Top Ten Low-Fat Snacks on the Go

Snacking is inevitable. Sometimes it's a long wait until your next meal and you need something to tide you over. Of course, the best choice is a healthy snack, one with few calories that is low in fat. But how do you choose healthy snacks when you're always on the go? It's so easy (and tempting) when hunger creeps in between meals to grab whatever looks good in the vending machine at work or the checkout line in between errands.

Don't give in! Healthy snacks are easy to plan ahead and carry with you.

THE TOP TEN

Fresh Fruit

What can be simpler than grabbing an apple, orange, or banana from the fruit bowl on your way out the door? Fruit is low in calories and fat, but high in fiber, vitamins and nutrients. The perfect choice for a healthy snack between meals.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit can be stored in a purse, a desk drawer, or the car for those days when you might forget to bring a snack, making it even more convenient than fresh fruit. Keep a box of raisins in your purse or a package of dried cherries in your desk at work for a sweet and low-fat snack.

Raw Vegetables

For healthy snacks that are just as nutritious as fruit, but may involve a little more preparation, consider raw veggies like carrot sticks, celery, sliced cucumber, or broccoli florets. Taking a few minutes at home to prepare a healthy snack of raw vegetables will help you avoid reaching for high fat, sugary snacks during the day.

Whole-Grain Crackers

Crackers come in every flavor imaginable, from salty to spicy to cheesy, making them a delicious low-fat snack that doesn't become boring or repetitive. Whole-grain crackers contain more fiber than regular crackers, filling you up without adding a lot of extra fat and calories to your diet.

Cold Cereal

Some packaged cereals contain a lot of sugar, but food manufacturers have made efforts to reduce sugar and increase whole grains in their cold cereal. For breakfast, it may not be the most nutritious choice, but munching a cupful of your favorite cereal between meals satisfies sweet cravings. Most stores carry hundreds of varieties of cereal, from chocolate puffs to marshmallows to mini cookies.

Pretzels or Baked Chips

Low-fat versions of potato chips often taste just as flavorful as their full-fat counterparts, and are always satisfying when you crave a salty and crunchy snack. Pretzels are a well-known low-fat snack, but the baked chips sold in stores today come in many of the same flavors as full-fat chips. Experiment until you find the brand you like best.

Nuts

Nuts have a bad reputation because they do contain fat, but most of them contain mono- and polyunsaturated fats, the "good" fats beneficial to your heart and overall health. According to MayoClinic.com, nuts are good for the heart and are a good choice for snacking because of their low cost and portability.

Granola Bars

Granola is also a snack that contains fat, but low-fat versions available in grocery stores now make granola bars a healthy choice for snacking. Granola bars are also easy to store in a desk drawer or purse and come in a variety of flavors to choose from.

Tea or Low-calorie fruit drink

If you're drinking enough water each day, then having a flavored beverage once in a while won't harm your diet and may satisfy the snacking urge. Low-calorie flavored iced teas and fruit drinks are naturally fat-free, but be sure to check the calorie content to be sure you're consuming the low-calorie version.

Sugarless Gum

Sugarless gum is another portable snacking option that you can keep with you at all times. Between meals, when you have an urge to snack, try chewing a piece of gum instead. It has no fat, few calories, and by satisfying a craving to chew, you may find that you weren't really hungry after all.

Tips for Healthy Snacking On The Go:

Always check serving size and nutritional information on packaged snacks. Eating a whole bag of chips, just because they're baked, isn't a healthy snacking option.

Remember that snacks are meant to tide you over until your next meal. They should just take the edge off hunger. If you feel as full after a snack as you would after a meal, then you're eating too much.

Instead of spending money on pre-packaged snacks that contain a set number of calories, spend a few minutes on the weekend making your own calorie-controlled snacks. Divide fruit, pretzels, nuts or cereal into small, individual baggies or containers and keep in the pantry to grab on your way out the door.

Plan ahead. When you plan your meals, plan your snacks, too. Just as you shop for ingredients for meals, shop for ingredients for your snacks so you always have a healthy option on hand.

Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter in view and within reach at all times.

Mix and match to create new flavors. Combine dried fruits and nuts. Cut up a few types of fresh fruit for a small fruit salad. Mix two different kinds of cold cereals for a new taste combination. Toast almonds in the oven with a little olive oil and garlic salt. Think creatively, and you will never run out of new and delicious ideas for snacks, which means you will never be running to the vending machine again.

Sources:

"Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health" http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nuts/HB00085