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There are endless options for healthy snacks that you can prepare in a few minutes, and the best thing about it is that you will eat healthily and feel great.
Check out this is a list of 15 healthy snack ideas! Have any others? Let us know in the comments!
1. Fresh fruit
Grab a banana, apple, apricot or whatever fruit you like. These are all low-calorie snacks that will keep you energized throughout the day.
They are all great sources of fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. And if you are craving for sweets, a banana has a reasonable amount of sugar, so it’s a great replacement.
2. Dried fruit
This snack is highly nutritious, and it’s packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Raisins, for example, may improve blood sugar control, decrease inflammation, lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s enough for you to take a small handful of dried fruit on daily basis.
3. Bell Pepper
They are very low in calories and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, an excellent addition to your diet! Some of the health benefits include:
- They can reduce the risk of chronic diseases (heart disease and cancer)
- Increases the body’s iron stores, which can prevent Anemia
- Can lower the risk of visual impairments
Peppers can be eaten raw (we suggest eating them with your favorite dip!) or cooked in your favorite stir fry or curry.
Other suggestions:
Bell peppers
- Cut different colored peppers in half.
- Remove all the seed from them.
- In a bowl mix cream cheese and plain yogurt until the mixture is smooth
- Fill your pepper with the mixture.
- Arrange them on a plate and that’s it
You can also cut small pieces and put the mixture on top. These bite sized snacks looks great, are simple to make, and are easily passed around during family events and parties.
Pepper nachos
- Cut your peppers into large pieces and remove the seeds.
- Arrange them on a plate and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
- Put the plate in a microwave for few minutes until the cheese has melted (you can also bake them).
- Dip them in salsa and enjoy.
Simple and delicious!
Bell Pepper Salsa
- In a large bowl blend 200g of tomato puree, ¼ cup of lime juice, 1 cup of chopped red onions, 1 stalk of chopped celery, 4 chopped red chilies, a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pre-cut 5 pimiento-stuffed olive pieces and stir along with 1 tsp of sesame seeds.
- Wait to chill and then serve.
- You can also add a sprig of coriander leaves to decorate.
Enjoy.
4. Hard-Boiled Eggs
If you are really hungry and at the same time you don’t want to ruin your diet, boil 2 large eggs over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain and cool in cold water. After eating you will be full for a few hours. They are a very easy and healthy option, packed with proteins and vitamins.
5. Chocolate milk
Believe it or not, chocolate milk is a great snack and a true recovery drink. Especially if you work out, it will bring you back to life! If you don’t like those store-bought options, you can make your own. Just pour 1 tbsp of chocolate syrup into 1 cup of milk, stir well and that’s all. Be sure to look for lower sugar content options.
6. Trail mix
All you need is a little bowl and a handful of dried fruits and nuts. Choose your desired nuts such as cashews, pistachios (de-shelled) or peanuts and mix with dried fruit, we particularly like raisins or dried cranberries. Easy!
7. Oatmeal
This snack has many health benefits such as:
- Lowers blood sugar levels
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Skin benefits
- Prevents constipation
Oatmeal is a perfect health snack packed with fiber and antioxidants. If you don’t like the basic oatmeal varieties, try a flavored kind, just be weary of any added sugars.
Here are some quick and easy recipes we love:
Baked apples with oatmeal
- Preheat oven (400 degrees)
- Combine oatmeal and water in a saucepan and stir until it gets creamy.
- Add 2 tbsp of maple syrup and 1 tbsp of cinnamon, then continue stirring.
- Let it cool.
- Take 4 large apples and slice the tops. Hollow the inside part and arrange them on a glass baking dish.
- Add your pre-made oatmeal into apples and bake for about 35 minutes.
- Check them occasionally. Apples need to be soft – that’s when you know they are ready.
- You can serve them and decorate with pecans and cranberries.
Tropical Oatmeal
- Bring ½ cup of coconut milk to boil in a saucepan.
- Stir in 1 cup of rolled oats and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes until oats are creamy.
- Meanwhile, toast 2 tbsp of coconut flakes in a dry skillet for about 2 minutes. Toast until golden.
- Top your oatmeal with the flakes and add 1/3 of chopped mango.
That’s it. Your tropic oatmeal is ready to serve!
8. Popcorn
We eat popcorn when we go to the movies or watch tv in the pleasure of our home. But the thing that most people don’t know is that popcorns are one of the healthiest snacks that we eat.
It’s packed with antioxidants and has quite a lot of fiber. Try to skip that store-bought and make our own old-fashioned way.
