"People do well with their meals, but then you see an explosion of calories with the snacks," says Mary McCormack, a Fort Myers registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator. "Especially at the end of the day when you say, ‘I’m so wiped out,’ and you go for the cheese or the chips. That’s stressful eating. You’re using food as a mood regulator."

Think of your snacks as a way to control your hunger until your next meal. Being prepared is key. Having fruit or vegetables already cleaned and chopped in the refrigerator will save time and aggravation, especially when you need a quick fix. A good rule of thumb, McCormack says, is to limit your snacks to 100 calories, so pay attention to portion size. And if you’re trying to stay within a certain number of calories per day, be sure you calculate them in with your meals.

Here, we’ve come up with 24 snack ideas that fall around the 100-calorie mark and offer alternatives to those naughty nibbles you love but know you should stay away from

Sweet & Satisfying
You might have to train your brain to appreciate fruit instead of a sweet snack like cookies, but you will likely feel more satiated. For 100 calories, you’ll only get to eat one little cookie, but you could have two cups of fresh strawberries, which are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. If only chocolate will do, opt for a small portion of dark chocolate, which is high in antioxidants.

Recipes

Ginger-nut Honeydew Wedges
¼ cup almonds
2 tablespoons each sugar and finely chopped candied ginger
1 honeydew melon (about 5 pounds)
Spread almonds in a pie pan; toast in a 350-degree oven until golden under skin (7-8 minutes).
Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop. In a small bowl, combine toasted almonds, sugar and ginger; mix until well blended. Cut melon into 6 equal parts. Arrange on dessert plates. Evenly sprinkle almond mixture over melon wedges. Makes 6 servings. (from Sunset Light Cuisine)

Lemony Fruit Dip
¼ cup sugar, divided
1 large egg
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, egg and lemon juice in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, water and cornstarch in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly pour beaten egg mixture into water mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. Fold in whipped topping. Serve with chunked fruit. Yields 14 servings (serving size: about 2 tablespoons). (from www.myrecipes.com)

Quick Snacks
Sliced banana with ⅓ cup Cool Whip Free drizzled with sugar-free chocolate syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon.
Individual unsweetened applesauce with a few dry-roasted walnuts and dried cranberries
Fruit skewered on a stick with a little melted dark chocolate for dipping
Blend ¼ cup part-skim ricotta with a few fresh or frozen strawberries and a Splenda packet; spread over a handful of ginger snaps

Salty & Crunchy
If you love potato chips, how’s this for a deterrent: If you buy a multi-serving bag of chips at the grocery store, you may notice from the label that a serving is only 160 calories. The problem is, if the entire bag has 20 servings, that’s a total of 3,200 calories. A pound of fat is 3,500 calories. So how long does it take you finish off the entire bag? A week? Well, you’ve just gained almost a pound that week—just from your chips. Here are some better alternatives that get McCormack’s seal of approval.

Recipes
Parmesan Pita Crisps
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1, 4-inch whole-wheat pita
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over pita. Dust with oregano and broil until the cheese browns. Cut into quarters.

Spiced Chickpea Snack
4 ounces rinsed, well-drained, canned chickpeas
¼ teaspoon each garlic powder, ground cumin and curry powder
⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels; set aside. In small mixing bowl, combine garlic powder, cumin, curry powder, salt and pepper; add chickpeas and turn to thoroughly coat with seasoning. Spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and arrange chick-peas on sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until dry. Store in airtight container until ready to serve. Makes 2 servings. (from Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes)

Quick Snacks
Two Laughing Cow light cheese wedges and six Kashi crackers
Small can of low-sodium V-8 and a cheese stick
Edamame (½ cup) steamed and sprinkled with a little bit of salt
Hummus (¼ cup) and a few Wheat Thins or fresh veggies

Creamy and Cool
This is the danger zone for a lot of people, but McCormack says opting for low-fat dairy products will not only satisfy this need, but will also do your bones and bowels some good. Be careful with smoothies, though; some of them can carry as many as 500 calories.

Recipes
Minty Lemon-Lime Freeze
1 banana
6 mint leaves
½ cup orange juice
Grated zest of 1 lime
½ cup ice cubes
Puree the banana in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until slushy. Serve immediately. Serves two. (from Tropical Settings, A Collection of Recipes from the Junior League of Fort Myers)

Raspberry Frozen Yogurt
2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup sugar
1,10-ounce package frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir until sugar dissolves. Place thawed raspberries in a blender; process until smooth. Strain puree through a fine sieve over a bowl. Discard seeds. Add puree to yogurt mixture.
Pour raspberry mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.
Yields 8 servings (serving size: ½ cup). (from www.myrecipes.com)

Quick Snacks
Low-fat yogurt
Jell-O pudding cup and ⅓ cup Cool Whip Free mixed
Strawberries with ½ cup yogurt and a few sliced almonds
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese topped with ½ cup sliced fresh peaches

Protein/Carbohydrate Combos
Whenever possible, the best nutritional punch comes from snacks that combine protein and carbohydrates. You’ll feel full for a longer period of time, McCormack says, because the protein slows down the digestion of the carbs. Milk on its own is a great protein-carb combo, she says. Here are some other high-quality ideas.

Recipes
Creamy herbed tofu dip and vegetables
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, patted dry
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh dill, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Fresh vegetables
Combine tofu, basil, dill, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with celery or other fresh vegetables. (from Cocktail Food Deck)

Turkey, Cheese & Apple
⅛ cup (¾ ounce) cubed part-skim Swiss cheese
⅛ cup (½ ounce) cubed turkey breast
½ apple, cubed
Combine cheese, turkey and apple. Makes 1 serving. (from Eating Well)
Quick Snacks:
Thinly sliced smoked salmon on six crackers
Chicken salad (¼ cup) made with low-fat mayonnaise, served on a half of a whole-wheat pita
½ cup skim milk and 1 cup raspberries
ounce serving of sliced turkey on one slice whole wheat bread with mustard