We have officially entered into the holiday season. You know, that time of year where every other day someone brings in a big tray of cookies or candy. Or they bring in that dessert they want to make a trial run at before the big party.  Not only that, but you find yourself shopping during meal time and need a little pick me up to tide you over until you can eat a healthy dinner at home.
But YOU have the power avoid that party tray and middle of the day indulgences with a little advance preparation. 
If you want it quick and easy, ready-made 100 calorie snack packs are available in a variety of choices in both the snack and cracker aisles and your local grocery store. They include everything from wheat crackers  to chocolate chip cookies.
However, if you want a little more control over what you put in your mouth, here are a few 100 calorie ideas to keep in your desk drawer or mini-fridge.
1.  Bananas-pre-packaged goodness just waiting to be opened
2.  Instant oatmeal (regular flavor)-a warm and filling snack packed with protein and fiber
3.  Light string cheese-the protein from one or two of these will help battle those afternoon hunger pangs
4.  Carrots-grab the ready to eat kind and a little hummus for a quick and easy snack
5.  Celery or dill pickles-eat about as much as you want; it takes more calories to burn these foods than they contain!
6.  Jerky-turkey jerky is lower in calories, but even beef or deer jerky will give you something satisfying to chew on
7.  Strawberries and calorie free whipped topping (or dipped in dark chocolate)-sweet and fiber rich
8.  ½ cup of frozen yogurt-nowhere near the calories of ice cream, but still a cool delicious treat
9.  Special dark kisses-includes disease fighting antioxidants
10.  18  fat free pretzels -kills the carb and salt cravings with crunchy satisfaction
11.  13 animal cookies (not the frosted kind)-even vegetarians will enjoy eating the head off of a bear or the hump off of a camel
12.  Medium-sized apple or pear-if you don’t want to mess with the core, apples now come in ready to eat packaging
13.  1 ½ cups of frozen grapes-cool and refreshing, this is one of my daughters favorites
14.  Applesauce-easy to transport in the single serving size
15.  Hardboiled egg-about 70 calories each or if you are concerned about cholesterol, stick to the egg whites and enjoy 5 protein rich eggs
16.  Raisins-two miniature boxes of raisins contain only 85 calories and will help keep you regular
17. Walnuts and almonds-or actually about any low-salt nut combo. Add dried fruit, seeds or a few chocolate chips to electrify the taste buds.
18.  ¾ cup whole grain cereal-just pre-measure and throw into a snack-sized baggie
19.  8 boiled shrimp and a couple tablespoons cocktail sauce—doesn’t feel like you are counting calories at all!
20.  Tall skinny lattes- you can still hit Starbucks and get 10 grams of protein in a delicious warming beverage. In fact if you do your homework before you go, there are quite a few beverages you can indulge in when prepared with skim milk—but make this an indulgence, not a habit—there’s still a lot of sugar!
And don’t forget that this year, when it’s your turn to bring that snack tray to work, try to stick to healthier choices that won’t add inches to your hips and believe me when I say, someone else in the office will thank you.
Mary Hoisington