13 Healthy Snacking Strategies

To Maintain Your Weight

Budget your snacks. To figure out how many calories you can "spend" on between-meal bites, multiply your weight by 14 (if you work out several times a week). Then subtract the number of calories consumed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner; what's left is your snack allowance for the day. Another option is to follow the 100-calorie-per-hour rule, says Sass. "In other words, a 400-calorie lunch should last you four hours." If you ate that lunch at noon, you'll be ready to nosh again at four. If dinner is scheduled for six, try not to exceed 200 calories for that snack.

Practice portion control. Even foods considered "healthy" can cause you to gain weight. Read the labels to compare prepackaged snacks (one muffin may have 170 calories, another 400). Pick up single-serving packs -- or buy in bulk and portion snacks out yourself (measure or weigh for the most accurate calorie count).

Fill up on fiber. Increasing fiber intake seems to be a largely untapped tactic for appetite and weight control. Most Americans consume 15 grams a day (the daily recommendation is at least 25). Boost your fiber intake by eating apples, raw veggies, popcorn, nuts, and dry whole-grain cereals. (We like Puffins by Barbara's Bakery, which contains six grams per three-quarter-cup serving, and Kashi Good Friends, with eight grams per three-quarters of a cup.)