23 low calorie snacks under 100 calories that are actually tasty

It's normal to get a little peckish between meals every now and then, so having a cupboard full of your favourite low-calorie snacks in your home is useful if you're trying choose healthier options rather than high sugar, high fat, or ultra processed foods.

If you're keen to stop reaching for the biscuit tin and make some healthier meal choices, it might be a good idea to add some of our healthier snack options to your basket next time you're doing your weekly shop.

For more insight on what kind of snacks are most suitable to maintain a heathy diet as our metabolism slows down, we spoke to Karine Patel, a registered dietician and nutritionist who works with Dietician Fit & Co.

Expert recommendations for low-calorie snacks

“I would recommend snacks that combine a source of protein and a source of fibre. This can be something such as a small handful of nuts with a banana, or a few spoons of Greek yoghurt and a handful of berries,” says Patel.

She goes on to list out some of her suggestions for low calorie snacks -

What snack portions are ideally recommended?

In terms of ideal portions, Patel says, “Quantities will vary for women due to several factors. This can include their activity and exercise levels, any health conditions, their current weight and if they are looking to change their body weight such as lose or gain weight. Ideally a healthy portion for a snack should fit in the palm of the hand, but there are exceptions to this”

What is the right time of day to have snacks?

According to Patel, when you choose to have a snack will depend on what time your main meals are and what your lifestyle is like.

“For example, some women may eat their breakfast very early and may need a small snack to keep them going until lunch. Others may eat their lunch at 12pm, and evening meal may not be until 7pm. Therefore, a snack around 4-5pm will help, or else it can lead to overeating during the next meal.”

“Another factor to consider is if you are exercising and at what time of the day. If a woman is exercising shortly before eating a main meal, a snack is not often needed. However, it is more than 2-3 hours until your next meal, following up an exercise session with a small protein and fibre-based snack can help support recovery and energy levels,” Patel adds.

“It is also important to think about why you are snacking. If you are snacking due to boredom, habit or comfort, the snack may not be needed by the body. Therefore, it would be best to work on reducing the urge to snack, if you are not physically hungry. Otherwise, it can become an easy routine to get in to,” Patel says.

In addition to the expert advice, we have compiled a list of options ranging from sweet to savoury, as well as vegan snacks plus high-protein choices, along with healthy homemade low-calorie snacks. We have also included options from leading UK supermarkets such as Aldi and Tesco to make your next grocery run a bit more healthy.

Healthy low calorie snacks

Popcorn (89 calories)

Homemade popcorn can make a really healthy and tasty snack option. Just pop 20g of corn into a pan with a teaspoon of oil. Once popped, sprinkle over some chilli powder or paprika for a hit of flavour.

Blueberries (90 calories)

Not only are blueberries delicious, they're also considered a superfood and are great for your skin, and 190g of blueberries contain high levels of antioxidants.

An apple with nut butter (96 calories)

Slice up an apple into segments and serve with a tablespoon of your favourite nut butter (we like peanut or almond butter).

Roasted chickpeas (82 calories)

For a crunchy, savoury snack, combine 50g of chickpeas with a teaspoon of olive oil, fresh or dried herbs such as paprika or cumin and pop in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Vegetable sticks and dip (75 calories)

Cut up some carrots and cucumber into sticks and pop two tablespoons of your favourite hummus in a pot for a delicious snack, full of fibre and protein.

Pistachios (80 calories)

20 pistachios are rich in good fats, protein, fibre and minerals, and half your snack time will be taken up by removing them from their fiddly shells! Did you know these also count towards your 30 plants a week too?

Boiled egg (78 calories)

Providing vitamins A, B2 , B6, B12, D, E and K, and copper, iron, selenium and zinc, a simple boiled egg is a low-calorie protein-filled snack.

Low-fat Greek yoghurt (71 calories)

Take one of the large pots of creamy low-fat Greek yoghurt and serve 1/5th of the pot as a snack. Not only will this provide a good dose of protein, but you'll also be promoting the growth of good bacteria in your gut. It's also a delicious addition to a bowl of fresh fruit and goes beautifully with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Frozen grapes (107 calories)

A great one for summer, popping grapes in the freezer in a sealed sandwich bag will make for a refreshing sweet treat.

Pumpkin seeds (56 calories)

Seeds are great to snack on and one tablespoon is packed full of nutrients including fibre, protein, iron and magnesium.

Banana (90 calories)

Packed full of fibre, helping you stay fuller for longer, a small banana is not only less than 100 calories, but they’re an ideal low calorie snack as they release energy slowly. They’re also great for adding on top of your favourite cereal, yoghurt, or why not try drizzling over some dark chocolate, for a low calorie sweet treat.

Low-calorie snacks to buy

If you're short of time, it's sometimes easier to have a stock of pre-prepared low calorie snacks to grab if you're on the go. We've rounded up some of our favourite healthy snacks from the UK's leading supermarkets to satisfy your cravings.

If you love a packet of crisps, Popchips are a brilliant, healthy alternative. They come in four different flavours: sea salt, sour cream and onion, barbecue and salt and vinegar.

Finding low-calorie chocolate is hard, but if it's your weakness, these bars should hit the spot, and with only 68 calories per bar, they're ideal for a mid-morning snack when you're craving something sweet.

Sprinkled with sea salt, each bag of this popcorn contains just 42 calories, making it the perfect afternoon snack.

With peach, apricot and mango and passion fruit flavours, these fruity yoghurt pots are just 98 calories per pot and they're made with real fruit pieces.

Another alternative to crisps, these lentil curls are just 91 calories per bag, and with 6 bags in a pack, they're great value too.

A tasty sweet treat for just 83 calories? Yes please! These salted caramel squares are a great alternative to the biscuit you have with your daily cuppa!

Meet the expert:

Karine Patel BSc, MSc is a registered dietician and nutritionist at Dietician Fit & Co. As a member of the British Dietetic Association (BDA), she is an expert in working with diets, healthy eating, healthy weight loss and nutrition.

Lorna White is a Senior Digital Writer at Yours.co.uk and MotherandBaby.com. She was previously a writer at Yours Magazine writing features and news stories before joining the digital team. Lorna loves the great British countryside and likes to spend her spare time out and about in her home of Nottinghamshire walking her dog, Pippin.