100 Calorie Snacks Like Frozen Banana Keep Diet Plan In Check

It's a 100-calorie snack world. Or at least it seems that way. Everywhere you turn, there are mini versions of the snacks we love on grocery shelf after grocery shelf.

But does the 100-calorie snack concept really help you lose weight? Can these tiny snack packs keep your diet plan in check?

We say, yes! As long as you are sticking to one 100-calorie pack, and not any extras. In other words, never eat out of the bag. 18 pretzels equal 100-calories. Not 30 pretzels. And we'll talk about the delicious frozen banana treat in just a bit.

First of all, when you get a snack attack, you want to satisfy it. And when the snack is pre-portioned or pre-measured, then you eat what's in the bag or drink what's in the can, and that's it. Your limit is set for you, and if you follow it, the 100-calorie packs or drinks are great for the diet watcher.

We found this excellent advice from Webmd.com:
"If you focus on the calorie count, it can make it much easier to chose a snack and much easier to stick to your diet, and you can't stray too far if you only allow yourself that 100-calorie limit," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

One of our favorite 100-calorie snacks is the frozen banana treat. And it so delicious, it really tastes like banana ice cream. It's simple. Peel a banana, and slice it into small circles. Pop them into the freezer until firm. Yum!

Bananas are excellent for you, too. What's not to like?

We all know that bananas are rich in potassium. But the yellow, creamy 100- calorie treat is much more than that. Bananas are pretty close to being a perfect food. They are packed with fiber, iron, and protein, Vitamins B6 and C. And bananas also stop your craving for sugar. And the fruit is high in minerals that reduce cholesterol. And they are great for pregnant women, because they contain good things that help keep blood sugars up.

Here are some other healthy 100-calorie snacks:

1. Fudgsicle. You loved these as a kid, and now these chocolate pops are made just for the dieter and include a good source of fiber and calcium.

2. Sun Chips. This tasty multigrain snack packs 5 grams of fiber along with vitamin E in each little bag.

3. Emerald Cocoa Roast Dark Chocolate Almonds. Satisy your sweet tooth and also load up on some essential fats in this small 100-calorie pack.

4. Cracker Barrel 2% Milk Cheddar Cheese Sticks. Okay, so there is an amout of fat in these, but.....there are also very decent levels of protein, calcium, and other nutrients which gives these snacks the thumbs up.

5. Oreo Minicakesters. Nabisco knows how to do them right. Not much in the way of nutrition, but boy, these taste really good. Moist chocolate cakes and creme-- need we say more?