snacks under 50 calories!

ShmareParks
ShmareParks Posts: 88 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I OFTEN get to the end of my calorie limit and am still starving. So I've slowly been remedying this by changing the way I eat. When I know I'm going to run out of calories by noon if I have cream and sugar in my coffee and a high-fat breakfast, I start choosing lower and lower calorie options. And yes, I know I can also exercise more to "win" more calories in my day.

But for those night-times, kicking back with a movie, and only 100 calories left in the budget ... what are some things I can eat that aren't expensive in terms of calories?

Tonight, I discovered raw mushrooms dipped in soy sauce (About 20 calories' worth filled me up!)
Last night, I ate raw spinach with paprika (lots of bulk for your buck, there).
Sometimes I drink instant chicory drinks, black, which are only about 10 or 20 cals.
And of course there's always diet pop or herbal tea.

Is there anyone else out there who has discovered filling, under-50-calorie nibbles?
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Replies

  • james3302
    james3302 Posts: 119
    what are you eating to run out of calories so fast? How many calories are you allowed a day? I eat

    Breakfast
    3 eggs and 2 slice turkey bacon
    or
    1 scoop protein powder and 1 cup milk

    M2
    4 oz chicken
    3/4 cup brown rice
    1/4 bag birds eye broccoli

    M3 lunch(after work for me)
    2 scoops protein powder 1/2 cup oatmeal with water

    M4
    4 oz chicken
    3/4 cup brown rice or pasta with sauce
    1/4 bag birds eye broccoli

    M5 Dinner
    6" Turkey Sub on wheat from Subway
    Sun Chips

    M6
    Jelly beans


    All of that is a little over 2000 calories.
  • lovinglifemore
    lovinglifemore Posts: 49 Member
    hmmm...thats tough but I would say 2 wedges of laughing cow lite cheese. or a light (cheese headz) string cheese.
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    7 almonds are 49 calories

    2 Rye Cruskits are 39 calories - you could have them with 11 calories worth of light cream cheese or slices of tomato

    A smalll serving of Greek Yoghurt (a couple tablespoons)
  • gwicks54
    gwicks54 Posts: 201 Member
    I have two favorites, one is the twenty five calorie Swiss Miss hot chocalate. I add a tablespoon of evaporated milk and a tablespoon of whipped topping. The other is 1/2 carton of Dannon vanilla yogurt for diabetics, with a serving of sugar free strawberry jello, a couple of fresh strawberries sliced and a tablespoon of whipped topping. Both of these are around fifty calories & feel so decandent!
  • ShmareParks
    ShmareParks Posts: 88 Member
    what are you eating to run out of calories so fast? How many calories are you allowed a day?

    Well, I'm allowed 1200 calories, and I don't work out very intensely to win back that many calories (I just walk), so ... if I drink a lot of large coffees with cream and sugar, that adds up FAST. I've been drinking more black coffee and green tea instead, which is working way better.
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    Oh and if, and only IF, you can resist from indulging in more.. a tbsp peanut butter can be quite statisfying - I do this often!
  • nikkohli
    nikkohli Posts: 311 Member
    Salsa with veggies?
  • AmandaDawnRN
    AmandaDawnRN Posts: 29 Member
    I too am on the 1200 calories limit as I have very little to lose. High calorie drinks can burn up those cal quick. I am an evening sweet and salty snacker with usualy few calories to spare. Here are a few of my go tos:

    40 cal- sugar free fudge pops (Publix brand)
    55 cal- 1/2 serving (about 13 chips) Special K Craker Chips
    60 cal- Jello Temptations
    70 cal 1 TBS of dark chocolate baking morsels
  • DonnaBee2013
    DonnaBee2013 Posts: 19
    Well, I'm allowed 1200 calories, and I don't work out very intensely to win back that many calories (I just walk), so ... if I drink a lot of large coffees with cream and sugar, that adds up FAST. I've been drinking more black coffee and green tea instead, which is working way better.

    I'm on a 1200 calorie plan too, and I find myself with lots of calories left at night. I'm a huge coffee drinker, so I switched to splenda. I know it's crap...and it makes my precious coffee taste like crap, but if I wanted my coffee all day and still wanted to eat, I had to make some sacrifices. I also switched to light cream (5%). I drink green tea at night, so I'm still having my warm beverage. The Tetley Green Tea "Glow" is really good . I pretty much use egg whites instead of whole eggs, although I do enjoy a whole hard boiled or poached egg now and then.

