Planning what you’ll snack on when between-meal hunger strikes is a smart move, according to Jennifer Anderson, registered dietitian at Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte. If eating healthier is one of your goals, it makes staying on track much easier, she said.

Anderson offered a slew of snack options to help you stock your pantry with healthy goodies.

Keep this list on hand — maybe print it out and post it in your kitchen — and you may never again find yourself in front of an open fridge wondering what to eat!

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Struggling to lose weight? Want help with healthier eating? Or maybe you need a hand with Type 2 diabetes? Novant Health doctors and other specialized clinicians are ready to help.

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Delicious, lower-calorie snacks — about 100 calories

  • Half an apple with 2 teaspoons nut butter.
  • One orange with four to six dry-roasted nuts. Try eating them mindfully — they’re surprisingly satisfying!
  • 1 cup melon and 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese.
  • 1/2 cup fresh fruit with 4 to 6 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt.
  • 1 ounce 2% cheddar cheese with half pear. Sweet and salty is always a great combo.
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 slice whole-grain bread.
    • avocado guacamole
    Avocados contain high levels of healthy fats, which can help you feel fuller between meals.
  • Half a small avocado.
  • 1/3 cup mixed raw vegetables with 1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing.
  • 1 cup original unsweetened Cheerios. Without milk — they make great finger food.
  • 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese with three whole grain crackers.
  • Three reduced-fat Triscuits with 1 1/2 teaspoons nut butter.
  • One string cheese (made with 2% milk) with two whole grain crackers.
  • Eight tortilla chips with 2 tablespoons guacamole.
  • One Lundberg Brown Rice Cake with 1 tablespoon hummus.
  • 13 cashews or almonds.
  • 2 ounces lean turkey, chicken or fish.
  • 1 1/2 cups tossed salad with tomato, cucumber and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat dressing.

Healthy, higher-calorie snacks — generally 100-300 calories

  • PB&J sandwich made with whole-grain bread; 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter; 1 tablespoon low-sugar jelly.
  • Mini pizza made with 100% whole wheat English muffin, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce and 1/4 cup 2% mozzarella cheese, baked in oven until cheese melts.
  • Turkey breast slices rolled around one piece of 2% string cheese.
  • Celery sticks spread with natural peanut butter or light cream cheese.
  • Fresh fruit with nut butter, 1% cottage cheese, or low-fat/nonfat yogurt.
  • A mix of raw veggies with hummus, light pimento cheese or light/fat-free cream cheese.
  • Reduced-fat string cheese (2% or skim-milk varieties).
  • 1 cup of 1% cottage cheese.
  • Whole grain cereal with 1% milk. Try using an 8-ounce coffee mug for portion control.
  • Whole grain crackers with hummus, low-fat cheese or tuna salad made with light mayo.
  • 100-calorie cup of prepared guacamole with 1 serving whole grain tortilla chips.
  • 1/4 cup serving of homemade trail mix made with whole grain dry cereal, nuts, no-sugar-added dried fruit, and whole grain pretzels. Get creative with a variety of fruits, nuts and seeds!
    • food nuts dietitian healthy eating bariatric solutions
    Pistachios are bursting with the fiber, minerals and unsaturated fat.
  • 1/4 cup of walnuts, almonds, peanuts or soy nuts.
  • Half a banana, sliced and frozen, with nut butter or 2 tablespoons of nuts.
  • Apple slices with cinnamon, cooked in the microwave.
  • Toasted whole wheat English muffin spread with 1 teaspoon low-sugar jelly, topped with 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
  • 1/2 cup dry old-fashioned oats (prepared as directed) with half a banana and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
  • One small baked sweet potato with a dash of paprika and 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream.
  • Millennials, you can stop here. You already know about this next one. Avocado toast: one slice of whole wheat toast with half of a medium avocado spread on it.