100 Healthy Snack Ideas (Real-Food Style!)
In my Pinterest browsing the other day I came across a pin that claimed to be a list of “100 Healthy Snack Ideas”. I was massively disappointed when I clicked on the link only to find over a third of the items to involve unhealthy processed junk with lots of low-fat this and that, and calorie counting. Not at all healthy, in my books.
Here are my criteria for a healthy snack list…
- non-processed (this generally means not from a box or bag, no “ingredient list”, unless I made it myself)
- NOT low-fat / low-calorie
- limit how often we eat fruit
- not heavily reliant on grains (gluten-free for us)
- includes probiotics, lots of healthy fats, raw, high in protein
So, I made my own list and want to share it with you all, because I often find myself in a snack-time rut. This list is going on my fridge and with my meal planning notes, so that I can plan snacks wisely. Oh, and as a bonus, you can combine any number of these things to together to make an easy lunch. A snack tray for lunch is met with cheers (literally) from the under 3-feet-tall crowd in our house.
Bon Appetit!
***
- Almonds & raisins
- Air-popped popcorn with butter and real sea salt
- Raw veggies with hummus
- Apples & peanut butter
- Homemade granola bars (Kitchen Stewardship’s version)
- Mini tuna & cheese lettuce wraps
- Chicken salad lettuce wraps
- Egg Salad lettuce wraps
- Green salad (our all-time favourite dressing is by Katie of Kitchen Stewardship, author of Healthy Snacks to Go)
- Steamed veggies smothered in butter & real sea salt
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Plain yogurt with honey or maple syrup
- Green smoothies
- Herbal tea
- Homemade beef jerky
- Homemade fruit leather
- Applesauce (no sugar added and/or homemade)
- Real sourdough bread with lots of butter
- A piece of (seasonal) fresh fruit
- Fruit salad
- No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
- Homemade hot chocolate
- Homemade chocolate pudding
- Any kind of cheese (except processed, of course!)
- Scrambled or fried egg
- Organic corn chips and lacto-fermented salsa
- Homemade pickles (you can lacto-ferment them for good probiotics)
- Fresh berries & (honey or maple syrup-sweetened) whipped cream
- Ants on a log (celery with PB & raisins)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Nitrate-free deli meat
- Baked apples
- Chocolate avocado pudding
- Homemade granola bars (my own version)
- A cup of homemade chicken bone broth (my kids love this!)
- Homemade “larabars” (get the e-book with tons of larabar recipe variations here)
- Sweet potato fries
- Tuna melts
- Homemade popsicles
- Peanut butter balls
- Mini pizzas (on toast, tortilla, or pita)
- Soaked/baked oatmeal
- Chocolate-Banana smoothie
- Frozen grapes
- Snap peas
- Homemade ice cream
- Coffee Cake
- A mug of soup
- Homemade granola with coconut/almond milk
- Parfait (yogurt, fruit, granola)
- Grain-free muffins
- Homemade Stovetop Kettle Corn
- Homemade trail mix
- Homemade crackers
- Kale chips
- Homemade brittle
- Roasted pumpkin or squash seeds
- Deviled eggs
- Spinach dip
- Simple herbed avocado
- Homemade kettle corn (Recipe to come!)
- Healthy Peppermint Patties
- Homemade potato chips
- Homemade fudge
- Raspberry Poppyseed Muffins
- Roasted asparagus
- Steamed spinach
- Homemade banana bread
- Quinoa pudding
- Dark chocolate
- Dehydrated fruit chips
- Roasted chickpeas
- Nachos and cheese
- Homemade crackers & PB
- Banana-Walnut Muffins
- Crackers & pate (grass-fed organic livers are amazing super foods!)
- Organic raw sweet peppers
- Fruit & Veggie dip
- Homemade milkshakes
- Cold lentil salad
- Green apples and homemade caramel sauce
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries
- Cold leftover pancakes (my kids love ‘em!)
