If you’re anything like me – and I’m thinking you are – your days are so jam-packed you hardly ever get to sit down to a “real” meal; you snack your way through the day. The majority of your food is eaten in small bursts on the go. Luckily there are lots of quick, easy, healthy snack options. In fact, according to many nutritionists, healthy snacks can and should be a part of your day. Snacking is actually quite beneficial as it helps you maintain a consistent blood sugar level and it prevents you from getting ravenous and overeating at meals. All that being said, you can’t eat just anything. Choosing the right snacks, and consuming them in moderation, will keep you satisfied and healthy. The best options are snacks with 200, or fewer, calories and contain protein, carbohydrates as well as some good fats.

Some easy, whip together ideas include:

* 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter on six whole grain crackers
* 1 whole-grain pita cut into wedges and served with hummus
* 2 rice cakes spread with hummus, and topped with cherry tomatoes
* 2 crisp breads spread with mashed avocado and a squeeze of lemon juice (throw some diced tomatoes in there and you basically have guacamole)
* ½ cup homemade trail mix: whole-wheat pretzels, raisins, chocolate chips, and nuts together (sweet, crunchy and full of protein).
* Fruit and cheese plate: slice one apple, one pear, a handful of grapes and a few whole grain crackers and a couple slices of your favorite cheeses
* 1/2 cup hummus and carrot sticks, celery sticks (or any veggies you have available)
* 1 oz cheese and 5 crackers
* 1 cup unshelled edamame (good both hot or cold)
* 2 pieces (30 grams) prosciutto, 4 dried figs
* 2 multi grain crackers topped with an ounce of cheddar cheese and sliced green grapes
* 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds, 3 strips of red pepper, 2 thick slices of mushroom.
* 1/2-cup pure orange juice, frozen and eaten as sorbet (so yummy!)
* Several pieces of lox around some cucumber slices
* Pomegranate smoothie: 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup unsweetened frozen berries, 2 tablespoons plain or artificially sweetened nonfat yogurt. Blend in blender until smooth. (Side note: smoothies are can be some of the best snacks, let yourself be creative with the fruit combinations. And if you want to thicken it up without using any dairy, throw in some chopped ice.)


These are just a few quick, easy, healthy snacks you can indulge in guilt free. Look through your fridge and pantry; I’m sure you’ll find plenty of others. Another important component of eating healthy snacks is getting into the habit. To do so:

* Prepare healthy snacks in advance. Make it easy on yourself. Set aside an hour or so each week to take stock and make sure you have plenty of quick, easy, healthy snack ingredients on hand. Prepare them for easy usage. For instance, cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots and keep them in serving size containers ready to grab and go.
* Carry healthy snacks with you. Make it a habit to stash some fruit, whole-grain crackers, or baby carrots in your purse or workout bag so you always have some healthy food nearby. I never leave the house without my trusty bag of raw almonds and raisins.
* Make it interesting. Healthy snacking doesn't have to be boring as long as you give yourself a variety of choices. Whole-wheat pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, or low-fat fruit yogurt are healthy, tasty, and easy.
* Read labels! If you can’t always prepare your own snacks and are forced to buy something on the go, just be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sugars (fructose, glucose, basically anything that ends with “ose” stay away from) and if you see “partially hydrogenated oil” put the package down and back away. Also, be careful to notice the serving size. Snack packages often contain two or more servings, which means which means double or even triple the amounts of fat, calories, and sugar shown on the label.

Eating quick, easy, healthy snacks should be an integral part of your eating plan. Healthy snacks consumed in moderation help you maintain a steady blood sugar level, ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs and prevent you from over eating when you do actually get a moment to breathe. Put a little thought and preparation into it and you can indulge, on the go, guilt free.

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