    Just a couple of adjustments like that can make a huge difference in your calories. I do feel your pain on the coffee issue though, I'm a total coffee junkie.

    I also don't work out at all....and I've lost 14 lbs in the last 5 weeks. So far these little adjustments seem to be working for me...I just hope it continues! :)
  • honeyandmilk
    honeyandmilk Posts: 160 Member
    Those honestly sound like the saddest, grossest snacks.

    Vegetables (carrots, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, etc) with 1 T hummus
    1 T chocolate chips
    1 cup strawberries
    Bowl of mixed berries (1/4-1/3 cup each)
    A peach, plum, apricot or clementine
    Half a grapefruit broiled with brown sugar
    1/2 cup grapes
    1/3-1/2 cup edamame (unshelled)
    Celery with 1/2 TBSP of peanut butter
    2-3 egg whites
    1.5 oz tuna fish
    1-2 cups of airpopped popcorn

    There are so many tastier things you can eat than raw mushrooms in soy sauce. Just thinking about that makes me sad.
  • dloyst20
    dloyst20 Posts: 98
    I keep cut up veggies in my fridge for a quick munchie grab if i need something crunchy...instead of grabbing that bag of chips.....theres always jello cups with reduced sugar...I forget the brand, but take a look, they are only 5 calories a cup, not much in them as far as health benefits go, but they are low cal, low sugar and fixes that sweet tooth.
    Plain popcorn- no butter no salt.. is good, I sometimes dip mine in vinegar (balsalmic or plain, ur choice) or worchestershire sauce....
    or vegetable soup..homemade, low sodium is sometimes just enough to make you feel full...
  • whitelaurel
    whitelaurel Posts: 162 Member
    Oh my word -- cream and sugar in coffee?! I understand this is the traditional way of taking coffee, but I don't know how you do it! And DonnaBee -- Splenda is even worse, I agree!! :)

    I couldn't survive without coffee, but I find adding a teaspoon or two of liquid creamer in a 20oz. coffee adds a LOT of flavor for ~15kcals (and that's the full fat creamers!!) I know that creamer is very impure and god knows what they make it with so it keeps so long, but it is SO much better than Splenda in coffee. :) Also, have you tried flavored coffee? I mean, buying hazelnut or french vanilla, raspberry, chocolate--flavored coffee, and just drinking it black? THAT'S how I prefer it. :D

    As for low-cal snacks, you can eat a couple handfuls of carrots for 50 calories, or a small apple--actually, a lot of vegetables are low cal, and the best part is, they a) reinforce your healthy mentality so you might not FEEL like going for a chocolate bar afterwards, and b) you know that you're really hungry if you'll eat some veggies. :D I mean, I'm a veggies lover, but I have this habit of being like "I want pizza, toast, chocolate, etc. etc. etc." and I think, "... If you walk into that kitchen, it's going to be for a vegetable." And my "hunger" just disintegrates. ;)

    But yeah, fruits and vegetables and black coffee is where it's at, for the absolute minimum calorie hit! :)
  • becjorgy
    becjorgy Posts: 2
    My favourite 'night time' snack to satisfy my sweet tooth is 2 x sun rice caramel rice cakes with a banana chopped up on them and a drizzle of maple syrup. This is around 135cals, so you could halve the portion for around 65 cals or so.
  • michael200042
    michael200042 Posts: 21
    Spinach and celery are great options, along with collard greens or basically any type of plain, undressed salad. You could eat a whole stock and not even hit 100 calories! LOL They are actually 'negative calorie foods' in that your body uses more energy to digest them than they provide nutritionally. Spinach and celery are mainly filled with vitamins, so you get the sensation of eating something without the consequences of calories.

    Additionally, you could try pairing these low calorie snacks with a weight loss method that is popular for men in the bodybuilding community. It's called intermittent fasting. You essentially eat all your food in a small 4-hour window like from 2pm to 6pm, for example. You can make the window larger, but shouldn't be longer than 8 hours max. Look it up if you want to learn more. I like it and it works for me when I'm cutting extra weight. I basically stay hungry all morning and afternoon and then devour all my calories at once and that keeps me satisfied enough until bed time!
  • Voxen
    Voxen Posts: 33
    sugar free jello, fer shurz ;-)
  • Sboobs96
    Sboobs96 Posts: 10
    Popcorn is my all time low-calorie snack! I oil pop mine and do not put any salt or butter on it and I still love it!
  • Mock_Turtle
    Mock_Turtle Posts: 354 Member
    you could probably plow though a pound of celery and be around 50 cals

    or a half pound of strawberries
  • Sboobs96
    Sboobs96 Posts: 10
    Hmm...I thought it was unhealthy to skip meals...?
    Spinach and celery are great options, along with collard greens or basically any type of plain, undressed salad. You could eat a whole stock and not even hit 100 calories! LOL They are actually 'negative calorie foods' in that your body uses more energy to digest them than they provide nutritionally. Spinach and celery are mainly filled with vitamins, so you get the sensation of eating something without the consequences of calories.

