Snack Substitutions

Snack substitutions, are a planned mini meal, rather than a time of grazing where you grab and snack on an entire bag of chips, or cookies. Planning 2 to 3 snacks per day is a healthy diet habit, that will allow you to keep your hunger, and blood sugar under control, and your metabolism working well.

Most of these healthy snack ideas are between 100 and 200 calories and contain fiber, protein, or a healthy fat.

Most of these are healthy snacks, but I have included a few cheat snacks too! Most of these are also grab and go, because people are busy and do not have time to fuss with making a mini meal.

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Fruits/Vegetables/Dairy and a few processed ones:

• Small handful carrots and 2 to 3 T low-fat ranch dressing


• Small apple with 1 T peanut butter or 1 reduced fat string cheese (Any fruit)


• Greek Yogurt-Chobani, Fage, or Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt. Look for the low-fat or fat free versions. These are better than the sweetened Yoplait and Dannon varieties which contain much added sugar. Sweeten them with berries. Pair them with Trader Joe’s high fiber cereal.


• Protein or Fiber Bar


• 1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese and cup up strawberries, blueberries and a few slivered almonds on top


• Almonds, walnuts, pecans or peanuts 2 to 3 T


• Starbucks skinny latte with 10 to 20 almonds


• String cheese or 2 Laughing Cow light cheese with 18 All Bran Crackers or other high fiber crackers (100 calories worth)


• Fruit smoothie using 1 c. fruit, 100 calorie yogurt and light almond breeze


• Celery and pepper sticks with 1/3 cup hummus, or Costco sells hummus in snack packs.


• 18 soy crisps, with a small apple or fruit


• Whole grain pretzels (100 calories worth), and Tziki (Trader Joe’s or Costco)


• Bag of 100 calorie cookies paired with a fruit for added fiber.


• Small bran muffin (200 calories or less)


• Nile couscous Minestrone soup or 2 cups Progresso light soup


• Chai tea latte (made with 1/2 cup Oregon Chai sugar-free tea latte, and 1/2 cup Almond Breeze) paired with 100 calorie package of your favorite cookies


• Celery stuffed with 2-3T Trader Joe’s light cream cheese and a few walnuts chopped and sprinkled on top


• Small Trader Joe’s Mini wheat pita pocket stuffed with 3 oz. tuna/celery, or turkey, or hummus or light cream cheese and veggies


• Pea pods, cucumber, and small tomatoes, with 100 calories of any sauce or dip of choice


• McDonalds Ice Cream Cone 150 calories, apple dippers with caramel (100 cal), or fruit and yogurt parfait


• Wendy’s small chili is 220 calories so a great snack


• 10 Black bean chips, or 100 calories of Light tortilla chips with 2 oz guacamole mixed with salsa


• Banana or berries and 1 package of plain oatmeal with Splenda

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There are many substitutions that are great Lifestyle Solutions, because they are quick and easy snacks.

These are a few of my go to snacks, but I would encourage you each to develop your own healthy snack list. Many times we grab an unhealthy snack because we can’t think of what to make. Posting your list on your refrigerator is a great healthy diet habit to encourage healthy snacking!