Those 100-calorie snack packs are tasty, convenient, and perfectly portioned for calorie counters. And they're selling like iPhones on opening day. But what's nutritious about a handful of Cheese Nips or Oreo Thins (even with no creamy centers to lick!)? Instead, try these 10 far healthier 100-calorie treats. Stash them in your desk drawer, fridge, and/or car -- wherever hunger pangs hit you. The best part: Most will curb your appetite for hours, because they're high in filling fiber or satisfying protein.
1. Mid-Morning Fill-Up Just add hot water to a 100-calorie packet of McCann's Instant Cinnamon Roll Irish Oatmeal, which smells ahh-mazing and comes sweetened with Splenda. No doughnut guilt and there's a bonus: 3 grams of filling, cholesterol-fighting oat fiber.
2. Peanut Butter Crackers Make sandwiches out of 6 All Bran Multi-Grain Crackers (45 deliciously crunchy calories) and 1½ teaspoons peanut butter (45 smooth calories). You'll get about 2 grams of fiber and a little healthy fat.
3. Apple Mousse Mix a cup of unsweetened applesauce (50 calories) with 3 tablespoons of fat-free nondairy topping (45 calories), and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Make a batch at a time and refrigerate in portable snack cups. Supplies 20% of your daily vitamin C and counts as 1 serving of fruit. Sweet.
4. Veggies and Dip Flavor up ready-to-eat veggies from the produce section -- which have almost no calories -- with a dip: 2 tablespoons of hummus (60 calories) or light ranch dressing (80 calories). For the veggies, think broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, snap peas, pepper strips, baby squash -- all of them filled with fiber, vitamins, and protective phytonutrients.
5. Café Mocha Stir a packet of Swiss Miss No-Sugar-Added Hot Chocolate mix (60 calories) into hot coffee for an instant afternoon pick-me-up that only tastes decadent. It actually delivers 30% of your calcium, 6% of your iron, and even a gram of fiber. Add a splash of milk for more goodness. Compare that to 200 calories for the smallest Caffe Mocha at Starbucks (2% milk, no whip), with 6g of fat.
6. Mexican Potato Microwave a medium potato and slice in half (80 calories). Save one piece for tomorrow. Mash the other half inside the potato skin and top it with 2 tablespoons of salsa (10 calories). Eat the whole thing, skin too. Warm-spicy-satisfying and 2 grams each of protein and fiber, some vitamin C, plus a little iron.
7. Finger Food Munch edamame like nuts: ½ cup of these quick-cooked frozen soybeans (about 95 calories) makes a great nibble, which is why they're a staple at hip bars -- which probably don't care that they're serving you 8 grams of protein, 4g of fiber, and lots of minerals.
8. Snack on a Mini-Meal When you're starving but trying to hold back, try this: Wrap a Morningstar Farms Vegan Burger (100 calories), a tomato slice, hamburger pickles, and a little mustard or ketchup in lettuce leaves instead of bread. The 10g of protein will keep you filled till it's really mealtime.
9. Happy Hour Combo Mix 1/2 cup of tomato juice (22 calories) with ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, and a dash of lemon juice. Serve over ice with a celery stick and about a dozen dry roasted peanuts (about 60 calories). Have a second "drink" if you like -- no biggie!
10. Healthy Confetti Crisps If chips are your downfall, make a batch of these RealAge crisps and divide into 6 portions (95 calories each). Much through a bag while sipping your club soda and lime. If you remember to, enjoy the good fat from the olive oil and the fiber and vitamins in the veggies -- though these taste so good you may forget they're healthy.
REALAGE CONFETTI CRISPS
6 servings, 95 calories each
2 Tbsps. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup each of peeled and thinly sliced purple potatoes, carrots, and parsnips
Mix the oil and seasonings together, add the vegetables, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
If being able to easily button your tightest jeans isn't incentive enough not to double up on 100-calorie snacks -- their one temptation, we know -- try this: Steadily maintaining a desirable weight can make your RealAge 6 years younger.
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