    Additionally, you could try pairing these low calorie snacks with a weight loss method that is popular for men in the bodybuilding community. It's called intermittent fasting. You essentially eat all your food in a small 4-hour window like from 2pm to 6pm, for example. You can make the window larger, but shouldn't be longer than 8 hours max. Look it up if you want to learn more. I like it and it works for me when I'm cutting extra weight. I basically stay hungry all morning and afternoon and then devour all my calories at once and that keeps me satisfied enough until bed time!
  • honeyandmilk
    honeyandmilk Posts: 160 Member
    Spinach and celery are great options, along with collard greens or basically any type of plain, undressed salad. You could eat a whole stock and not even hit 100 calories! LOL They are actually 'negative calorie foods' in that your body uses more energy to digest them than they provide nutritionally. Spinach and celery are mainly filled with vitamins, so you get the sensation of eating something without the consequences of calories.

    Additionally, you could try pairing these low calorie snacks with a weight loss method that is popular for men in the bodybuilding community. It's called intermittent fasting. You essentially eat all your food in a small 4-hour window like from 2pm to 6pm, for example. You can make the window larger, but shouldn't be longer than 8 hours max. Look it up if you want to learn more. I like it and it works for me when I'm cutting extra weight. I basically stay hungry all morning and afternoon and then devour all my calories at once and that keeps me satisfied enough until bed time!

    Negative calorie foods don't exist; it's a myth. Also, you need some fat to properly absorb nutrients in vegetables/salad, so noshing on raw greens isn't the best option. That's partially why salad dressing exists.
  • michael200042
    michael200042 Posts: 21
    Look at my pictures, does my physiqueI look unhealthy? LOL! Seriously though, it's not dangerous to skip meals, so long as your total calorie intake remains the same. Right now I am on ~3600 calories per day. I wake up at 8am and go to bed at midnight. That means I have 16 hours to eat. Whether I constantly eat 3600/16= 225 calories every single hour of the day or eat one big 3600-calorie meal will not affect my weight gain!
  • DonnaBee2013
    DonnaBee2013 Posts: 19
    Oh my word -- cream and sugar in coffee?! I understand this is the traditional way of taking coffee, but I don't know how you do it! And DonnaBee -- Splenda is even worse, I agree!! :)

    I couldn't survive without coffee, but I find adding a teaspoon or two of liquid creamer in a 20oz. coffee adds a LOT of flavor for ~15kcals (and that's the full fat creamers!!) I know that creamer is very impure and god knows what they make it with so it keeps so long, but it is SO much better than Splenda in coffee. :) Also, have you tried flavored coffee? I mean, buying hazelnut or french vanilla, raspberry, chocolate--flavored coffee, and just drinking it black? THAT'S how I prefer it. :D

    As for low-cal snacks, you can eat a couple handfuls of carrots for 50 calories, or a small apple--actually, a lot of vegetables are low cal, and the best part is, they a) reinforce your healthy mentality so you might not FEEL like going for a chocolate bar afterwards, and b) you know that you're really hungry if you'll eat some veggies. :D I mean, I'm a veggies lover, but I have this habit of being like "I want pizza, toast, chocolate, etc. etc. etc." and I think, "... If you walk into that kitchen, it's going to be for a vegetable." And my "hunger" just disintegrates. ;)

    But yeah, fruits and vegetables and black coffee is where it's at, for the absolute minimum calorie hit! :)


    I didn't say Splenda was worse than sugar. I said it was crap. lol

    I need to watch my sugar intake (doctor's orders), so in my case sugar is MUCH worse in my coffee right now than Splenda.

    Once I hit my goal, I will probably kick the Splenda to the curb and maybe try sweetening with honey or something more natural than white sugar, but for now it does the job I need it to. As for flavoured coffees, you would love it here! I have a Keurig and about 40 flavours of coffees, cappucinos, hot chocolates, ciders, iced drinks, etc :)
  • musenchild
    musenchild Posts: 182 Member
    Those honestly sound like the saddest, grossest snacks.

