Almonds

Dump the bag of sweets, and replace with a bag of almonds.  The fat that they contain in monounsaturated (like in olive oil) isn’t bad fat – in fact, the consumption of nuts has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease!  At just over 200 calories, each ¼ cup contains nearly half of your daily dose of vitamin E.  Pumpkin seeds are also great for this. 

Berries / Grapes

When studying my Naturopathy degree, I remember my lecturer saying purple food is good food, because it’s high in antioxidants.  It does indeed seem to be true, but it’s also a great excuse to nibble on blackberries.  If you’re giving up smoking, something small like this (or indeed seeds and nuts) is a good way to keep your fingers occupied.  Your lungs will thank you…

Rice cakes & cottage cheese

One of my favourite morning snacks.  The rice cakes (or vita weats) will see you through till lunchtime, and the cottage cheese makes it seem somewhat more than cardboard.  If you’re getting bored, add some sliced tomato or  chopped pineapple!  One serving works out at just 180 calories.

A hard-boiled egg with a dash of spice

One boiled egg contains around only 70 calories, and five or six grams of protein. If you don’t have time to pre-boil one in the morning before you leave for work, you can easily buy one from a sandwich shop. I like to sprinkle mine with a little za’atar, a middle-eastern spice that’s available to buy from gourmet food shops, or online.