Healthy Snacks

Your body needs a steady supply of energy to keep it running well. Ideally you should eat three meals a day, but we all know that is not always possible. So, fit in some smaller between meal snacks. Your body needs fuel (that is what food is, after all) about every three hours or so. Choose healthy carbs such as whole grain bread, low sodium crackers, cereals with whole grains and less sugar, fruit (fresh, canned its own juice or dried) low- fat or fat-free milk or yogurt and vegetables.

When reading a food label, “Nutrition Facts” found on all packaged foods, look for choices that contain 15 grams of carbohydrate, 3-5 grams of fiber, and low amounts of added sugar and saturated fat.  Added sugar and saturated fat should make up less than 15% of your total calorie intake for the day per the updated 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines. 

Added sugars on ingredient lists can be identified as – sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, glucose, corn sweetener, molasses, brown sugar, or fruit juice concentrate – to name a few. When selecting fruit, it's always better to eat the whole fruit itself such as an apple, banana or handful of grapes instead of gummy fruit snacks or roll ups.  

Saturated fats can be found under the total fat area on the Nutrition Facts label of packaged foods. Try to choose foods with 2 grams or less of saturated fats and keep portion sizes in mind when eating meats. Eating less saturated fats daily is heart healthy.   

Looking for snack ideas? Check out our Pinterest snack page or visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for family friendly snack recipes!

Contact your doctor before making any diet changes as related to your medical condition(s).