Looking for healthy snacks? Here are 10 healthy snacks you can feel good about eating, that will keep you satisfied much long than that sugar packed, chewy granola bar.
Why Snack?
Snacking. Is. Crucial. A lot of people will try and tell you to avoid snacking, that snacks won’t fill you up and snacking should be kept to a minimum. But what’s the point of trying to avoid snacking? You end up spending hours going really hungry (which is never fun) and then filling up on the same amount of calories later. Why not plan your meals and snacks out in a way that is beneficial to you, both by being healthy and not making that tummy grumble for hours? That’s why I made this list of 10 snacks you can feel good about, guilt free and are incredibly beneficial.
Remember, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Top 10 Healthy Snacks
A lot of the snacks listed below are really easy to make and can be put together right on the spot! Some other ones are links to recipes on my website that are oh-so-delicious and quite easy to put together too.
A lot of times I really like to make a good, large batch of snacks and then have them to grab and go during the rest of my week. So easy, and so nutritious!
Enjoy!
1. Homemade Nut Butters
Sometimes, food is the best part of the journey. This is such an easy, and travel-friendly snack that is safe no matter where you are. One of my favorite snacks ever, these nut butters! First off, it’s so fun to say you made your OWN. Second, they pair so well with cut up apples, a banana, or celery! Or a slice of higher protein toast, that’s always a good move too. If you’re looking for some inspiration, try my Almond Joy Butter, my DIY Cookie Dough Almond Butter, or this incredible Maple Walnut Butter!
2. Greek Yogurt with Fruit
Really, the possibilities are endless here. I really like to buy the 0% Greek yogurt, but 2% is good too! And if you’re trying to get more calories in because you’re struggling to hit your needs, by all means go for full fat Greek yogurt! It’s packed with so much protein and probiotics… it’s truly hard to go wrong here. Of course the plain is best with no additives, but I’d be lying if I said I never bought the Light and Fit toasted coconut or vanilla flavored yogurts. It’s heavenly and also great when making my frozen yogurt bark.
I like to add blueberries and kiwi into mine. I also add a tablespoon of peanut butter and chia seeds, and sometimes a splash of honey. And if wanting to pump it up even more to be a lighter meal versus snack, I love adding either Kashi go lean cinnamon ceral on top or one of my homemade cereals. But you can really add anything you really like, healthy seeds and butter, fruit, spices, and sweeten it with stevia instead too if you prefer!
3. Gluten Free Coconut Oatmeal Bake
A great pre-workout meal, quick breakfast, and perfect for a grab and go snack! There’s so many different ways to modify these delicious bake squares- making them higher or lower in calorie content depending on what you need! These amazing bars are also so full of antioxidants and boosts your immune system as well. Perfect for anyone choosing to live a gluten-free lifestyle, and even great for those who aren’t!
Get my delicious recipe for it here!
4. Protein Bread or Muffins
It’s really not that hard to get protein from real foods, instead of all those processed powders that are filled with sugars and harmful stuff! Protein bread and muffins are quite easy to make, filling, and you can make a large loaf or batch of them and stay munching on it for days! Top it with your choice of homemade nut butter, cream cheese, or anything else that sounds good and fits your diet! Here are a couple of favorites I’ve gathered together:
Pumpkin Protein Bread and Muffins
Cinnamon Coconut Protein Bread
5. Hummus
Yum-oh-yum. One of my favorite snacks! There are so many ways to enjoy hummus, and so many different varieties to buy and make! Enjoy a few tablespoons of a good dip of hummus with veggies, savory chia wraps, or any wheat bread of your liking! Be mindful of how much hummus you end up consuming though… made up of mostly chickpeas, this delicious treat is high in healthy fats and protein. It’s hard not to eat it all up! The possibilities with making hummus are endless, try some of these amazing recipes!
Want a sweet hummus? Try this cookie dough one of this brownie one!
Or another favorite is roasting the chickpeas instead of grinding them into hummus, and making these crunchy roasted chickpeas!
6. Protein Bites and Bars
I probably have at least one of these a day. I love to make them on Sunday nights, throw them in the fridge, and pack them for snacks throughout my week. It’s just too easy. And the possibilities are endless! There are a ton of protein bars and bites on the market… but be wary of those. A lot of them can be jam packed with processed foods and sugars, doing you more harm than good. A few protein bars that I really love are the thrive pro bars, quest bars, and Rx bars.
If you’re not into buying the bars, and want to be really sure you know everything going in to them, I have a ton of delicious recipes for you to checkout!
Almond Butter Banana Bread Bars
4 Ingredient Pumpkin Protein Bars
7. Guacamole
Boy oh boy. One of my all-time favorite foods. I can put guacamole on anything. It’s easy to make, there’s no cooking involved! Just a mixture of several natural ingredients, making a totally vegan and delicious snack that’s so good for you! Avocados are packed with healthy fats that we should be getting enough of, and adding onions, tomatoes, and cilantro make it even better for you! Buy it store bought or make your own, and enjoy it on some toasted high fiber wraps broken apart as homemade chips, or some sliced veggies!
8. Granola
It’s hard to go wrong with granola. Unless you buy the really sugary, carb-filled granola and trailmix and grocery stores. So I guess there IS a way to go wrong. When shopping for good granola to buy, be mindful that it’s not filled with a ton of sugars and calories. I tend to go for a cereal like Kashi Go Lean instead of the typical sugar dense granola. You can try my healthy and delicious diy granola too!
What to pair with it? Add it on top of some greek yogurt is my favorite way! Granola is a great snack but is mostly carbs, so you want to pair it with a protein – greek yogurt or cottage cheese being some of the most common ones to pair with something like granola 🙂
9. Frozen Banana Slices
Say what?! Yes! Wait until your bananas have brown spots on them and are ripe, and then peel, slice, place in a ziploc bag, and freeze! Anytime you want a little sweet, frozen treat, grab a few slices out!
Up the game. You can even add a little spoonful of peanut butter on top of each slice, or dip them in vanilla Greek yogurt or my protein pumpkin peanut butter dip (here) for a real treat before freezing.
10. MugCakes
Last, but certainly the farthest from least, such a sweet and delicious treat! I have so many recipes here on my blog, and a lot of times I just play around with throwing a lot of ingredients together in a mugcake and it comes out way better than I expected! There are so many options, high protein, low fat, gluten free, various fruit options. Plus it’s done in about a minute, so that’s a win for me.
Mugcakes are so easy to make and are perfect for a snack, or when you’re looking to satisfy a sweet craving!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mugcake
So there you have it, my top 10 DIY healthy snacks to make (and eat)! What is your favorite snack??
PS: Be sure to grab my free jumpstart nutrition and fitness ebook for the busy life, to explain proteins, fats, and carbs more, and how to implement them into your day to make balanced meals and snacks!
xo,
SG
http://crescendodesign.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/themes/advanced/img/new/zelnorm.html