    Vegetables (carrots, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, etc) with 1 T hummus
    1 T chocolate chips
    1 cup strawberries
    Bowl of mixed berries (1/4-1/3 cup each)
    A peach, plum, apricot or clementine
    Half a grapefruit broiled with brown sugar
    1/2 cup grapes
    1/3-1/2 cup edamame (unshelled)
    Celery with 1/2 TBSP of peanut butter
    2-3 egg whites
    1.5 oz tuna fish
    1-2 cups of airpopped popcorn

    There are so many tastier things you can eat than raw mushrooms in soy sauce. Just thinking about that makes me sad.

    All of this.

    If you enjoyed the raw spinach, you might enjoy raw kale. Buy it already cleaned and chopped at Trader Joe's; it is crunchier than spinach (more like chips!) but also has a stronger flavor. Try it.

    Baked tofu
    Warm almond milk with a 1tsp sugar or maple syrup
    herbal tea (if you just want something to do with your hands/mouth)
    Cucumbers
    Pickles (if you're not worried about sodium)
  • honeyandmilk
    honeyandmilk Posts: 160 Member
    Look at my pictures, does my physiqueI look unhealthy? LOL! Seriously though, it's not dangerous to skip meals, so long as your total calorie intake remains the same. Right now I am on ~3600 calories per day. I wake up at 8am and go to bed at midnight. That means I have 16 hours to eat. Whether I constantly eat 3600/16= 225 calories every single hour of the day or eat one big 3600-calorie meal will not affect my weight gain!

    Well, to be fair, you're (presumably) at your goal weight and are in shape. Many people on this site are overweight, overcoming binge eating or just aren't at their goal, so skipping meals or fasting may not be the best option. I'm an advocate of 5 smaller meals spaced 3-5 hours apart, which is what helped me lose all of my weight. If I fasted most of the day I probably would have ended up binging.
  • DonnaBee2013
    DonnaBee2013 Posts: 19
    Look at my pictures, does my physiqueI look unhealthy? LOL! Seriously though, it's not dangerous to skip meals, so long as your total calorie intake remains the same. Right now I am on ~3600 calories per day. I wake up at 8am and go to bed at midnight. That means I have 16 hours to eat. Whether I constantly eat 3600/16= 225 calories every single hour of the day or eat one big 3600-calorie meal will not affect my weight gain!


    If I did that, the sugar/insulin spikes would probably kill me. Although this may work great for you, it's not great advice for everyone. Some of us are out of shape old farts trying to get healthy, before our crappy eating habits kill us LOL
  • michael200042
    michael200042 Posts: 21
    Negative calorie foods don't exist; it's a myth. Also, you need some fat to properly absorb nutrients in vegetables/salad, so noshing on raw greens isn't the best option. That's partially why salad dressing exists.

    Okay, their effect on your diet is negligible. Their caloric content is so low that you likely burn them off just by placing them in your mouth and chewing them. If you want to be perfectly and scientifically precise, then the only negative calorie substance you can consume is water. No need to split hairs.

    You're right - dietary fat is necessary for nutrient absorption, the same way carbohydrates are necessary for protein absorption. However, it (fat) is not necessary in each meal for that. I think it's safe to assume OP has succifient fat in their diet.
  • mommyjos
    mommyjos Posts: 98 Member
    bumping for later
  • ShmareParks
    ShmareParks Posts: 88 Member
    WOW! So many responses, and so fast! Thanks to each and every one of you. Some great feedback here. The post on "negative-calorie foods" inspired me to do some Googling and I found this list. Of course, they're not technically zero-calorie, but they're going on my go-to snack list for sure! I've never started a thread before, and I'm amazed at how helpful everyone is! Thanks so much!

    cucumbers
    citrus fruit
    celery
    apples
    kelp
    asparagus
    apricots
    watermelon
    tomatoes
    broccoli
    cauliflower
    strawberries
    leafy greens
    red chili peppers
    mushrooms
    red bell pepper
    all squashes
    turnip
    air-popped popcorn
    green tea
    herbal tea
    black coffee
  • Chriztii
    Chriztii Posts: 94
    Air popped corn, sprayed with vinegar! Sooo good and perfect for the movie time :)
  • whenthepawn
    whenthepawn Posts: 22
    ohh this is a good thread I'm usually looking for something to snack on of an evening but not many calories left. Love the idea of rice cakes and vinegar :-)
  • rachelabdy
    rachelabdy Posts: 52 Member
    I like various sugary cereals, measure out a portion to match the cals and eat them dry :)

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