For some individuals, snacktime is the most important time of day. When you’re trying to lose weight, however, that way of thinking can make your days and nights somewhat challenging. Since cutting snacks out completely is not an option for some dieters, it’s important to have appropriate snacks available in your fridge and pantry. The good news here? We’ve got your sweet and savory cravings covered with the best snack combinations for faster weight loss.
To help compile our list of healthy goodness, Eat This, Not That! reached out to the experts. Before you dig into the list, Laura Burak MS, RD, the founder of GetNaked® Nutrition and author of Slim Down with Smoothies, offers a strong piece of advice. “An ideal nutritious snack has a few important components,” she tells us. “The snack should include the power combo of protein, fiber, and fat to keep your blood sugar stable, quench hunger and cravings, keep you satisfied until your next meal, and be delicious, of course.”
Continue reading to learn more about the 11 best snack combinations for faster weight loss. And when you’re finished, check out The #1 Best Breakfast Food To Buy at Costco for Weight Loss.
A Fresh Pear With Pumpkin Seeds
Stock up on some fresh pears and pumpkin seeds during your grocery store run. This is one of Burak’s favorite choices, as it checks all the boxes of a “super snack.”
“Fresh fruit and seeds are one of the easiest portable foods to enjoy anytime,” Burak says. “This sweet, savory, and crunchy snack provides a satisfying taste and texture, and the fiber, fat, and protein combo is key for keeping you satisfied which will prevent overeating and aid in weight loss. Pears are especially high in fiber clocking in around 6 grams per fruit so they keep you full and are great for your GI health.”
Seedy Crackers With Mashed Avocado and Smoked Salmon
Top off seedy crackers with smoked salmon and mashed avocado for a salty, crunchy treat. “[This snack] combines fiber and fat from the crackers and avocado and protein from the salmon to help satiate your hunger and steer you away from mindless eating,” Burak tells us.
Hard-Boiled Eggs With Crackers and Avocado
You can’t go wrong with good old-fashioned hard-boiled eggs. Burak recommends combining them with crackers and avocado for a scrumptious weight-loss-friendly bite. This snack combo is chock-full of fiber and protein, which will leave you feeling satisfied.
“If I had to pick one snack that tops them all for keeping your blood sugar stable and aiding in weight loss, eggs would be the winner,” she says. “Not only are eggs so versatile and economical, [but] there is an abundance of research on their satiating effect aka how long they keep you full which can help keep your portions of food in check later. Boil a bunch per week, and keep them in the fridge for an easy grab-and-go snack.”
PB and J
What’s better than a classic PB and J—with a healthy twist? Burak recommends opting for natural peanut butter, high-fiber whole-grain bread, and jam.
“[This] sweet and satisfying snack idea includes fiber from the bread and protein and fat from the peanut butter,” explains Burak. “For even more nutrition and fiber, add some chia seeds to the sandwich and you won’t even know they’re hiding in there!”
A Frozen Banana With Peanut Butter
Decadent and healthy? We’ll take it. “Bananas are a source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber is particularly important for weight loss, as it helps you stay full and contributes little in the way of calories to the diet. Peanut butter is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fat, protein, and fiber,” says Jinan Banna, PhD, RD, a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition. “The fat in peanut butter is [also] health-promoting when it comes to the heart.”
To make this snack, Banna likes to cut up a banana, freeze it, and then spread some peanut butter on it and eat it.
Whole-Grain Crackers and Cheese
“Whole grains contain fiber, which is important for weight loss, given that it helps you to feel full and contributes little in the way of calories to the diet,” says Banna. “Cheese contains fat and protein, both of which also help you to stay full and avoid overeating.”
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Banna suggests keeping one serving to about five crackers and one ounce of cheese. However, she says it’s totally okay to consume more or less depending on your personal needs and how hungry you are.
An Apple With Pistachios
“If you really want to supercharge your fat loss, you want a snack that not only satisfies your sweet and crunchy snack-time cravings without providing too many calories, but that also helps to prevent overeating at your next meal,” say The Nutrition Twins®, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT, who sit on our Medical Expert Board. That’s where an apple with pistachios comes into play.
“The sweet and crunchy apple packs a double weight-loss punch because it’s low in calories to keep you lean and high in water and fiber to keep you full. Plus, apple polyphenols have been shown to assist the body in shedding fat, even altering gene expression and fat pathways to favor weight loss,” the Nutrition Twins add. “Crunchy pistachios extend the staying power and energy boost of the faster-digested carbohydrate (the apple), prolonging satisfaction since pistachios provide a winning combination of plant protein and fiber, as well as unsaturated fat, for a trio of nutrients that may help to keep you fuller longer.”
Shoot for about 30 pistachios.
Toast With Almond Butter and Mashed Raspberries
This idea to serve a piece of toast with almond butter and Greek yogurt blend, topped with mashed raspberries comes from Kylie Ivanir, MS, RD, a registered dietitian who runs her own private practice called Within Nutrition.
“Mix one tablespoon of almond butter and one tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt together for a creamy spread that’s rich in protein and probiotics,” she says. “Then mash two tablespoons of raspberries with a fork, to get a naturally sugar-free jam, and add them on top to get your dose of fiber.”
Yogurt and Berry Parfait
If you can put yogurts and berries in a bowl, you can make this snack. (And if you want to get fancy, put alternating layers of yogurt and berries in glassware and sprinkle some cinnamon on top with a few sprigs of fresh mint.)
“The secret to this weight loss snack is Greek yogurt, which is rich in protein. Protein is one key for weight loss because increasing the percentage of protein in your diet can curb appetite and increase satiety throughout the day, helping to prevent overeating and making losing weight easier,” The Nutrition Twins tell us. “Greek yogurt is also a good source of probiotics, the good-for-your-gut bacteria that research suggests can help with weight loss by positively impacting the hormones that help to regulate appetite, fat storage, and fat burning.”
Maximize the fat-melting potential of Greek yogurt by incorporating fresh berries such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries. “Berries are naturally low in sugar and calories, yet they’re sweet enough to help curb a sweet tooth craving,” The Nutrition Twins point out. “Berries are rich in fiber to promote satiety.”
Aim for about ¾-cup of plain unsweetened Greek yogurt and ¾-cup of berries.
Pomegranate Arils and Sunflower Seeds
When hunger strikes, try this nutrient-dense pairing recommended by Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, an inclusive plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Master the Media. Consider enjoying a 1/2-cup of pomegranate arils with a 1/4-cup of sunflower seeds.
“[Pomegranate arils are] a good source of fiber,” says Gorin. “And research in The Journal of Nutrition found that intake of dietary fiber helps promote weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity who are eating a calorie-restricted diet. I like to pair the arils with a quarter cup of sunflower seeds, which offer additional fiber as well as protein and healthy fats.”
Dark Chocolate and Raspberries
Love dark chocolate? Here’s your excuse to eat more of it.
“One of my favorite snacks to recommend is chocolate. Yes, I’m telling you that you can eat chocolate and still lose weight,” says Gorin. “Also, dark chocolate boasts monounsaturated fats, which can help keep you fuller for longer—meaning you may be less likely to eat additional snacks later in the day. I like to recommend pairing a third of [a dark chocolate bar] with a cup of raspberries, which boast satiating fiber.”
A version of this story was originally published in January 2022. It has been updated to include new information.
