In my usual (sometimes daily) search for a better life, I strive to combine two of my biggest joys: eating and working out. It hasn’t been the easiest task so far, as I appreciate delicious food — food that’s both spicy and flavourful. The Nigerian in me refuses to limit my diet to porridge and potatoes. Remove rice? And bread? What else can you eat? So far in my quest, I’ve uncovered more food hacks than I ever imagined existed, but today, let’s focus on snacks.

Let me set the scene: You’ve had a long day at work, just had breakfast an hour ago and lunch is in two hours, but your energy is already dipping and you need something low in calories and fit-fam compliant to nibble on. What do you eat?

These are 6 snack options that will satisfy without tipping the scale the other way.

1. Cheeseballs

I know you’re surprised, but stick with me. I grew up on cheeseballs and all of their watered-down variations and I’ve always enjoyed them but I’ve recently come to value them even more. One 20g pack of cheese balls contains approximately 110 calories, which is, and I cannot stress this enough, incredible. The fact that it comes in small pieces is also great because it contributes to the feeling of being full because you've eaten for a longer period of time (snack hack!).

Watch out for the bigger bag though, because its sodium content is quite high and may not be great for everyone.

DAMAGE > N100 per pack

2. Microwave Popcorn

Popcorn is an A1 snack and another all-time favourite. Unsweetened, salted or anything in between, popcorn is the perfect snack to munch on while working. A bowl of popcorn (especially air-popped) could come up to as little as 35 calories (per cup), and its high fibre content helps you stay full for longer.

My current favourite popcorn brand is the Foodtown microwaveable popcorn and for N1299 per carton, you’ll get 9 separate serving packs.

DAMAGE > N1299 per CARTON

3. Cassava Chips

I recently tasted cassava chips and since then, I’m officially addicted. They have a taste that is nearly identical to potato chips but far fewer in calories. The company I tried is quite humorously named "Cassanovas" and offers four flavours that are essentially equal in deliciousness: BBQ Chicken, Funky Fried Noodles, Hot and Spicy, and Salt & Pepper. I’ll let you guess which one I like most (hint: I’m a Lagos babe).

A 60g pack of Cassanovas has 242 calories, but it is a well-filled pack so you might not get through it all in one sitting. Even if you do, it’s still a great value per pack.

DAMAGE > N289.99 per pack

4. Popchips (vegan option 🌱)

Popchips are a potato chip brand, but while potato chips are notoriously high in calories, Popchips are different. They are not fried but popped at a high temperature and pressure. This brand comes in 7 flavours, including a veggie option. They are all quite delicious, so I’d suggest tasting them all and picking your favourite because I legit can’t decide. Each pack contains exactly 100 calories, which is super great for a quick snack.

DAMAGE > N549.99 per pack

5. Kilishi

Kilishi is also a great low-calorie snack. Thankfully, it’s readily available in stores these days, and comes in great-sized packs too, unlike the old times when you had to wait for someone who’s come from the North to have your bi-yearly fix. A 50g pack of kilishi contains just <154 calories, which is really good for Nigerian food, iykyk.

So, for a spicy snack during the day that’s high in protein, you know what to do.

DAMAGE > N600 per pack

6. Dried fruit packs

I love fresh fruit as snacks, but they can often be messy to handle. If you need a quick snack on-the-go, you’re most likely not going to go for a fresh mango. Dried fruit is the best choice here — they’re sweet, chewy and high in fibre, which will keep you fuller for longer.

My favourite dried fruit brand is ReelFruit in the Gently Dried Mango flavour. It contains about 160 calories per serving, with 2 servings per 60g pack.

DAMAGE > N550 per pack

Laura Onwuegbunam is a digital and content marketer, who spends an unhealthy amount of time watching sports. When she’s not screaming at athletes on TV, she’s reading, working out and trying to survive the chaos that is Lagos.