Let’s be honest, we’re lazy. We don’t want to have to take the time to make meals and snacks, so we reach for convenience foods, prepackaged items, or hit the vending machines. The problem is that these foods leave us feeling unsatisfied, often with more cravings, and we are starving an hour later.

Here are some of my favorite snacks that require animal effort and preparation. They can be used as snacks or mini meals, as they are well balanced and designed to support a healthy metabolism. These snack options offer protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you feeling fuller for longer and to stabilize look sugars.

 

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1. Avocado Toast

1 thin-sliced piece of Dave’s Killer Bread or a gluten free bread with ¼ cup of guacamole or mashed avocado, topped with tomato slices and a dash of Himalayan sea salt

Nutrition: 120 Calories, 6.5g Fat, 15g Carbohydrate, 5.5g Fiber, 2g Sugar, 4g Protein, 100mg Sodium

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2. Yogurt Parfait

½ cup of full-fat plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of fresh organic berries and a dash of cinnamon

Nutrition: 131 Calories, 6g Fat, 10g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 8g Sugar, 10g Protein, 40mg Sodium

Close view of a fresh celery stalk with natural peanut butter on a white background.

3. Celery and Almond Butter

2 stalks of celery spread with 2 tbsp. of almond butter

Nutrition: 192 Calories, 16g Fat, 9g Carbohydrate, 5g Fiber, 2g Sugar, 8g Protein, 64mg Sodium

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4. Deviled Eggs

2 deviled eggs filled with 2 tbsp. of hummus or guacamole (see recipe here)

Nutrition: 84 Calories, 3g Fat, 5g Carbohydrate, 2g Fiber, .5g Sugar, 10g Protein, 223mg Sodium

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5. Hummus and Vegetables

1 cup of fresh veggies such as carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, parsnips, or bell peppers with ¼ cup hummus for dipping (hummus recipe here)

Nutrition: 195 Calories, 13g Fat, 18g Carbohydrate, 6g Fiber, 5g Sugar, 6g Protein, 281mg Sodium

cottage cheese peaches

6. Cottage Cheese and Peaches

½ cup of 2% or full-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup of fresh peach slices (or canned in light syrup and drained)

Nutrition: 116 Calories, 3g Fat, 14g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 5g Sugar, 10g Protein, 344mg Sodium

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7. Almond Butter Rice Cake

1 rice cake topped with 2 tbsp. of raw almond butter and apple slices, sprinkled with cinnamon

Nutrition: 265 Calories, 16g Fat, 27g Carbohydrate, 6g Fiber, 13g Sugar, 6g Protein, 0mg Sodium

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8. Nuts

¼ cup of raw, unsalted nuts (almonds, cashews, pecan, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)

Nutrition: 170 Calories, 15g Fat, 7g Carbohydrate, 4g Fiber, 1g Sugar, 6g Protein, 0mg Sodium

Rice Cake w: Tuna

9. Open Faced Tuna Sandwich

1 rice cake topped with ½ cup of white albacore tuna packed in water, salt, pepper, and mustard. Topped with tomato slices

Nutrition: 115 Calories, 1g Fat, 9g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 2g Sugar, 18g Protein, 180mg Sodium

Organic Apples and Peanut Butter to Snack on

10. Apple and Almond Butter

1 small gala apple (2 ½” diameter), sliced with 2 tbsp. of raw almond butter

Nutrition: 230 Calories, 16g Fat, 20g Carbohydrate, 6g Fiber, 12g Sugar, 7g Protein, 0mg Sodium

Applesauce

11. Applesauce

½ cup of unsweetened applesauce, sprinkled with cinnamon

Nutrition: 50 Calories, 0g Fat, 13g Carbohydrate, 2g Fiber, 9g Sugar, 0g Protein, 10mg Sodium

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12. Deli meat roll ups

3 slices of nitrate-nitrite free deli meat, 3 tbsp. of red pepper hummus, and ½ cup of spinach leaves

129 Calories, 4g Fat, 8g Carbohydrate, 2g Fiber, 0g Sugar, 15g Protein, 500mg Sodium

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13. Pumpkin Yogurt Dip

½ cup of Pumpkin yogurt (recipe here) with 1 small gala apple (2 ½” diameter), sliced

Nutrition: 225 Calories, 11g Fat, 24g Carbohydrate, 5g Fiber, 15g Sugar, 4g Protein, 60mg Sodium

Cucumber spring rolls with soft cheese, parsley and red bell pepper on white plate

14. Zucchini and Hummus Pinwheels

Thin sliced zucchini spread with hummus and bell peppers (see recipe here)

Nutrition: 70 Calories, 4g Fat, 7g Carbohydrate, 2g Fiber, 1g Sugar, 2g Protein, 164mg Sodium

chocolate bars

15. Dark Chocolate

1 ounce of 80-90% cocoa dark chocolate squares

Nutrition: 120 Calories, 11g Fat, 15g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 3g Sugar, 2g Protein, 100mg Sodium

A scoop of chocolate whey isolate protein isolated on white background

16. Protein shake

1 scoop of plant based protein powder (I use Vega One), 1 cup of spinach leaves, 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseed, ½ cup frozen or fresh organic berries, 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Nutrition: 322 Calories, 14g Fat, 32g Carbohydrate, 12g Fiber, 16g Sugar, 20g Protein, 230mg Sodium

I hope these ideas have inspired you to want to snack healthier! If you have questions or suggestions please reach out and contact me.

 

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