Cherry tomatoes are one of our favourite portable healthy snack © iStock

Cherry Tomatoes

Per 15 cherry tomatoes: 50kcal, 1.1g fat, 0g saturates, 8.1g sugars, 0g salt

The perfect portable snack, cherry tomatoes are loaded with fibre to fill you up and immune-boosting vitamin C. Plus they contain potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, an antioxidant which may help to keep our heart healthy and protect against strokes and some cancers.

Twiglets

Per 24g bag (about 30): 99kcal, 2.9g fat, 0.4g saturates, 0.1g sugars, 0.5g salt

We should be eating 30g of fibre a day – almost double the amount most of us do! Twiglets are  made with wholewheat flour, so a 24g bag provides just under a tenth of our daily needs. And because they’re baked they have a fifth fewer calories than crisps.

Unsalted Almonds

Per 20 almonds: 160kcal, 14.5g fat, 1.1g saturates, 0g sugars, 0g salt

They’re packed with nutrients including protein, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, vitamins B1, B2 and B3, folate and biotin. And they’re loaded with vitamin E, – just 20 almonds provide more than half our daily need.

They also contain naturally-occurring plant sterols, which help to lower blood cholesterol. Eat  nuts with their skins on – they have much more fibre.

Malt Loaf

Per slice: 103kcal, 0.8g fat, 0.2g saturates, 7.9g sugars, 0.2g salt

Malt loaf is low in fat and saturates but contains fibre. It can also help top up daily intakes of vitamins B1, B2 and B3, which help to release the energy from food, as well as selenium, iodine and phosphorus. To keep the calories and fat down, don’t add butter.

Boiled Egg

Per egg: 85kcal, 5.8g fat, 1.6g saturates, 0g sugars, 0.2g salt

Eggs are full of hunger-busting protein and rich in many nutrients. These includes selenium, an antioxidant important for strong immunity. They also provide over a fifth of our daily need for iodine, important for making the thyroid hormones, which keep our metabolism working well.

Shreddies

Per 40g serving: 148kcal, 0.8g fat, 0.1g saturates, 6g sugars, 0.3g salt

These are not just for breakfast, they’re a great crunchy snack, without milk. They’re low in fat, lower in sugar than many cereals and fortified with five B vitamins and iron. Plus, they contain wholegrain, which is linked to better heart health and slimmer waistlines.

Try the Coco variety for a chocolate fix. The sugar almost doubles, but there’s little change in calories or fat.

Sugar-free Jelly Pot

Per 115g pot: 10kcal, 0g fat, 0g saturates, 0g sugars, 0.1g salt

Sugar-free jelly, which comes in powder form, is a great choice for satisfying a sweet tooth. It’s also fat free, so very low in calories. This makes it ideal if you’re trying to lose weight. It contains lots of water, too, so great news for staying well hydrated.

Sunflower Seeds

Per 30g serving: 173kcal, 14.3g fat, 2g saturates, 0.5g sugars, 0g salt

They’re packed with nutrients and vitamins B1 and E. Plus, a serving gives two thirds of our daily need for copper, vital for our immune system. Copper also goes to make melanin, which gives colour to our eyes, skin and hair.

A boiled egg has only 85 calories © iStock

Vegetable Crisps

Per 30g serving: 155kcal, 10.4g fat, 1.1g saturates, 7.1g sugars, 0.3g salt

They have a similar amount of calories and fat to potato crisps, but you get three times more fibre and extra nutrients from the vegetables. Carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make skin-friendly vitamin A.

And beetroot and parsnips contain manganese, a nutrient needed in small amounts for strong bones.

Mini Babybel

Per Babybel: 61kcal, 4.8g fat, 3.2g saturates, 0g sugars, 0.4g salt

Consisting of 100% cheese and nothing else, these are rich in protein to keep us fuller for longer and provide bone-strengthening calcium and phosphorus. In fact, each one contains the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk.

Plus, they add vitamin B12 to our diet, which we need for a healthy nervous system and strong immunity. The Cheddar variety (in the purple wax) is also a good choice but has 74kcal and 6.2g fat.

Blueberries

Per 2 handfuls (about 80g): 32kcal, 0.2g fat, 0g saturates, 7.2g sugars, 0g salt

Blueberries are loaded with anthocyanins, which may protect against heart attacks. Other lab-based studies have linked this superfood to everything from improved memory to lower blood pressure.

While more research is needed to confirm these findings, they’re a great high-fibre snack and one of your five-a-day.

Jaffa Cakes

Per Jaffa cake: 46kcal, 1g fat, 0.5g saturates, 6.4g sugars, 0g salt

Biscuits aren’t the obvious choice for healthy snacking but as biccies go, Jaffa Cakes are one of the better ones because they’re lower in calories and fat compared with most!

For example, a digestive has 71kcal and 3.2g fat, a Chocolate Hobnob 92kcal and 4.4g fat, a custard cream 62kcal and 2.6g fat, and even a fig roll 70kcal and 1.9g fat.

Mangetout

Per handful: 26kcal, 0.2g fat, 0g saturates, 2.7g sugars, 0g salt

Eaten raw, these make a great snack. They contain plenty of nutrients to keep us looking good, including beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A in the body where it’s vital for healthy skin and eyes.

They’re also loaded with biotin, important for skin and hair. And they’re packed with vitamin C – a handful contains more than half our daily needs for this vitamin – needed to make collagen, one of the components of skin that keeps it smooth and supple.

Satsumas

Per satsuma: 25kcal, 0.1g fat, 0g saturates, 6g sugars, 0g salt

These festive fruits are loaded with vitamin C, important for the nervous system, vital for healthy skin and boosting immunity.

There’s no evidence that large amounts of vitamin C stop people getting a cold, but research confirms good intakes may help to reduce the duration and severity of the symptoms. Satsumas also contain folate, a B vitamin that’s vital for women planning a baby.

Sugar-free jelly is one of the best healthy snakcs for anyone trying to lose weight © iStock