Healthy Snacking Tips + Plant-Based Snack Recipes

What snacks are the healthiest options for fueling your day? Check out this expert guide to healthy snacking tips + plant-based snack recipes to make the most of your daily snacks.

The Evolution of Snacking

From nibbling while you work at your desk, to noshing while you scroll through your social media feed or sit down to binge your favorite TV show, there are just so many opportunities that call out for snacking! Indeed, studies show we are snacking more than ever in this country. Over 90% of us munch on one to three snacks every day. On average, we consume about 500 calories in snacks per day—that’s almost one-fourth of our daily calorie intake. Given our busy schedules, it’s easy to see how snacking behaviors have evolved over the years. We are fitting more and more into our already overcrowded lifestyles, whether it’s squeezing in a round of pickleball before your work day, running the kids to soccer practice after school, or accommodating a video conference meeting after hours. To top it off, we are eating more of our meals outside of the dining room—grabbing a burrito in the bedroom while playing computer games with friends, dipping into some chips and dip while streaming a movie, or sipping a smoothie after hitting the gym. All of these changes in snacking have created a dramatic shift in the way we eat; we are swapping out three square meals a day at the dining room table for lots of snacks that are essentially mini-meals. 

Bad Snacking Behavior

What’s wrong with our latest snacking behaviors? Unfortunately, it can add up to a disastrous impact on our diet and health. It’s not the actual act of snacking that’s the problem—many people find that a small healthy snack between meals can help fight off energy slumps and hunger pangs to avoid overeating or visits to the vending machine later on. It’s more about which foods we are choosing to snack on. Sadly, most of us aren’t making the best choices for snacks; research shows that the most popular snacks are high in added sugars, fats, and refined carbohydrates. Why the poor snack choices? We often think of snacking as a treat—something to indulge in or to boost energy between meals. But when snacks became one-fourth of our daily intake, they are no longer little indulgences or energy enhancements—they become the fabric of our overall nutritional intake for the day. If you load up on low-nutrient options—fried chips, refined snack crackers, sugary cookies and soda—you are missing out on the opportunity to fuel your body with the nutrition it needs. So, it’s time to reconsider how those snack choices can make an impact on your health. 

Healthy Snacking Tips

In order to meet your nutrient needs for the day, each snack matters. Follow these tips for healthy snacking:

#1: Aim for your snack to contribute at least two servings of the following food groups: 

• Protein (such as beans, nuts, edamame)
• Whole Grains (whole wheat crackers, cooked brown rice, or whole grain cereal)
• Vegetables (snap peas, asparagus, tomatoes)
• Fruit (banana, orange, apple)

#2: Choose more whole, minimally processed foods over refined foods. That means:

• Whole wheat bread instead of cake-like muffins 
• Whole grain crackers instead of refined grain crackers 
• Piece of fruit instead of a fruit drink  
• Trail mix instead of oatmeal raisin cookies
• Smoothie made with fruits and vegetables instead of sugary beverages

#3: Make snacks moderate in calories. Unless you have really high energy needs (you’re an athlete), most people only need a simple snack of about 150 calories to bust their hunger. Try these small snacks:

• Small banana with 2 teaspoons peanut butter (152 calories)
• ½ cup soy yogurt with 1/4 cup berries (146 calories)
• Whole wheat toast slice with 1 tablespoon tahini (158 calories)

#4: Cut back at mealtime. If you are enjoying regular snacks, you’ll probably need to make your meals a little smaller to hit your target nutritional value for the day. Enjoy a smaller, balanced meal that includes healthful protein sources, plenty of vegetables, a whole grain, and fruit for dessert.

#5: Be mindful. It’s easy to over-consume snack foods when you’re distracted with activities like TV or social media. Here are some tips to be more engaged with your snacking behavior:

#6: Portion out your snack on a plate or bowl instead of eating directly out of a large box or bag.

#7: Take a few moments to enjoy the visual, aroma, and taste appeal of your snack. 

#8: Allow about 20 minutes after eating your snack for your brain to catch up. 

A Nutrition Trifecta for Snacking

What is the nutritional equation for healthful snacking to stave off hunger? Make sure it has these three key nutrients to calm your growling tummy:

• Protein. Aim for a serving of protein (about 7 grams). Try hummus, almonds, or pumpkin seeds. 
• Fiber. Choose foods that contain at least 3 grams of fiber, such as roasted chickpeas, pears, or sunflower seeds.
• Healthy Fats. Add a small amount of healthy fat—nut or seed butter, olives, avocado, extra virgin olive oil—to help you feel fuller for longer. 

Here are some examples of simple snacks that come naturally packaged with protein, fiber, and healthy fats: 

• Nuts or seeds
• Trail mix
• Yogurt with chia seeds
• Hummus with veggies

Ditch these Snacking Mistakes

Master your snacking by avoiding common pitfalls. 

• Open your mind to snack foods; think beyond packaged foods like nutrition bars, snack chips, and fish crackers. What about kale salad with sunflower seeds, or oatmeal porridge with pistachios?
• Don’t fall prey to the vending machine or breakroom donut box. Pack your own snacks—trail mix, bags of nuts, dried fruit—for a healthy option to quell your hunger.
• Skip the convenience store and try a supermarket. Thank goodness grocery stores now offer a multitude of freshly made snack options that you can grab and go, from sandwiches to salads to grain bowls. 

Watch out for Bothersome Snack Ingredients

The key to healthful snacking is to avoid low-nutrient foods. Here are some ways to be a better judge of your snack choice. 

• Read product labels. Looks can be deceiving when it comes to ingredients in food products. Read the ingredients label to see what’s hiding in your food, from added sugars in yogurt to sodium in vegetable juice. 
• Know your sugars. Beware of added sugars, such as corn syrup, cane sugar, and dextrose in a variety of foods. 
• Look out for refined grains. If you see enriched wheat flour on the ingredient list, that means it contains refined flour. Instead, look for whole wheat flour, or other types of whole grain ingredients, such as oats, quinoa, or brown rice.  

Try These 10 Plant-Based Healthy Snack Recipes

Now you’re ready to plunge into a world of healthful snacks, packed with flavor and nutrition. Think beyond the chip bag with these snack ideas:

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