What are some low-calorie snacks?

• One 6-inch flour tortilla with 1/4 cup black beans and 2 tablespoons fresh salsa

• Three cups air-popped popcorn sprinkled with three tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

• One tablespoon of peanut butter spread on slices of a medium apple

• A colorful veggie snack with 6 baby carrots, 10 sugar snap peas or green pepper strips, 6 cherry tomatoes and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat ranch dressing for dipping

• One cup of tomato soup with five whole-grain crackers

• A toaster waffle topped with 1/2 cup blueberries and 2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt

If you are craving something sweet, here is some 100 calorie options:

• 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch
• 1 Nature Valley Granola bar
• Orville Redenbacher's Smart "Kettle" Pop
• Other 100 calorie snack packs
• 2/3 c Honey Nut Cheerios
• 1/2 c Fiber One Frosted Shredded Wheat
• 1/2 c Frozen Yogurt
• 5 Hershey's Special Dark chocolate kisses
• 1 cup skim milk with 1 tbsp lite Hershey's syrup
• Approximately 1/2 c of Fresh Fruit is generally less than 100 calories and would be a healthier snack option
• 1/2 of a jelly donut also equals about 100 calories, but of course it is not the healthiest option.

Always watch your portion sizes of the snacks listed above because it is easy to grab another 100 calorie pack.

1. Midmorning fill-up: Just add hot water to a 100-calorie packet of oatmeal.
2. Peanut butter and crackers: Make sandwiches out of six all-bran multi-grain crackers and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut butter. You'll get about 2 grams of fiber and a little healthy fat.
3. Apple mousse: Mix a half cup of unsweetened applesauce with 3 tablespoons of fat-free nondairy topping, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Make a batch and refrigerate in portable snack cups. Supplies 20% of your daily vitamin C and counts as one serving of fruit. Sweet.
4. Veggies and dip: Flavor ready-to-eat veggies from the produce section -- which have almost no calories -- with a dip: 2 tablespoons of hummus or light ranch dressing. For the veggies, think broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, snap peas, pepper strips, baby squash -- all of them filled with fiber, vitamins, and protective phytonutrients.
5. Cafe mocha: Stir a packet of no sugar added hot chocolate mix into hot coffee for an instant afternoon pick-me-up that only tastes decadent. It actually delivers 30% of your calcium, 6% of your iron, and even a gram of fiber.
6. Mexican potato: Microwave a medium potato and slice in half. Save one piece for tomorrow. Mash the other half inside the potato skin and top it with 2 tablespoons of salsa. Eat the whole thing, including the skin. Warm, spicy, satisfying and 2 grams each of protein and fiber, some vitamin C, plus a little iron.
7. Finger food: Munch edamame like nuts. 1/2 cup of these quick-cooked frozen soybeans makes a great nibble. That's why they're a staple at hip bars -- which probably don't care that they're serving you 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and lots of minerals.
8. Snack on a mini meal: When you're starving but trying to hold back, try this: Wrap a vegan burger, a tomato slice, hamburger pickles, and a little mustard or ketchup in lettuce leaves instead of bread. The 10 grams of protein will keep you filled till it's really mealtime.
9. Happy hour combo: Mix 1/2 cup of tomato juice with 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, and a dash of lemon juice. Serve over ice with a celery stick and about a dozen dry roasted peanuts. Have a second "drink" if you like -- no biggie!

One of my favorite low calorie snacks is 100 calorie microwave popcorn. Believe it or not, popcorn is a whole grain and healthy snack! Because of the fiber and volume (amount) of popped popcorn in 100 calories, it is satisfying yet low in calories. It is a wonderful snack to take to the office and enjoy in the afternoon when hunger sometimes sets in.