diet. Keeping your energy up between larger meals keeps cravings at bay and allows you to make better choices. The key is to plan ahead so that you don't end up standing in front of the vending machine at 3:00 choosing a snack that is full of empty calories and unhealthy ingredients. Here are 20 ideas for snacks which are all around 100 calories. If you need a more substantial snack, combine a couple of these ideas or simply double the recipe.

Banana with almond butter

Take 1/2 of a medium banana and spread with 1/2 a tablespoon almond butter. You can substitute 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter for about the same calories.

Café latte and Chocolate
Heat 1/2 cup 1% milk in the microwave or on the stove until steaming hot. Mix the hot milk with 1/2 to 1 cup strong coffee, depending on how much coffee flavor you like. Enjoy with a 50-calorie 1-ounce dark chocolate.

Greek Yogurt With Berries
Mix together 4 ounces Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup mixed berries and 1 teaspoon honey.

Strawberry- Banana Smoothie
Combine 1/2 medium banana, 1/2 cup strawberries and 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk in a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Chia Energy Drink
Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. It can be made the day before.

Popcorn and Apple
1 cup air-popped popcorn
1 medium apple

Popcorn and Cheese
1 piece mozzarella string cheese
1 cup air-popped popcorn.

Hummus and Pita
1 small whole-wheat pita
1 1/2 tablespoons hummus

Cheese and Grapes
1/2 cup grapes
1 ounce part-skim mozzarella cheese

Wine and Cheese
3 ounces wine
1/2 ounce part-skim mozzarella cheese

"Cheesy" Popcorn
Take 2 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn and sprinkle 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast over the popcorn.

Fruit Salad
Dice 1 medium kiwi and 1/2 medium banana. Mix together and enjoy.

Veggies and Hummus
1/2 cup sliced red peppers
10 medium baby carrots
2 tablespoons hummus

Vodka Tonic and Popcorn
Mix 4 ounces tonic water with 1/2 ounce vodka and a squirt of lime juice. Enjoy with 1 cup air-popped popcorn.

Mini Quesadilla
Place 1 small corn tortilla in a pre-heated non-stick skillet. Cover half the tortilla with 1/2 ounce shredded cheddar cheese, 5-6 slices red pepper and 5-6 slices onion. Cook until the cheese is melted.

Tuna and Crackers
Mix together 1 ounce of water-packed tuna, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped onions and 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning. Enjoy with 1 Wasa rye crispbread.

Peanut Butter and Celery
Spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter on 1 large stalk of celery.

Almonds and Cranberry Snack Mix
Mix together 1/2 ounce almonds and 1/2 ounce dried cranberries. This snack will last for a long time and is a great one to carry in your purse for those unexpected hunger pangs.

Raisins and Peanuts
Mix together 1/2 ounce raisins and 1/2 ounce peanuts. Like the previous suggestion, this one will last for a long time and is a great one to have on hand when you need a really quick snack. Mix up a large batch and divide it into small containers for a week's worth of snacks.

V8 and Pretzels
8 ounces low-sodium V8 juice
1/2 ounce pretzel twists


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