Beat stress with these snacks

Go ahead. Eat when you're stressed. Just make sure you don't grab anything sweet, salty, crunchy, or greasy. I know, stress drives you toward diet-dangerous comfort foods but when you're overwhelmed and anxious, mellow food is what you need -- like meals and snacks to clear your head and ease your tensions. Try these.

• Prepare mini-bags of carrots and almonds. Aim for 15 carrots and 15 nuts per bag. The bottom line: 165 calories and 10 g healthy fat.

• Mix up snack packs of sunflower seeds and dried cherries. Loaded with soothing complex carbs, antioxidants, and vitamin E, this treat with its 165 calories and 4 g fat will both satisfy and heal.

• Top a whole wheat bagel with two teaspoons honey mustard, two slices tomato, and two ounces of smoked salmon -- all for the price of 410 calories, 8 g fat, and 1 g saturated fat.
  
  

For more real simple snack ideas -- these intended to hold you over until dinner's ready -- click here.