The Healthy Snack Plan to Satisfy Any Craving

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Bonus: These nutritious bites help you stay slim, too.

By Sarah-Jane Bedwell

(Photo: Gourmet)

Between running from work to barre class and then from barre class to dinner (or something like that), it’s no surprise that we end up snacking en route to our next destination more often than not. Granted, mindful eating (sitting down and eating off of a plate without any other distractions) has been shown to naturally help us eat less while feeling more satisfied, but let’s face it: sometimes life gets in the way, and often it dictates a day full of snacking.

The good news is that all kinds of noshing doesn’t mean you’ve got a wrecked diet—you just need to make sure you have a well-planned stash of snacks on hand. Here, we’ve set you up with a perfectly balanced 1600-calorie day with three small meals and plenty of snacking, whether you’re at your desk, in your car or just settling in for a Netflix marathon.

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Breakfast, 7 a.m.

  • 1 tall nonfat latte

  • ½ cup cooked oatmeal

  • 1 cup raspberries

  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Morning Snack, 10 a.m.  

  • Loaded Banana: Spread 1 ½ tablespoons peanut butter on one small banana. Roll in 2 tablespoons of whole-grain granola and 1 teaspoon of raisins.

Lunch, 12 p.m.

  • ½ cup edamame

  • 1 California sushi roll (brown rice, if available)

  • 1 cup broccoli, steamed or raw, sprinkled with 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce

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Afternoon Snack, 3 p.m.

  • 2 tablespoons hummus

  • 1 cup sliced cucumber

Dinner, 7 p.m.

Late-Night Snack, 10 p.m.

  • Mini Key Lime Pie: Crush ½ graham cracker and place crumbs in the bottom of a ramekin or small bowl. Mix 1 single serving container of Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lime juice and 2 tablespoons whipped topping. Spoon over graham cracker crumbs. Top with 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest.

THE SKINNY 1604 calories, 50g fat (28 percent of calories), 8g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 208g carbs (51 percent of calories), 33g fiber, 84g protein (21 percent of calories)

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