Healthy snacking is a great strategy to keep your metabolism buzzing and add tons of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your daily diet. A mid-morning and late afternoon snack will hold hunger at bay and prevent lunchtime and evening overindulges. Try to include 2 or more food groups per snack, aiming for a mix of fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, whole grains, and lowfat dairy throughout the week.

Portion size is key; if the snack is too large, then it’s more of a meal.  Two hundred calories for women and 300 for men is a realistic snack size.  The following snacks are around 200 calories and packed with a balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fat to keep you energized throughout the day.

1. Whole wheat English muffin spread with 1 Tablespoon peanut, cashew, or almond butter.
2. 2 dried figs, 1 oz goat cheese, 2 slices of prosciutto
3. 1-2 cups tomato, veggie, or lentil soup
4. Celery sticks spread with 1/4 cup ricotta cheese and tart, dried cherries
5. 8 cashews (1/2 oz), 3-4 Hershey kisses
6. 4-6 dried apricots, 12 almonds (1/2 oz)
7. 1 cup edamame pods with a dash of soy sauce
8. 2-3 Tablespoons hummus and raw veggies for dipping. Try carrots, celery, broccolini, radish, grape tomatoes, and snow peas.
9. 1 packet instant oatmeal, 7 walnuts (1/2 oz), 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
10. 1 apple or pear sliced and dipped in lowfat strawberry yogurt
11. 1 packet hot chocolate mix make with 8oz low-fat or non-fat milk
12. 1 small whole wheat tortilla wrapped around 1/2 banana and 2 tsp peanut butter
13. Smoothie made with 1 cup each of frozen peaches and raspberries, 1/2 c fatfree Greek yogurt (try Fage), squirt of lime juice
14. 3 Ryvita dark rye crispbreads topped with 1/4 avocado and cucumber slices
15. 1 small whole wheat pita stuffed with cold, shredded chicken breast, grape halves, and celery, and a squirt each of honey and Dijon mustard

For additional healthy snack ideas,  check out The Healthy Snacks Blog.  Who wouldn’t trade that bag of greasy vending machine chips for a  chocolate, almond, and  sea salt crostini, curry cashew trail mix, or fresh apple slices dusted with cinnamon?  In addition to recipes, new snack products hitting grocery store shelves, such a single serving nut butters, Smart Food popcorn clusters and Glenny’s soy crisps, are introduced and reviewed as well.

Have some favorite snacks of your own? Share them with Madison Plus readers, and your ideas may be featured on Mental Kitchen’s blog as well.

Happy Snacking!

Do you have any questions for Caroline? if so visit her blog Mental Kitchen or submit them to info@madisonplus.com