Snack Smarter This New Year: 5 Healthy Low-Calorie Options
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Mins Read
A snack a day keeps a bad day away! That is true because when has snacking ever bored you? If you are working, watching a movie, bed-rotting, or going out, a perfect, healthy, low-calorie snack feels like the right amount of warmth for the New Year.
Smart snacking doesn’t have to be boring, and that’s what comes to mind when you think of healthy snacks. We get it, eating greens and fruits while watching a Hallmark movie might be sad. That is why the art of bedazzling your everyday healthy snacks is just the thing you need this New Year.
The New Year demands fun, yet also requires a commitment to staying healthy. Yes, the last might not be our favorite part, but staying healthy never left the conversation. It is about finding a snack that makes you happy while also being nutritious. Here are five scrumptious yet nutritious snacks to start the New Year right.
1. Cinnamon Spiced Popcorn
Who said popcorn can’t be healthy and fun? With a hint of perfect cinnamon spice on top, air-popped popcorn can be your next-best partner for movies. A cup of air-popped popcorn contains only 30 calories. If popcorn is made this healthy, I can see you refilling the bowl before the interval!
A bucket of popcorn can be made more nutritious with the right seasoning, and pure cinnamon is the perfect choice. Quick and easy, you start with a low-calorie option, plain, air-popped kernels. If you have a sweet tooth, a dash of powdered sugar wouldn’t hurt and would help your popcorn stick better than granulated sugar.
While cinnamon is the main character, you can always add a mix of other fun spices, like nutmeg or salt, without adding any calories. A healthy, low-calorie popcorn is an underrated treat and a solid option for snacking.
2. Cheeseboard
There is nothing more exciting than a fancy cheeseboard coupled with late-night cozy gossip sessions with friends and family. Crafting a healthy low-calorie cheeseboard is an art, one that may take a little while to master. While conventionally, cheeseboards are not always the lowest in calories, smart portion control makes them your next favourite healthy snack.
We start by choosing the right nutritional yet fun alternative to cheese: feta! Feta cheese is not only low in calories compared to many other cheeses but is also rich in proteins and nutrients like calcium and vitamin B. Since this is intended to be a cheese board, our healthy, low-calorie feta can be paired with other soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese or ricotta.
The rule is to stay true to portion and serving control. This is why, for a low-calorie meat, choosing thin-sliced turkey pepperoni can be a perfect addition to your cheeseboard. To bring some color to your board, we can add fruits and vegetables rich in fiber, such as apple slices, strawberries, baby carrots, or bell peppers.
3. Stuffed Mini Avocados
If there is one thing that remains a favourite, no matter the time of year, it’s avocados! Avocados not only add vibrant color to any meal but are also rich in nutrients and fiber. Your guide to making avocados healthy and low-calorie is to maintain the right portion control when it comes to their fillings.
One of the popular fillings for avocados is a fresh, tangy salsa. With some juicy tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, lemon juice, and light seasonings, your table treats can be made much more colorful and delicious. The blend of avocados and salsa will not only deliver the richest nutrients in one go but also deliver a punchy taste with just the right crunch.
4. Sweet Potato Chips
Celebrating the New Year isn’t complete without chips, and these light and airy, sweet, low-calorie potato chips are just the right snack. Sweet potatoes are not only rich in antioxidants and fibre but also come with the naturally sweeter side that will keep you and your stomach fuller than regular potatoes!
How we make these sweet potato chips into low-calorie snacks follows two steps. First, we make our healthy sweet potato chips by air-frying or baking, which saves us from the extra fat of deep-frying. Tossing our chips in a little spray of olive oil gives them that extra nutrition and an amazing taste, too!
Second, we check on our portion control. Seasoned with the right amount of salt and light seasonings, our low-calorie sweet potato chips become such an easy and healthy alternative. You can grab your sweet potato chips and a good Jenga game, perhaps the best combination ever.
5. Roasted Chickpeas
A little spice and a cozy cup of roasted low-calorie healthy chickpeas make the nicest snack on our list. It sounds warm, delicious, wholesome, and most importantly, it is healthy! Chickpeas are probably the best low-calorie snack because they are not only rich in protein and fiber but are also a better, crunchier alternative to packaged chips.
You can munch on the crunchy, spicy, roasted chickpeas this season, but let’s break it down for you. You can start with the nice, light olive oil spray on the chickpeas. After roasting your chickpeas, you can play around with some spices.
After tossing your roasted chickpeas with a creative blend of spices, you are good to go. Grab a bowl, put your new healthy, crunchy snack in it, and make those New Year’s resolutions a reality!
Final Thoughts
Healthy and smart snacking doesn’t have to be tough. When we think of healthy low-calorie foods, we can’t help but relate them to the most dull things to exist. But that’s not the truth! Healthy snacking can be made fun in the easiest ways possible. It is just a game of making the right choice with low-calorie alternatives and a balanced portion size.
We hope this becomes your go-to list for satisfying your craving for low-calorie snacks, helping you hit those weight goals that much faster. It’s always about making happiness, and health coexist in the best way possible!