Mix up your flavor by adding a little bit of dried rosemary and garlic powder or other flavored salt varieties. Popcorn is also a cost-effective snack that won’t break the bank.
9. Greek yogurt
This healthy snack is packed with nutrients and vitamins with enough protein to provide energy throughout the day It’s also a great addition to anyone’s diet as it’s good for the immune system.
If you’re not a huge fan of plain Greek yogurt, don’t worry. It’s a perfect base for all kind of healthy toppings such as berries, bananas, chia seeds, and honey. The options are endless, so why not get creative?!
10. Homemade chips
Chips are probably the most famous snack all around the world so why not try making your own chips at home? Homemade chips are a healthier alternative to store-bought chips and are loads of fun to make.
Who said that it only can be made of potatoes? The options are endless.
You can make your own chips will kale, sweet potato, kettle, brussels sprout, tomato, zucchini, avocado, cabbage etc.
Experiment and find the version you like the most. Keep in mind that for the crispier chip you will need to make the slices thinner. You can use a knife, but if you feel like splurging a little, treat yourself a mandoline. After you try the taste of these homemade chips, you will see that is worthy of your time and effort.
Here is one quick and simple recipe for sweet potato chips:
- Preheat oven (250 F).
- Slice 2 sweet potatoes using knife or mandolin as thin as possible.
- Coat slices with 2 tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp of salt and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 2 hours, keep in mind that you have to flip them, so they are evenly baked on both sides.
- Once they are golden brown you can remove them from the oven.
- Let them rest a little bit and they are ready to serve.
Enjoy your homemade chips!
11. Homemade applesauce
Even if you don’t like canned applesauce, you need to try this homemade one. It’s very easy to make and we think you’ll love it.
Recipe:
You will need a saucepan and add in:
- 4 peeled and chopped apples
- ¼ cup of white sugar
- ¾ cup of water
- ½ tsp of cinnamon
Cover your saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat. When apples are soft transfer them in a bowl and mash. Simple and tasty. Enjoy.
12. Almonds and Chocolate
If you are surprised to see chocolate included in a healthy snack, don’t be. Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants, and almonds are a superfood. Both of these reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a perfect combination. Keep in mind that a handful of these snacks is enough.
13. Smoothie
It’s much more than a drink, smoothies can be qualified as a healthy snack and meal if it has enough healthy ingredients. They are very easy to make, a great thing if you want to make them on your own. Experiment with different ingredients and find what combinations suits you the best. There are endless options that you can make, for example:
- Banana split smoothie
- Honey-Lime Smoothie
- Cantaloupe smoothie and many others.
14. Salad
Salads can be a great snack because they’re generally high in protein and have good fats, helping you stay full throughout the day. They are delicious, healthy and with endless ingredient options available, you’re bound to find one (or three!) that you love. Combine different flavors, colors, textures and get adventurous with ingredients and dressings you may not have tried before. You definitely can make friends with salad.
Adopt healthy habits like eating nutritious salads has multiple health benefits, such as;
- Lower cholesterol levels due to fiber content
- Prevention of constipation
- Potential weight-loss
- They’re packed with antioxidants, so you’ll likely have a higher blood level
- Lowers risk of many diseases, like cancer.
There are just too many reasons to eat salad almost every day. Here are some delicious recipes we think you should try:
Quinoa salad
- In a medium pan, boil 2/3 cup of water.
- Add 1/3 cup of quinoa and stir.
- After about 20 minutes quinoa be fluffy and absorb the water.
- Meanwhile, in a small food processor mix: ½ cup of blueberries, 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp of Agave, 1/2 tsp of lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper.
- Blend it well until it’s smooth.
- Stir in 1 tbsp of Extra-Virgin olive oil and continue to blend. When it’s combined, pour the mixture into a small bowl.
- Combine 6 cups of spring mix salad with remaining almonds, 2 tbsp of cocoa nibs, 2/3 cup of fresh blueberries and combine them together.
- Pour in some blueberry vinaigrette.
- Finally, add your cooked quinoa and toss until it’s evenly coated in dressing.
You can enjoy now your healthy snack. Bon Appetit!
15. Rice cakes
If you’re looking for a healthier option than crackers, rice cakes are low in calories and super tasty. Keep in mind some store-bought rice cakes are made from refined white rice and their nutritional value can be a little misleading. We suggest trying brown rice or whole grain varieties which are high in fiber and nutrients.
Add some of these toppings to mix things up a little:
- Hummus or other dip flavors
- Avocado, tuna, and tomato
- Honey
- Peanut butter and jelly
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