Snacking between meals is not a bad thing and can be a brilliant way of getting in lots of important nutrients while keeping energy levels boosted. It’s all about making good choices.
If you’re trying to watch your calorie intake or are looking for something to replace your regular less nutrient-dense snacks, then these 21 sweet and savoury healthy snack ideas are great. Plus, they’re all 100 calories or less so you know exactly what you’re getting in each one.
Savoury snack ideas
30 cherry tomatoes (450g)
Nutrition: You’ll get a huge hit of vitamin C, potassium and filling fibre – and can eat loads for 100 calories.
10 whole cashew nuts
Nutrition: Like all nuts, cashews provide a wide range of nutrients, but they contain more iron and copper than most others. This serving provides 30 per cent of our daily need for copper.
90g tinned tuna in water
Nutrition: It’s a low-fat way to get hunger-busting protein into your diet and boost phosphorus and vitamins B3, B6, B12 and D. It’s also rich in selenium.
½ small avocado (50g)
Nutrition: Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and promote HDL (good) cholesterol. Plus, they contain potassium, vitamins B6 and E pantothenic acid.
140g cooked prawns
Nutrition: Prawns provide phosphorus and copper and are rich in protein, omega-3 fats, selenium and vitamins B12 and E.
5 brazil nuts (15g)
Nutrition: They’re rich in nutrients: three-quarters of their fat is heart-healthy unsaturates, they’re rich in selenium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese, vitamins B1 and E and contain calcium, iron, vitamin B6 and biotin.
1tbsp sunflower seeds (15g)
Nutrition: Like nuts, they’re nutrient packed – and especially high in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, selenium and vitamins B1 and E.
Small piece of reduced-fat cheddar (30g)
Nutrition: It’s filled with protein to keep us fuller for longer and it’s rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1 and B12.
1 slice wholegrain bread with 1tsp peanut butter
Nutrition: This snack is a rich source of starchy carbs and fibre and releases energy slowly to provide sustainable energy.
150g plain reduced-fat cottage cheese
Nutrition: It’s the low-fat way to enjoy dairy and boost protein, while still getting all the benefits of calcium, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals.
1 large boiled egg
Nutrition: Eggs are high in protein, selenium, iodine, vitamins B2 and B12 and biotin, plus they contain vitamin A and folate and are packed with vitamin D.
15 almonds (15g)
Nutrition: They contain more calcium than other nuts, plus nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese, vitamin B2 and biotin and 30% of our daily need for vitamin E.
Sweet snack ideas
330g strawberries
Nutrition: They’re delicious and especially rich in vitamin C – this serving provides more than double our daily needs.
20g plain chocolate
Nutrition: It’s rich in antioxidants and provides magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese and potassium.
250g blueberries
Nutrition: They’re ‘rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants that lab research has linked with numerous health benefits including better memory, heart health eyesight and blood sugar control.
1 large banana (20g)
Nutrition: Full of starchy carbs, bananas will fill you up and top up potassium. They also contain vitamin B6, which ensures the immune and nervous systems work properly and is needed to make red blood cells.
125g pot fat-free fruit yoghurt
Nutrition: Yoghurt is loaded with protein and contains bone-building calcium and phosphorus. Plus, it’s rich in iodine, which helps to keep thyroid functioning properly, and contains energy-producing vitamin B2.
400g raspberries
Nutrition: They’re full of fibre and vitamin C and a surprising source of folate. This amount provides 66% of our daily need for this B vitamin.
3½ slices cantaloupe melon (530g)
Nutrition: It’s rich in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A.
8 dried apricots
Nutrition: You’ll get 16% of your daily needs for iron, 22% for fibre and 44% for potassium (when water is removed from fruit, the nutrients are concentrated).
1 Weet-bix with 100ml trim milk
Nutrition: This cereal contains wholegrain, good intakes of which are linked to better heart health and weight maintenance. Plus, Weetabix is fortified with B vitamins and iron, while milk adds lots of nutrients.
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