8 Great Summer Diet Snack Foods ...

A handful of fresh, sweet summer berries is a fulfilling, delicious snack, and a bowlful of mixed berries is a great bring-along to any summer BBQ! They’re in season almost all summer, from blueberries to strawberries, raspberries to blackberries. Top with a light cream or just eat them plain. So tasty… and they’re loaded with anti-oxidants!

There are so many varieties of melon, there’s bound to be one you’ll love. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love watermelon, to start with, then there’s always honeydew, cantaloupe… the list goes on and on! Slice one and enjoy it as a stand-alone snack, or dice a few types and mix them together as a salad.

Scientific studies have shown that even just the scent of a fresh orange makes people happy… add to that the tangy sweet flavor, rich anti-oxidants, and dozens of uses, and it’s no wonder citrus makes a great summer diet snack food!

Baked pretzels are one of my all time favorite summer diet snack foods. They’re filling and they satisfy my salt craving without ruining my diet! I like them with a little yellow mustard, too… bring a bag full of whole-grain pretzels to your next summer party and see how fast they disappear!

This is such a classic, clever summer treat. Pluck a bowlful of red, black, or green seedless grapes from their stems, then wash them, let them dry, then put the bowl in the freezer for about an hour. A handful of these frozen grapes can be eaten alone, or added to drinks as tasty little ice cubes. I love these on a hot, humid summer day!

You can buy lemon ice in a package, or you can make it yourself. Either way, this falls under the “citrus” category and the “icy treat” category both at the same time. To really mix it up, try adding a little raspberry or strawberry to the lemon ice, too. Yum!

I know what you’re thinking: parfaits are loaded with sugar, fat, and calories. But they don’t have to be! They can be a great summer diet snack! If you make a parfait yourself, you can control what goes into it: low-fat granola, low-fat yoghurt, and a handful of fresh berries. Serve them in clear glass sundae cups for a backyard BBQ treat that everyone will love!

I actually like the flavor of baked chips over fried chips any day, especially the Baked Lay’s Barbeque ones. They’re so good, you won’t miss the dip, or the calories and fat. They go great on the side of a veggie burger or Smart Dog, too!

With so many tasty, healthful summer diet snack foods to choose from, there’s no reason to wonder whether you’ll need to spend an extra two hours at the gym the day after your cousin’s BBQ or auntie’s wedding. Just bring one of these snacks with you and have a great time! Which of these summer diet snack foods do you like best, or is there one you crave I didn’t include? Please share!

Top Photo Credit: Baggers 2011