50 Snacks that are Under 50 Calories

Did you know that snacking reduces cravings and is actually healthy for you? 

Studies of primates (apes, chimpanzees, etc) have determined that they eat 6 to 8 times per day, and much of that eating is best described as snacking. The same is true of humans. We are supposed to be snacking multiple times per day and we're not meant to gorge ourselves on 3 large meals every day.

If you divide up your daily 2,000 calories into six meals instead of 3 you are looking at approx. 333 calories per meal. However since most people are used to eating 3 meals per day making the transition is more difficult.

That is where snacking comes in. A mid-morning snack, an afternoon snack and an evening snack so your daily diet should look something like this:

Breakfast 550 calories

Mid-Morning Snack 100 calories

Lunch 550 calories

Afternoon Snack 100 calories

Dinner 600 calories

Evening Snack 100 calories

TOTAL 2,000 calories

You may discover however that once you get adjusted to snacking that you don't need 2,000 calories per day. In which case, depending on your body type, you might drop to 1,800 calories per day, but you really should not go below that because it isn't healthy. Likewise going above 2,000 is really only recommended for athletes and people who exercise a lot as part of their occupation (eg. construction workers, arctic explorers, deep sea divers, firefighters, etc).

In which case how do you decide what to snack on 3 times per day? Well in the list below are 50 Snacks that are Under 50 Calories, so you can pick a choose, double up on 2 or more snacks (not that some of them below are only 10 calories or even zero calories) and no shortage of variety. If you read labels in stores you can find more things to add to this list.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

1. 1⁄2 medium apple, baked, topped with 1 Tbsp lowfat yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon (45 calories)

2. 1⁄2 small banana, frozen (45 calories)

3. 4 oz unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon (49 calories)

4. 1 miniature box of raisins (45 calories)

5. 2 sugar-free ice pops (30 calories)

6. 1 sugar-free fudge ice pop (35 calories)

7. 12 cherries (48 calories)

8. 1 individual serving sugar-free gelatin with 3 Tbsp light whipped topping (40 calories)

9. 1⁄2 cup strawberries with 21⁄2 Tbsp nonfat yogurt (47 calories)

10. 14 seedless red grapes, frozen (48 calories)

Indulge a salt craving

11. 11⁄2 cups salted air-popped popcorn (46 calories)
12. 1⁄4 cup shelled edamame with sea salt (37 calories) 
13. 8 oz miso soup (36 calories)
14. 1 pretzel rod (37 calories) 
15. 1⁄4 small bag of Glenny's lightly salted soy crisps (35 calories) 
16. 1 medium sliced cucumber mixed with 1⁄4 cup sliced onion, 1⁄2 cup chopped celery, 4 Tbsp vinegar and salt to taste (45 calories)
17. 6 oz eight-vegetable juice (39 calories)
18. 1 kosher dill pickle (10 calories)

Crunch and munch

19. 1⁄2 cup jicama with 4 oz salsa (49.5 calories) 
20. 11⁄2 cups sugar snap peas (40 calories)
21. Small celery stalk smeared with 1⁄2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (49 calories)*
22. 1⁄2 small apple with 1 tsp soy butter (46 calories) 
23. 1 brown rice cake with 1 Tbsp sugar-free jam (44 calories)

* NOTE:  Celery by itself has almost no calories. Its the peanut butter that adds the calories. Some people argue that celery is actually calorie negative because it takes more energy to digest it than it actually contains.

Smooth and creamy

24. 1 Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb wedge spread on cucumber slices (35 calories)
25. 1 tsp almond butter (34 calories)
26. 1⁄2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt with 1 tsp sugar-free strawberry jam (43 calories)
27. 1 oz avocado (about 1⁄8 of an avocado) squirted with lime (45 calories)
28. 8 grape tomatoes dipped in 1 Tbsp light cream cheese (46 calories)

Cheesy whizzes

29. 6 pieces of endive filled with 1⁄2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese (49 calories)
30. 1 slice fat-free American cheese (30 calories)
31. 1 large tomato, sliced, topped with 1 Tbsp Parmesan, broiled (44 calories)
32. 1 oz fat-free cottage cheese on 1 slice caraway Finn Crisp Crispbread (38 calories)
33. 1 oz fat-free mozzarella dipped in 1 tsp marinara sauce (46 calories)

Power up on protein

34. Turkey rollups: 2 slices white meat turkey rolled in 2 lettuce leaves (46 calories)
35. 1 oz smoked salmon (about 1 slice) on 2 Wheat Thins crackers (Multi-Grain) (48 calories)
36. 1 tofu dog with 1 Tbsp sauerkraut (48 calories)
37. 1⁄2 cup plain fat-free yogurt sprinkled with 1 tsp sunflower seeds (49.6 calories)
38. 1.3 oz water-packed tuna with 1 tsp Dijon mustard (48 calories)
39. 2 large hard-cooked egg whites with 1 cup sliced cucumber (48 calories)
40. 1 slice Wasa Fibre Crispbread with 2 tsp hummus (45 calories)
41. 1 medium water-packed sardine with slice of red onion (35 calories)

Solid standbys

42. 1⁄2 cup melon with 2 Tbsp 1% cottage cheese (47 calories) 
43. 1⁄2 small grapefruit (32 calories)
44. 1⁄3 cup blueberries with 1 Tbsp light sour cream (47 calories) 
45. 1⁄2 cup carrots with 1 Tbsp light ranch dressing (45 calories)

Thirst quenchers

46. 1⁄2 cup nonfat milk with 1 Tbsp Walden Farms calorie-free chocolate syrup (40 calories)
47. 1 packet of sugar-free hot chocolate made with 1⁄4 cup skim milk and 3⁄4 cup hot water (47 calories)
48. 3⁄4 cup almond milk (45 calories)
49. 3⁄4 cup seltzer with 1⁄4 cup cranberry juice and a lime wedge (33 calories)
50. Homemade iced green tea (with artificial sweetener if desired) (0 calories)