Looking for a Healthy, Low-Calorie Snack? Here Are 40 Dietitian-Approved Options

If you’re like most people in the U.S., snacking is a regular part of your day. In fact, 9 in 10 adults have at least one snack per day. And snack foods make up about one-third of the total calories people get each day. 

Snacking can provide your body with important energy and calories throughout the day. But not all snacks are created equal. And the number of snack options can be overwhelming. Many snacks are high in calories and don’t provide a good source of nutrients to keep you full until your next meal. But there are lots of tasty and satisfying low-calorie snacks, too. And these can help support your weight goals and daily dietary needs. 

What counts as a low-calorie snack?

There’s not a widely agreed upon way to define what counts as a low-calorie snack. If you’re going by the FDA, it must contain 40 calories or fewer per serving. But this guideline is only so useful when it comes to making your own snacks at home.

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How many calories should a snack be?

If you’re making a snack, a good rule of thumb is to stick to 200 calories or fewer per snack. So if you get 2,000 calories per day, this means each snack makes up 10% or less of your daily calories. That leaves plenty of room for calories from meals. 

What to look for in a low-calorie snack

The calorie count of a snack is important, but it tells you only part of the story. Have you noticed that you can eat some snacks and never feel full? Some snacks can have a lot of calories but not many nutrients. 

If you want to curb your hunger and feel fuller for longer, look for snacks that are high in: 

• Protein 

• Fiber

• Healthy fats 

Eating a snack that has all of these nutrients is both nutritious and satisfying. You may need to combine a few ingredients or foods to cover these bases. For example, you can pair vegetable slices with healthy fat and protein, like hummus or Greek yogurt with seeds and spices. 

Similarly, instead of just low-sugar granola or oatmeal, add your favorite fresh fruit and nut butter for fiber, protein, and healthy fat.

Choosing snack foods rich in these nutrients also helps stabilize your blood sugar, reduce cravings, and may help prevent overeating at your next meal. And this can help with weight management.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Need a snack on the go? Convenience store snacks get a bad rap for being loaded with sugar and salt. Here are some of the more nutritious options.

• How to read nutrition facts labels: When buying packaged snacks in a store, check the nutrition facts label to learn portion size and ingredients. 

• What are ultra-processed foods anyway? You’ve probably heard that many packaged snacks are ultra-processed foods. Here’s what that means.

Healthy low-calorie snack list

We know you have lots of options when it comes to low-calorie snacks. And with so many options, it can be easy to feel overloaded. Whether you’re looking for healthy school snacks for your kid or an on-the-go bite for yourself — we’ve got you covered.

We’ve created a list of low-calorie and filling snacks that you can make at home and another list of snacks you can buy in the store. We’ve also included portion sizes that provide about 200 calories or fewer.

Homemade snacks and portion sizes

Here are 24 snacks you can prep at home:

1. Plain Greek yogurt with berries: ¾ cup yogurt and ½ cup berries

2. Canned tuna and crackers: about 3 oz drained tuna and around 5 crackers (serving size depends on the brand)

3. Roasted chickpeas, or chana: ½ cup chickpeas with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and seasoning to taste

4. Hard-boiled eggs: 1 to 2 eggs and seasoning to taste

5. Rice cakes topped with almond butter: 2 brown rice cakes topped with ½ tbsp almond butter each

6. Banana or apple slices with peanut butter (or other nut butter): 1 apple or small banana and 1 tbsp peanut butter

7. Sweet potato wedges: 1 small sweet potato, cooked and seasoned as desired

8. Edamame: ½ to ⅔ cup shelled edamame

9. Black beans mixed with guacamole: ¼ cup cooked black beans with ¼ cup guacamole

10. Brown rice topped with kimchi: ½ cup cooked brown rice with 1 oz to 2 oz kimchi

11. Veggie slices dipped in hummus: 1 cup veggie slices (such as carrots, celery, broccoli, or bell peppers) dipped in ¼ cup hummus

12. Nuts: ¼ cup almonds or walnuts

13. Seeds: 1 oz (2 tbsp) pumpkin seeds or ¾ cup sunflower seeds

14. Dates with nut butter: 3 to 4 deglet noor dates dipped in 1 tbsp nut butter, or 2 medjool dates with ½ tbsp nut butter

15. Avocado toast: 1 piece of toasted whole-grain bread topped with ¼ large avocado (or ½ small), sliced or mashed, and seasoned as desired

16. Oatmeal with nut butter: ½ cup cooked oats mixed with 1 tbsp nut butter

17. Banana smoothie: 1 small banana blended with ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk and ½ tbsp almond butter

18. Whole fruit: Options are endless, like 1 large orange or pear.

19. Strawberries with dark chocolate chips: 2 cups halved strawberries tossed with 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs

20. Grapes: 1.5 to 2 cups red or green grapes

21. String cheese: 2 pieces string cheese

22. Homemade trail mix: ¼ cup

23. Frozen banana “ice cream”: 1 cup banana, frozen and blended

24. Chia seed pudding: 1 oz chia seeds stirred into ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, sweetened with ½ tbsp honey

Store-bought snacks and portion sizes

Stocking up on some snacks in the store can be quite convenient. And there are lots of quality options. When shopping for snacks in the store, keep in mind that many:

• Are ultra-processed foods

• Lack fiber (and don’t keep you feeling full for long)

• Contain added salt and refined sugar

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Here are 16 low-calorie snacks you can get from the market or convenience store that pack a nutritious punch:

1. Chickpea puffs: 1 oz

2. Dried fruit leather: 1 piece

3. Trail mix: ¼ cup

4. Low-sugar snack bar: 1 bar (check nutrition labels for exact calorie amounts per brand)

5. Nori (seaweed) crisps: 1 package

6. Air-popped popcorn: 3 to 4 cups, popped

7. Veggie straws: 1 oz

8. Dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher): 1 oz

9. Baked beans: ½ cup

10. Plantain chips: 1 oz (28 g)

11. Whole-grain pretzels: 1.5 oz

12. Bottled 100% juice smoothie: 8 oz (check nutrition facts for exact amount, as calories will depend on brand and variety)

13. Date and nut bites: 1 bar (serving size varies by brand)

14. Granola: ¼ to ⅓ cup

15. Frozen smoothie pops: 3.5 oz (2 pops) 

16. Cinnamon apple chips: ½ cup

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Written by:

Joanna Foley, RD

Joanna Foley, RD, is a registered dietitian (RD) and the owner of joannafoleynutrition.com, a private nutrition consulting business. She has previously worked as a clinical dietitian and outpatient renal dietitian.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined her interests in clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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