Although any food or beverage eaten between meals can be considered a snack, snacks that help can fill nutrient gaps are those that include nutritious foods from 1 - 2 food groups of MyPlate. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Tune in to your body’s signals. Eat enough to satisfy hunger, without tipping the energy balance toward excess calories. Here are some tips to help you keep tabs on the calories that snacks contribute to your diet.
Grains | Vegetables | Fruits | Dairy | Protein Foods |
---|---|---|---|---|
carbohydrate, some B vitamins – and fiber from whole grain foods. | beta carotene (which forms Vitamin A), vitamin C, folate and fiber. | vitamin C, beta carotene, folate and (with edible skins) fiber, too. | for protein and bone- building calcium – some choices also supply vitamin D. | for protein and iron. |
Make half your grains“whole.” | Vary your veggies. | Focus on fruits. | Opt for some nonfat or low fat choices. | Go lean for protein. |
TRY: whole grain breakfast biscuits, cereal bars, bagels, crackers, bread sticks, tortillas, graham crackers. | TRY: raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes), 100% vegetable juice. | TRY: berries, apple or pear wedges, tangerine segments, banana, dried fruit (plums, apricots, raisins), 100% fruit juice. | TRY: cheese slices, sticks or cubes; yogurt, milk, pudding made with milk, frozen yogurt. | TRY: nuts, peanut butter, hard cooked egg, cooked chicken, lean cold cuts, tuna. |
Plate up these easy-to-make Healthy Living snacks that offer good nutrition and great taste too!