- Meatballs with marinara for dipping
- Bacon-wrapped asparagus, water chestnuts, or scallops
- Cold fried chicken
- Dried anchovies
- Chickpea and bean salad
- Vegetable juice
- Banana boats
- Baked beans
- Dried dates
- Egg muffins
- Quesadilla bites
- Cream cheese & salsa mini-wraps
- Spiced Crispy Nuts
- Rice pudding
- Sandwich bites
- Guacamole
- Honey-Sesame Candy
{*I haven’t personally tried all of these recipes, though the sites that I linked to I trust to be healthy and usually quite good in terms of recipe success. Also – many of these items on the list are only as healthy as you make them – remember the criteria above!}
Also, check out my Recipes page to see all of the recipes that I’ve posted so far!
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Hello,
This seems like a generally good list, I’d probably steer clear of butter and bacon, but life in moderation. i followed a clean vegan lifestyle and felt great, but since being in school have become just a vegetarian, but still think it makes all of the difference. For those remarking on the unhealthy fats on this list, I agree, but I also think Beth is coming from more of a ‘natural’ stance rather than a low calorie/low fat stance. However, I am a huge fruit/carb(gluten free carbs) advocate, but love some of the ideas!
Everyone should try avocadoes with a bit of lime juice and salt!!!! It is sooo good and easy!!!!! Also it helps strengthen your immune system!!! It’s a win win!!!!(:
I just wanted to say thank you for this list. Sometimes it’s so hard to come up with healthy grain-free snacks. I’m actually posting it on my fridge. I have two toddlers and another on the way… I need snacks throughout the day and just don’t have a lot of time.
Thanks again!
You are totally welcome! I hope it helps you out. I understand being pregnant and always hungry
Love the frozen grapes! I snack on those all summer long. Refreshing and healthy! Enjoying your list, I’m making a few copies to give to friends, and family members to post on their refridgerators and desks! Thanks again for this list, I’m looking forward to trying a few of these a week. Actually I’m getting ready to make baked apples and have a cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon while they’re baking!
How fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed my list. Thanks for passing it on, too!
Your snack sounds yummy!
I am so glad I came across this list. I am trying to become more fit and healthy and this has given me some great snack ideas! Thank you so much
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is super helpful! Thank you. My husband and I just switched to a gluten free/zero processed foods diet about 5 weeks ago & while it’s very easy to do at home and in our city (Portland), we had a lot of trouble when we traveled out of town two weeks ago. If anything it was encouragement to keep doing what we are doing because after two days of not eating how we have been it took us about 3 days to feel “normal” again! I will be referring to this list for our next trip!!
Thank you Beth,It’s always difficult coming up with a healthy snack that’s from the norm’….I have two boys and they always say i’m hungry no matter what time of day or what they just ate for Breakfast,Lunch or dinner….hahaha Children.
Yup! My 4-year-old son has a t-shirt with a picture of a shark, and it says “always hungry”! haha!
@twitter-395454626:disqus , EXACTLY MY THOUGHTS. As a registered dietician, please for everyone’s sake, refrain from making these lists. For your own health sake, lay off the butter, bacon, and refined sugars & stop trying to give fruit such a bad rap.
Thanks so much for sharing your opinion, naive as it may be. I (and many others) vehemently reject the propaganda of the government regarding what is defined as healthy. Since I am entitled to my opinion, and since I own this space on the ol’ internet, I shall indeed continue to post healthy eating ideas and discussions, and are welcome to join in. I invite you to do a little research first… check out the article link I posted in a comment above, for starters.
While I do not disagree with you Beth, I am just curious why you find “lay off the butter, bacon, and refined sugars & stop trying to give fruit such a bad rap” government propaganda? I think what she’s trying to say is that you don’t need to jump on the bandwagon of all these fad diets, but rather just make better choices when it comes to food! More plants (yes, fruit), less processed junk and deep fried anything.
As a graduate student in clinical nutrition and health promotion and education, yes, I know what the research is regarding fat types and no, saturated fat is not such the bad guy we once thought. But, as “polite” and “mature” as you’re trying to make yourself seem, you should also realize that you seem to have also fallen for some health “information” popularized by today’s society. Be sure to do some solid research on the gluten-free diet, taking into account the confounding factors (you’re eliminating nearly all processed, restaurant and fast food by going gluten free — of course you’re going to feel better and potentially lose weight!) and the strength of the research (double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial?).
