by Nicholas Stitt

Created on: October 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 11, 2010

Dieters rejoice; snacking is okay. A nutritious snack will not only curb your hunger until a full meal, but small, healthy bites throughout the day will exercise your metabolism, speeding up your body's calorie burn rate. To ensure portion control, try these nutritious, filling, and tasty snacks all fewer than one-hundred calories.

To hush a nagging sweet tooth, return to the source of natural sugar and try a piece of your favorite raw fruit. Most of the classics, such as apples, medium oranges, and peaches, are fifty to seventy calories per piece, and larger fruits like Florida oranges, grapefruits, or bananas net just about one-hundred calories per serving. Smaller grapes, strawberries, or cherries are five calories a piece. A few berries sprinkled in light yogurt can be as sweet as a dessert.

If you're unsure, choose a fruit with high water content; such as honeydew or watermelon, the lowest of the low cal fruits. Stay away from dried fruits such as dates, raisins, or sugary trail mixes; a handful can be as caloric as a candy bar.

And if you just can't resist that need for candy, choose a single "fun size" piece of chocolate. Most pieces are between sixty and eighty calories, but if you limit your indulgence to one, you're still within healthy snack range.

For a salty craving, skip the chips or fries and choose popcorn. Ignore the butter-saturated microwave bags; whole, air popped kernels are not only inexpensive, but low calorie, high in fiber, and easy to make. One three cup serving (a heaping cereal bowl) dashed with salt nets only ninety calories, and if you're on the go, larger batches can be made ahead of time. When stored in an airtight container, popcorn will stay crisp for days, ready for dishing out before you travel. If you have a powerful blender, you can make superfine popcorn salt by blending table salt at high speed; the tinier granules snug into every nook of the popped corn, thoroughly distributing the flavor. Avoid buying flavored popcorn salts rich in synthetic butter and cheese, they'll ruin this natural snack.

If you'd rather eat fresh vegetables, cherry tomatoes at two calories apiece make great low cal snacks by themselves, but also dip well in low fat salad dressing. Many light dressings top out at 80 calories for a two tablespoon serving but brands vary, so check the labels. Try a small salad; one cup of romaine lettuce checks in at ten calories, a cup of meaty spinach only forty, and half of a cucumber only adds twenty more. For an eastern flavor, saute one cup mushrooms (forty calories) and shredded carrots (thirty calories) in a light cooking spray.

And when you need a protein packed snack to hold you over, try a spoonful (two ounces) of drained tuna over some crackers, or the classic hard boiled egg. If you prefer your eggs warm, make an open-faced sandwich; whisk one egg in a small bowl, then microwave on high for 45-60 seconds. Serve this egg on one slice wheat toast. Don't forget this old standby; peanut butter, though high in fat and sugar, can be spread sparingly across ribs of celery, adding flavor and texture to a satisfying crunch.

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