Hi could you give any guidance on low fat snacks. I love grazing but do not have a large budget. I actually want to lose weight.

A question that I often am asked is for some low-calorie Vegan snack ideas. While it may be easier to cut back on calories as a vegan, we are still guided by this basic formula - gaining or losing weight is eating above or below your daily maintenance caloric intake - the amount of calories you need per day to maintain your current weight.

Losing Weight

1 Pound = Around 3500 Calories. This means that to lose 1 pound a week, you would need to eat 500 calories less than your maintenance calories. This works as a general rule, but as always there is more to it - A Calorie is not just a calorie.

Here are some snacks that I enjoy that help with my cravings:

1/4 cup hummus + 1/2 of a Pita bread pocket = ~150 calories

14 Baby Carrots = ~35 calories

Celery + 3/4 oz of peanut butter = ~130 calories

Silk Soy yogurt = ~ 150 calories

1 Cup Soup = ~125 calories

6 Dried Apple Rings = ~100 Calories

3 Cups Air-popped Pop Corn = ~ 93 calories

2 Cups Concord Grapes = ~120 calories

2 Cups Strawberries = ~100 calories

2 Cups Diced Watermelon = ~100 calories

3 Plums = ~100 calories

3 Peaches = ~100 calories

1 Vegan Boca Burger = ~70 calories

1 Tofutti Cutie = 130 calories

6 teaspoons brown sugar + 1 Apple cored, baked = ~140 calories

Other Low Calorie Options

Look at the calories in different vegetables that you really enjoy (Like a Red Bell Pepper ~ 30 calories) and look for something healthy that you could pair it with for extra flavor like hummus or a low calorie dip.

Accidentally Low-Calorie Vegan

You may also want to check out the 100-calories snack packs. Many of them are Accidentally Vegan, just be sure to read the labels.

Stopping the Cravings

The problem with any snacks around 100 calories is that they won't leave you satisfied for long. Some of the tricks that I'd suggest are eating snacks that contain protein or by drinking a full glass of unsweetened tea or water 5-10 minutes before eating any of these snacks. These will both help to not leave your stomach feeling empty after eating the snack and will make it much less likely that you'll go back for more.

What Are Your Favorite Low Calories Vegan Snacks?

Did I miss your favorite snack? Share your snack ideas in the comments below.