Also, purely my own personal opinion, good list. I’m a huge believer in “all foods fit”, in moderation, so I like seeing butter and bacon on the list
seriously, in what world is bacon and “smothered in butter” EVER healthy??? unless you’re a registered dietitian or licensed nutritionist with some weird new findings, I’d probs lay off writing lists of “healthy” snacks. some of the things were awesome and definitely healthy, likewise a lot of it needs to be axed
Danielle – thanks so much for your humble and kind response. I am sure that you are simply a victim of government propaganda on healthy eating, so I won’t bother being offended by your naive criticism. If you want to learn the truth about healthy fats and protein, feel free to check out the link I posted to another commenter below – Why I Eat a High Fat Diet, then feel free to come back and share your thoughts.
This is a great list. I like how it runs the gamut from quinoa pudding and lettuce wraps to cold pancakes and chocolate dipped strawberries. Something for everyone!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
I really did. I even dropped a link into my latest post:
http://www.mannythemanny.com/post/29052137452/ask-manny-where-do-i-start-with-my-stepsons-video
This is a GREAT list. Thanks for posting!
Thank you so much for making this website. i am seventeen and recently started this beyond strict diet to repair my body from Lyme disease. Although i wasn’t a fan of eating so healthy in the beginning, restricting processed food and eating organically has helped a lot so far and i just read above about 100 snacks that i most likely will be able to try (finally!) this will be a big help(:
That’s great that it’s helping you already! Good luck with your continued recovery
How is butter a healthy fat?
Check out this post that I wrote on Why I Eat a High-Fat Diet… http://redandhoney.com/2011/05/why-i-eat-a-high-fat-diet-and-why-i-think-you-should-too/
apples diced up with a couple of spoonfuls of vanilla honey greek yogurt and pecans yummy
mmm, sounds yummy!!
I JUST saw that list, and googled “real food” healthy snack list and found this one!! Thanks!!
Edamame is my 3 year old’s FAVORITE! Love the list for other great ideas, Thanks!
Edamame is one of our favorites! Just steam in the microwave or a little water on the stove and sea salt. My 3 year old loves them, it may be the fun of squirting them out of the pod, but I am ok with that. They are packed with protein!
Hi Shawnda,
I used to enjoy edamame as well, but have learned about the dangers of soy, which we now avoid entirely, other than small amounts of fermented soy (like tamari soy sauce). Here’s an article if you’re interested…
http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/
These were some great suggestions. Next fall, I’ll be returning to college for my second year, and I’m looking for some unprocessed snacks to take to school with me. I have no access to Walmart or a grocery store, and it’s so hard to find food that will stay good in my room and be delicious AND be health (most importantly). I’ll definitely be bringing a lot of these foods with me next fall, so I’m not snacking on nasty food like Goldfish and Doritos.
What is the Tuna and cheese lettuce wraps??
The lettuce wraps are pretty easy – not really a “recipe” per say – I just make tuna salad or egg salad or whatever, as per usual, and plop it into a big lettuce leaf, wrap it all up and eat it. Basically just using a lettuce leaf instead of a bread-type wrap. It’s really yummy!
You have made my LIFE by showing me that sourdough bread is a healthy snack. I am the happiest camper now.
Haha! That’s great! Just make sure that it’s REAL sourdough – made at home and not the stuff from stores, which is not true sourdough. The GNOWFLGINS blog has an excellent e-book about sourdough and making your own starter and everything
Great list!!! Do you have a good recipe for homemade granola bars?
I’m just about to post one in the next day or so! Stay tuned
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 puréed dried figs (that have been soaked)
2 egg whites
Tsp vanilla extract
*mix these ingredients together then add…
2 cups granola ( your choice of mix)
1/2 cup of raisins
*side note: I added a 1/4 cup of goji berries
Here is my recipe: http://redandhoney.com/2012/05/healthy-homemade-granola-bars-recipe/
I wouldn’t personally consider sugar and wheat flour to be real healthy ingredients, although it would be healthier than what you buy in the stores at least.
