Eating Orange & Apple as Afternoon Snack

American adults get 24 percent of their calories from snacks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so choosing healthy snacks is important. An afternoon snack can suppress hunger and boost your energy until dinner, and it provides an opportunity for you to get more nutrients in your diet. Fruit, such as oranges and apples, can be the foundation of a low-calorie, filling snack.

Nutrition in Apples and Oranges

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that on average, snacks have fewer nutrients per calorie than regular meals. Apples and oranges for afternoon snacks can help you reverse this. Apples and oranges are nearly fat-free and sodium-free. A medium orange has 62 calories and 70 milligrams of vitamin C, or 117 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. A medium apple has 95 calories and 4.4 grams of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber can help lower the risk for heart disease, but the average American gets less than half of the recommended intake of 14 grams per 1,000 calories in the diet.

Components in Afternoon Snacks

Apples and oranges can keep your afternoon snack relatively low in calories so that you do not gain unwanted weight, and their dietary fiber helps slow digestion to keep you full longer. Including some protein with your afternoon snack can further reduce hunger. Sliced apple dipped into peanut butter and orange wedges with cottage cheese are snacks that require minimal preparation. You can also opt for tuna salad with Greek yogurt, diced apple, celery and mustard; or chicken-quinoa salad with apple, orange and cooked red pepper, olive oil, onions and balsamic vinegar.

Profit from Preparation

Keep apples and oranges on hand to increase your chances of choosing them instead of less healthy options for an afternoon snack. Keep the washed fruit in a fruit bowl in the refrigerator or at work so that you see them frequently and remember to eat them. Plan ahead when you can by peeling oranges or gathering ingredients, such as blue cheese and walnuts, to eat with apples or oranges. One dish that you can make a day ahead is a fruit salad with apple, orange, vanilla yogurt and chopped walnuts.

Healthy Considerations

Eat apples and oranges on their own or with healthy ingredients. You can limit sodium by choosing fresh chicken or turkey breast instead of ham or other processed meats to pair with oranges and apples. Dip apples or oranges into fat-free plain yogurt instead of yogurt sweetened with sugar. Saturated fat raises your risk for heart disease, so choose fat sources that are largely unsaturated. For example, bake acorn squash with apples, freshly squeezed orange juice and olive oil instead of butter.