Your next meal is an hour or more away – but your stomach seems to be on a different clock. How can you quell your hunger pangs and boost your energy level between meals?

Skip the fried chips, candy and other junk foods that are full of nutritionally empty calories. Instead, nibble on one of those treats. Snack time is greater time to fill up on the disease-fighting nutrients in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and other healthy foods.

For a mid-morning pick-me-up

• Fresh fruit or canned fruit in light syrup
• A frozen banana or fruit juice.
• Whole-grain crackers or puffed rice cakes with peanut butter.
• A cup of low-fat yogurt, with or without fruit.

For the mid-afternoon stomach grumbles

• Low-salt, low fat microwave popcorn
• Precut vegetables, such as celery and carrot sticks
• A handful of almonds or walnuts
• Dried fruits, such as raisins, figs or prunes
• A cup of tea with couple of gingersnap cookies.
• A bran muffin and a glass of milk
• Half a sandwich on whole-wheat bread

For those evening cravings

• A dish of low sugar cereal or granola with low-fat milk or yogurt.
• Trail mix made with dried fruit, nuts, low-sugar cereal and mini pretzels
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• A fruit smoothie