Healthy eating does not happen without a little planning and dedication. Avoid rushing around in the morning or having to grab take out for lunch and take a few minutes before bed each evening to plan your meals and snacks for the following day. You can rest easy knowing you’ll be all set to make good eating choices right away in the morning.

Registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer says eating five or more small meals and snacks encourages the body to “burn” food for immediate energy. She also says a healthful snack can curb hunger and prevent overeating later in the day. Since snacks are so important, they should also be full of nutrition and quick for when time is of the essence.

Here are a few healthy snack ideas:

• Baby carrots and low-fat ranch dip
• Craisins and nuts
• Low-fat, custard-style yogurt topped with a dollop of light whipped cream
• Hummus and whole wheat pita bread
• OatMega bars, which come in blueberry pomegranate, mocha, vanilla almond, dark chocolate mint or dark chocolate peanut butter (bonus: includes omega-3 fatty acids and is gluten-free)
• Frozen blueberries
• Air-popped popcorn
• An apple with Jif Peanut Butter with Omega-3 DHA & EPA
• Dried plums stuffed with almonds
• Whole wheat fig bars
• Salsa and baked tortilla chips

What do you eat for a healthy, on-the-go snack?