You’re starving – and you need a snack RIGHT NOW – but you’re also trying to lose weight. What can you do? No worries, there are plenty of low-calorie pleasures that you can easily rustle up in next to no time. All of these tempting treats are less than 100 calories each so you can indulge yourself without worrying that you’ve fallen off the dieting waggon!
In general, with a savoury low calorie snack, you want to add lots of flavour via herbs, or a splash of balsamic vinegar. This will make it tastier, and fool your mouth into thinking it’s actually eaten more than it really has! You can eat any amount of raw vegetables (carrot, courgette and pepper all work well) as crudities, and low fat hummus mixed with low fat yogurt makes an easy dip that doesn’t add on too many calories.
With a sweet snack, you need to be more cautious as sugar will really pile on the calories (and the pounds). Whole pieces of fruit are also fine, just beware of smoothies and milkshakes which can be much more calorific than you might imagine.
Crispbread is your friend. Whether it’s a brand name like Ryvita or one of the own-brand supermarket varieties; a slice tends to be only about 37 calories so there’s plenty of room for some yummy toppings. And you can toast it too – which makes it feel even more like something special. Try low-fat grated cheddar cheese, and lots of chopped tomato. Or tuna with chopped raw peppers.
Anything chocolatey instantly feels super indulgent doesn’t it? So a sachet of a low-calorie cocoa drink (usually about 60 cals) is a good option – and you can still add a few mini marshmallows on top before you go over the 100 calorie mark.
Fruit salad is a terrific low-calorie pudding or snack. Grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, diced apple and segments of satsuma are all really good things to include. They’re good for you and will go a long way to making up your 5-a-day too! Steer clear of bananas as they are pretty starchy – and they don’t really improve a fruit salad as they have a tendency to go a bit brown and mushy!
Gherkins and pickles in general add a bit of zing to a canape. Take three water biscuits (that’s about 42 cals) and then add a small amount of smoked salmon or low fat cream cheese. Pile high with the gherkins, mini peppers, capers or other vinegary pickles and you will feel as if you are eating a thoroughly sophisticated party savoury!
Strawberries and cream are not off limits! Just use half fat crème fraiche – and not too much (30 g is about 62 calories) and you can still enjoy this summery standard even when you’re on a diet!
Many studies show that eating small amounts regularly is much better as a weight loss method than saving your entire daily calorie ration for one big meal. So enjoy these 100 calorie snacks and watch the pounds fall off!
Recommended resource: Guilt-Free Desserts
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