In your quest to lose weight and feel healthier, snacks might seem like the ultimate kryptonite. After all, most of the ones we’re used to reaching for are loaded with either sugar or sodium, leaving us full for a while but always coming back for more. Thankfully, there are nutritious alternatives that can satisfy your cravings without derailing your diet plans. Today, we’re sharing 10 healthy snack ideas that are sure to become regular rotations at your home!
Table of Contents
1. Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Healthy snacking is all about finding ways to fuel your body without backsliding on your goals. Packed with nutrients, deliciously creamy, and surprisingly filling, smoothies do it all. While you can find plenty of recipes for green smoothies, today we’re spotlighting another yummy combo: strawberry banana!
These classic flavors are refreshing and wholesome, and you only need these four ingredients:
- Two cups of fresh strawberries, halved
- One frozen banana, quartered
- 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup of milk
All you have to do is add the ingredients to your blender and combine! If you want to make a dairy-free version, simply swap the Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt and use dairy-free milk, like almond or cashew milk. This smoothie is a cinch to whip up, so you’re more likely to reach for it when you need something satisfying, stat.
2. Homemade Hummus and Fresh Veggies
Does the idea of snacking on fresh veggies seem a little boring? If so, then it’s time to dress up those crudites with a little homemade hummus!
While store-bought hummus is fine in a pinch, nothing beats the fresh flavor of a dish that you whip up yourself. When it’s as easy as this recipe, you’ll find yourself reaching for it time and again.
As you learn more about how to make hummus, you may consider mixing in different flavors and ingredients, such as red pepper, garlic, lemon, or even cauliflower! However, we’re sticking with the classic version today.
To make hummus, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Two 15-ounce jars of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained with the liquid reserved
- 1/2 cup of tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- The juice of two lemons
- Two cloves of garlic
- One teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Add all of the ingredients to your blender, along with 1/3 cup of the chickpea liquid. If you prefer your hummus a little thinner, then slowly add more liquid until it reaches the consistency you want. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, and dip away!
3. No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
When you need easy healthy snack ideas to support weight loss, nothing beats one that you can grab on your way out the door! No-bake oatmeal energy balls deliver an excellent energy boost, and you can make them practically a million different ways.
The basic recipe is beautifully simple and incredibly nutritious. To make around 18 energy balls, simply mix the following ingredients together:
- 1.5 cups rolled oats
- Two tablespoons of seeds (e.g. chia seeds, hemp hearts, flaxseed)
- 1/2 cup of peanut butter
- 1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup of your favorite mix-ins
As far as mix-ins go, feel free to experiment with a few different flavors and textures until you find a combination you love. Some great ideas include dried cranberries, raisins, chopped nuts, and even white chocolate or milk chocolate chips! If you’re steering clear of peanut butter, swap it for a different type of nut butter, such as almond.
4. Banana Nut Muffins
Sometimes, you want a snack that’s warm and nourishing, especially in the morning. This is where these banana nut muffins truly shine. Light, fluffy and flavorful, they’re easy to make and even easier to eat on the go.
The only ingredients you need are:
- Two to three ripe bananas
- Two cups of flour
- 1/2 cup of tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
- Two large eggs
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1/4 cup of butter (or coconut oil), melted
- One teaspoon of baking powder
- One teaspoon of cinnamon
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Mash your bananas with a fork, and mix them in with all of the other ingredients, minus the nuts. Use a hand mixer to blend everything together for about 30 seconds, then fold in the nuts. Then, pour the batter into a lined muffin pan and sprinkle a few extra nuts on top of each one!
Bake at 350 degrees for about 22 to 25 minutes.
5. Frozen Berries and Cottage Cheese
Looking for a healthy snack that you can throw together in a matter of seconds? Start with half a cup of cottage cheese, and add in a few of your favorite frozen berries!
Strawberries and blueberries are obviously favorites, but why not try something new? Frozen pineapple and papaya taste great with this creamy treat, as do frozen mango chunks!
Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and healthy fats, while the frozen berries are chocked-full of fiber. When you mix them together, you have a snack that’s wonderfully filling and long-lasting.
6. Nutty Superfood Bites
The word “superfood” gets thrown around a lot in diet and weight-loss circles. While it’s not always used in the correct context, there are certain foods that are more nutrient-dense than others. Goji berries, quinoa, and almonds are a few of them.
These decadent bites are fun to make and taste great. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
- 2.5 cups of raw, unsalted almonds
- 3/4 cup pepitas
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3/4 cup of goji berries
- 3/4 cup dried berries
- 3/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (plus two tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
Spread the almonds, pepitas, and quinoa on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture looks lightly brown and toasted.
