Healthy Snack Ideas - List of Healthy Snacks
Our healthy snack ideas give you delicious, quick snacks you can eat on the go.There's always a point in the day when it's too early for dinner but your stomach won’t stop rumbling.
Your natural instinct might be to grab a packet of chips or a chocolate bar. But snacking on these foods that contain salt, fat and sugar is bad for your health and can pile on the pounds. Swapping unhealthy snacks for some healthier alternatives can really help to improve your diet. Healthy snack ideas are nutritious and low-fat. They're a great way of getting more protein, fruit or vegetables into your daily diet. The most important thing to remember is portion size – a snack should be enough to satisfy your appetite without leaving you feeling bloated.
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A handful of nuts or seeds, one egg or two plain oatcakes are all a good snack size. It’s easy to get carried away once you start eating so you need to make sure you keep portion sizes under control. If you're having fruit or vegetables, one portion of your five servings a day is a good snack size. If you’ve made a batch of vegetable stew or ratatouille the night before, a small bowlful makes a great snack the next day. Keep a small bowl or plate handy that’s reserved just for snacking so you can use it as a portion guide.
Just because a snack is healthy doesn’t mean it has to be boring! There are plenty of tasty foods that you can nibble on that won’t add to your waistline. Try some of our Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss. The great thing about healthy snacks is that they're easy to carry around in a plastic box. Try taking a healthy snack with you in the car or to the office so you’re not tempted to buy something unhealthy when you’re out of the house. Any snack needs to be quick and easy to prepare. Below are lots of healthy snack ideas that can prepared in a few minutes – great for when you’re in a rush in the morning. There are also some snacks that take a little more preparation – try making a batch that will last for a few days, then you'll always have a nutritious snack ready.
Healthy Snack Ideas – quick and easy to prepare- Chop a mix of different types of fruit to make a small fruit salad – apples, bananas, oranges, grapes and pears go well together
- Try a mix of cubed tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapples, peaches, passion fruit, lychees or kiwis
- A handful of mixed berries like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries are sweet and juicy
- Dried fruit is a great source of fibre – try a mixture of chopped dried apricots, dates, prunes and raisins
- Add protein to fruit for a more sustaining snack – slice up a small apple and have with a few thin slices of cheese
- Fruit smoothies are light and delicious – blend a small, chopped banana, 1 tablespoon of porridge oats (oatmeal) and 1 cup/200ml non-fat (skimmed) milk together
- Grate a small carrot and mix in a handful of seeds – pumpkin or sunflower work well. Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of balsamic vinegar as a healthy alternative to salad dressing
- Cut up lots of raw vegetables into sticks and keep in the fridge so they 2-3 days – as well as the usual carrot and cucumber sticks, try red pepper, courgette (zucchini), baby sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, fennel, radishes and mange tout for some tasty variation
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- Mash up a tin of sardines and add the juice of half a lemon. Have a third of the mixture on an oatcake as a snack
- A handful of nuts such as almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews and peanuts are good but always make sure you have the unsweetened and unsalted variety. Try toasting some nuts in a hot pan (no oil needed) for a minute or so to give them a fuller flavour
- Seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame are also great toasted. Make sure you keep an eye on them as they scorch easily
- Make a batch of guacamole that will last for 3 snack servings - mash up an avocado with the juice of 1 lemon, a crushed clove of garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes. Try it as a dip with vegetable sticks or on an oatcake.
Healthy Snack Ideas: a little preparation needed, but well worth the extra effort- Roast vegetables are tasty hot or cold. Place cubes of butternut squash, courgette, aubergine, sweet potato, pepper or mushroom on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in the oven for half an hour.
- Savoury mushrooms - take 1 large mushroom and spread with a teaspoon of pesto then bake for 15 minutes.
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- Make some mini kebabs – cut a chicken breast into cubes then marinade in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce mixed with the juice of 1 lime for 10 to 30 minutes. Thread two cubes of chicken and two cherry tomatoes onto small kebab sticks then cook in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them halfway through. These work well hot or cold.
- Make kebabs as above but use different ingredients – the chicken can be replaced with cubes of turkey or pork, or with king prawns. Small mushrooms or squares of red pepper work well instead of cherry tomatoes, or to replace the meat altogether as a vegetarian option.
- Heat a drop of sunflower oil in a frying pan then add a small handful of chopped mushrooms and a crushed clove of garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and eat on a slice of wholemeal toast
- Make some mini meatballs - combine minced lamb with 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a crushed garlic clove. Use a teaspoon to separate the mixture into small balls, place on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Have three as a snack – serve with a few chopped salad leaves or dip in a little plain yoghurt if you fancy
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- Falafel taste delicious – Dice 1 onion and soften in a frying pan for 10 minutes with a crushed garlic clove and a little oil. Mash 2 cups/400g drained canned chickpeas together with the onion and garlic. Add 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds and 1 tablespoon all-purpose (plain) flour. Roll the mixture into small balls then cook under the grill for 10 minutes. Have three as a tasty snack.
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- Eggs are a great source of protein and can be cooked in lots of different ways. To make a mini omelette, beat an egg, heat a little sunflower oil in a small frying pan then cook the egg for 5 – 10 minutes until just solid.
- Poach an egg by boiling a pan of water and adding a drop of vinegar. Gently crack in an egg then allow the water to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes until the egg has set. Have on a small slice of wholemeal toast.
- Boiled eggs are great snacks too – for a soft boiled egg, boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Eat with a slice of toast cut into strips or a few cooked asparagus stems. To hard boil an egg, boil for 8 to 10 minutes then drench with cold water until cool. Slice and serve with chopped tomato or some salad leaves.
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