What’s the recipe for egg salad lettuce wraps?
I don’t really use a recipe – it’s just egg salad (boiled eggs mashed up with mayo, s&p) wrapped in a piece of lettuce, just like you’d use a regular wrap. make sense?
This list made me hungry! I need to be better at providing non-processed snacks for my kids… I used to do pretty well when I was a stay-at-home mom, but after my divorce and going back to work I’ve slacked.
It sure can be tough… I find it difficult too and I wrote the darn list, ha!
Great list – thanks for posting! I could do much better I know — but the applesauce one I loved. I have never understood why they add sugar to applesauce!! And I also loved the veggies in butter — I’m a fan of real butter. I’m not sure why people eat that fake stuff.
It is so sad that people actually believe margarine is better for them, since butter tastes SO much better and is so healthy! (Margarine is horrible for you!!)
I would be intrigued to see recipes for the quinoa pudding (we recently discovered quinoa with the start of our gluten-free journey, and LOVE it) and the chocolate avocado pudding (neither my son nor o were all that impressed by avocado when I started introducing hm to solids, but everything deserves a second chance, right?). Also, the homemade. Potato chips… how do you make them? I’m familiar with homemade french fries, but am not sure how to go about doing homemade potato chips.
Thank you for the list… I am hoping to make some homemade larabars if I can get some dates in the budget this month.
This is the quinoa pudding recipe we tried. It wasn’t our favourite, but I’m not giving up the search just yet! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-pudding/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=quinoa%20pudding&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
As for the avocado pudding – just mash up your avocados, add cocoa powder, honey, and coconut oil, with a bit of sea salt. The smoother you can get it the better (we used a hand blender). It tastes like a really rich chocolate pudding!
And lastly homemade potato chips – there are a ton of recipes online, but this one looks fabulous! (the key is making sure you use a healthy traditional oil with a high smoke point, like lard or tallow). http://nourishedkitchen.com/homemade-potato-chips/
Kale chips? How do you make these?? (And I love this list!)
You basically just wash and dry the leaves, tear them into chip-sized pieces, toss them with some olive oil and salt and pepper, then bake til crispy but not burnt. If you google it I’m sure you’ll find tons of “recipes”. I wasn’t a big fan of them, but I included them on the list because I know lots of people love them!
I’m up late reading this and realizing I’m starving. It is a mouth-watering list at midnight! I will have to try some of these tomorrow. Yumma.
Haha, yeah, it’s a dangerous thing to read about food when you’re already hungry!
Oh Beth, thank you! Sometimes just seeing a list helps so much more in buying & preparing throughout the day/week. These are so wholesome & I’m more than willing to have them on hand for say; the 1000+ times snacks & small meals are requested.. ( ok throughout the year
I’m glad it will be helpful to you
lots of great snack ideas Beth! I just made up a list of snacks a couple of weeks ago and these are some things that we like; frozen fruit & veggies, smoothie pops, and raw kabobs are fun (veggies, cheese, cooked meat, fruit), Leftover pancakes w/ Jam, Maple syrup kettle corn/nut mix, Bananas and Yogurt Dip (w/ honey & cinnamon or strawberry puree), & Fruit pudding (basically berries cooked down w/ a little honey)
The girls also love these two recipes:
http://thismama.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/the-give-away-winner-and-a-couple-of-recipes/
http://thismama.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/almondwalnut-macaroons/
Thanks for all the ideas!
raw kabobs… I think my kids would love that! we do a maple syrup kettle corn as well, and it is so good.
thanks for the recipes, too!
Wow! 100 healthy snack ideas. That’s quite a list. My favorite is chocolate dipped strawberries. Thanks for sharing.
chocolate-dipped strawberries is a definite treat, but oh so yummy!
Amazing! Thank you! And now I will be pinning this.
Thanks! It’s already been re-pinned over a hundred times (I pinned it too). Wow!