Don’t make losing weight torturous for yourself. There are endless options of delicious, low calorie snacks that you can bite into and still reach your goal.

The caloric amount of a “snack” can vary from person to person depending on how their meals are planned. Individuals who eat 5-6 mini meals might consider a snack to have 2-300 calories, and a person who eats 3 main meals and two snacks throughout the day might eat snacks that are only 100 calories.

Below, I have showcased some of my favorite snacks that I like to incorporate into my summer slim down months.

Let’s start snacking!

Rice Cakes!

Whole grain rice cakes are crunchy and hearty. Depending on the brand, each rice may only have 35 calories.

My favorite way of eating this complex carb is to top it with some peanut butter and sugar free raspberry jelly.

Sugar Free Jello

When I’m craving something sweet without adding more sugar into my day, I love me some jello.

Check out this Sugar free, 10 calorie cup of jell-o! After a long day, I deserve a sweet guilt-free treat!

EDAMAME!!!

What did you say about my momma!

ha ha.. ok that was a stupid attempt of a joke… anyway, I love these Asian treasures. A handful of these soybean pods are only a 100 calories,  packed with protein and so much fun to eat. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips, sprinkle a little salt on these and munch away.

Pickles

Snooky from the Jersey Shore loves these!

Dill pickles are low in calories and contain fiber and anti-oxidants. Don’t forget, that these guys used to be cucumbers.

For a snack, I like to have a few slices of deli turkey cuts with few crisp dill pickles.

Eggs

I like to boil a few of these little guys and have 1 or two as my snack with a few slices of cucumbers or even with a toasted whole grain bread. Eggs are excellent sources of protein and studies have shown that eating two eggs for breakfast everyday can help you eat less throughout the day and lose up to  20 pounds in a year! Plus…. they’re just yummy! If you’re looking to cut more calories, you can try one egg or just egg whites. For best savings, buy a chicken (they’ll hook you up with 2-3 eggs a day).

LOW CARB PROTEIN SHAKES/ BARS

Protein shakes and bars can boost weight loss efforts, suppress your appetite and sugar cravings and help stabilize your glucose levels. When choosing a protein supplement, I like to make sure that it’s low in sugar, moderate in protein and excellent in taste!

One of my top favorite shakes is EAS AdvantEDGE “carb control” vanilla that has 17g of protein and only 2 g of Net Impact carbs. For a delicious sugar free, low carb protein bar, try Coconut Coco Cream that has 18g of Protein and 2 g of Net Impact carbs. A few bites will leave you satisfied for hours!

COOL WHIP

If a piece of fruit bores you, then get some of this sugar free Cool Whip and spunk it up!

1 tablespoon of these creamy fluff is only 10 calories! Try it with some wild berries, juicy peach chunks or even some ripe mango slices.

BEANS!

My mom makes a mean three-bean salad that’s packed with fiber, protein and anti-oxidants. I could eat this refreshing, tangy cup of bean salad everyday!

If you’re a bean lover, try a few tablespoons of hummus with your veggie cuts or a bowl of black bean soup.

Speaking of Soup…. LOW CALORIE SOUP!

This whole can is only 200 calories and full of yumminess!

Select Harvest offers so many varieties of “light” soups that incorporate lean protein, healthy veggies and whole grains.

I like to make my own homemade chicken soup, but if you’re pressed on time, this is the perfect can to pick up. The easy peel off top makes life so much easier too!

Other snack ideas are:

• sliced cucumbers
• non fat yogurt
• 1 serving of fruit
• 1 serving of plain oatmeal w/ sweetener
• Low fat string cheese
• Low fat cottage cheese
• Low calorie Pop corn
• Celery & peanut butter
• whole grain crackers

What’s your favorite snack?