Quality Snack Foods

Snack foods are often synonymous with commercial items, which are highly processed and refined. Abstaining from these items by substituting them with high-quality, natural and healthy snacks can contribute to weight loss and maintenance, improved moods and better nutrition. Children in particular can garner nutritive benefits from quality snacks as it can keep hunger sated, while providing a much-needed energy boost between meals, according to KidsHealth.

Homemade Granola

Granola is a cereal-like combination of dried fruit, grains and nuts. It provides an ample amount of protein and fiber that can improve energy levels and regulate the digestive tract. MayoClinic.com warns, however, that store-bought granola varieties may be high in fat and calories. Making at-home versions using items like unsalted nuts, organic oatmeal, apple slices, raisins, bran flakes and honey provides a low-fat, low-calorie quality snack that also gives you energy.

Applesauce

KidsHealth recommends applesauce as a satisfying and healthy snack for children. Applesauce contains pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber that can regulate the digestive tract while also lowering high cholesterol levels in adults, according to the Reader's Digest book "Fight Back with Food." Apples contain a plethora of other vitamins and minerals including anthocyanins, glutathione, phenolic acids, quercetin and rutin. These substances provide antioxidative qualities to protect against free radical damage and may be effective in fighting off cancer.

Non-Fat Yogurt

Non-fat yogurt is among the most beneficial foods to eat, according to the "Fitness Magazine" article "10 Surprising Health Benefits of Yogurt." Yogurt usually contains live and active cultures, or probiotics, which are bacterium that aid in digestion and immune response, according to MayoClinic.com. Eating non-fat yogurt as a snack between meals can aid in regularity while providing essential levels of calcium for healthy bones and teeth.