Transfer to a mixing bowl, and add in the dried berries, goji berries, and pistachios. Meanwhile, bring the brown rice syrup, honey, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Let it boil until it turns dark brown in color and thickens (about three minutes).
Once it’s ready, add the warm syrup to your mixing bowl, and stir everything to combine. Press the mixture into a lined 9×13 baking pan, and let it cool for 20 minutes before slicing into squares.
7. Light Tuna Meatballs
Looking for a savory snack that you can enjoy any time of the day? The idea of tuna meatballs might raise your eyebrows, but this is a seriously delicious treat. Blending the light and fresh taste of canned tuna with rich spinach and fresh herbs, they’re great on their own and even better with a side of tzatziki sauce or light ranch dressing.
To make them, gather these ingredients:
- Three five-ounce cans of tuna in water, drained
- Two cups of baby spinach
- 1/2 of a medium onion, finely chopped
- Two cloves of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup flour
- Two eggs, beaten
- Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
- Two tablespoons of chopped fresh dill
- One tablespoon of olive oil
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for one minute. Then, add the spinach and cook another minute, or until it wilts. Allow the mixture to cool.
In a separate bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients together. Then, add the onion mixture. Blend everything together with your hands, breaking up any large chunks of tuna.
Scoop the mixture out using a cookie scoop, and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the meatballs turn golden brown.
8. Endive Leaves With Ricotta Cheese
This is one of those easy snack ideas that only looks fussy and elegant. When eaten raw, endives aren’t exactly bursting with flavor. Yet, their bland profile is exactly what makes them such an ideal vehicle for delicious dips and toppings!
To make this snack, start with two endives. Cut the ends off and separate the leaves. While you may have a few small ones, choose around 10 of the largest ones, and spread them on a platter.
Spread a generous dollop of ricotta cheese on the bottom third of each endive leaf. While you can start munching on this snack right away, you can take it over the edge by whipping up an easy blend of nuts and berries to sprinkle on top.
The blend comes together in minutes, and uses the following ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of dried cranberries or raisins
- 1/4 cup of roasted almonds, finely chopped
- Two tablespoons of minced red pepper
- One tablespoon of minced green onion (or chives)
- 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon of honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For a slightly more savory taste, swap the honey for a drizzle of balsamic reduction. You can also add a splash of hot sauce if you want a little kick! Mix everything together and add on top of the ricotta.
9. Kale Chips
It’s no secret that kale has been having a moment for quite a while. Another one of those oft-heralded superfoods, it’s loaded with fiber, as well as antioxidants and other nutrients. Plus, it’s a great source of minerals, including calcium.
Yet, you might not exactly daydream about feasting on a bowl of plain, raw kale. Though it makes a great salad blend, kale can be a little bitter on its own, with a texture that isn’t as supple or buttery as other types of leafy greens, like bib lettuce.
It’s this texture that makes kale taste wonderful when baked into a chip! The addition of olive oil makes it a little more balanced and filling, while the salt gives it a punch of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- One cup of kale leaves, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Mix everything in a big bowl, being careful to stir the kale gently so you don’t break the leaves. Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes.
When the edges of the kale start turning golden brown and looking crispy, go ahead and take the chips out. They can burn easily, and will continue to bake slightly as they cool.
10. Chia Pudding
Let’s round out this list of snack ideas for weight loss with a total nutritional powerhouse: the ever-mighty chia seed! Filled to the brim with omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based protein, and a ton of fiber, they’re easy to add to both sweet and savory dishes.
In chia pudding, they move from the supporting role to the lead star. While the seeds themselves don’t have much flavor, they transform into a unique, jelly-like texture when you soak them in water.
This makes them an excellent base for pudding, which you can make with just these ingredients:
- One tablespoon of chia seeds
- 1/2 cup of mixed berries
- 1/3 cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- One tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder
Combine the chia seeds and milk in a small jar, and cover it. Put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to thicken up. Then, stir in the cocoa powder and honey.
Top with the mixed berries, and enjoy! You can swap the cocoa powder for peanut butter if you prefer a slightly different taste. This makes a great snack at breakfast, but is also the perfect mid-day pick-me-up!
Try These Healthy Snack Ideas at Home
With a list of healthy snack ideas to reference, you can rest assured that you’ll always have something delicious, nutritious, and filling on hand.
When you make these recipes, you can control the ingredients you put into each one. That way, you know exactly what you’re eating. They’re designed to help you feel your best, maintain your weight, and give you the energy you need to power through the day.
They fit in well with our medically-assisted weight-loss program, designed to help you reach your health goals. They fit in well with our medically-assisted weight-loss program, designed to help you reach your health goals. Find an UnCraveRx provider today to learn more about the services we offer.