When first adopting a paleo diet, breakfast tends to be the hardest meal. Lunch? Chicken and salad....
25 Healthy Snack Ideas
Snacking to me is as important as breathing is to... well... everyone. It's a must, not a 'nice to have'.
In a previous life when I ate a paleo diet I tried to stick to 2-3 large meals a day and cut out snacks, but that was hard.
Now that my diet has shifted (I'm reluctant to label it but my best try would be a gluten-free, whole foods approach) I've decided to also throw out rules like 'reduce snacking'.
And luckily I get to indulge in snacking right now, being 19 weeks pregnant. I'm not experiencing any morning sickness anymore, but when I did (weeks 6-14) I effectively stopped eating regular meals and started snacking 8-10 times a day to help with nausea. As a result, it was more important than ever to have lots of small, easy-to-prep snacks throughout the day.
Here's my list of favourites.
Easy
- Apple wedges with nut butter (1-2 tablespoons)
- Whole fruit – oranges, bananas, frozen grapes, melon, berries
- Carrot sticks and hummus
- Plain popcorn
- Mixed nuts – raw and unsalted (I love macadamias and Brazil nuts)
- Vegetable crisps
- Hard boiled eggs
- Smoothies – my go-to is my Avocado & Blueberry Power Smoothie
- Protein bars/balls – I love Kind bars
- Olives
- Mashed avocado on toast – I use half an avo with a squeeze of lime juice, then season with cumin, paprika and sea salt
- Rice cakes with sliced tomato
- Dark chocolate – choose one with the highest percentage cacao available. I love Montezuma’s 100% Black Chocolate which is made literally only from cacao – no dairy, sugar or sweeteners added
Preparation needed
These require some prep but can be easily wrapped up and taken on the go. I spend a few hours each weekend making 3-4 of these to eat during the week. Many also double as great breakfasts – like the zucchini slice, granola (with milk of your choice, I have almond) and chia puddings.
- Zucchini slice – My popular gluten-free recipe is here
- Chocolate mousse – here's my 3-Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Mousse
- Granola – my recipe is grain-free and gluten-free, but you could add oats or puffed rice to bulk it up while keeping it gluten free. I make a big batch of this once a fortnight and have it with coconut yoghurt and berries
- Healthy meatloaf – my recipe is husband approved! He loves it for breakfast or after a workout
- Chia puddings – my recipe here is easy and delicious. It's also nice as a dessert
- Bliss balls – I love these Choc Peppermint Bliss Balls and these Lime, Coconut & Pistachio Bliss Balls
- Bacon and egg cups – these take literally 5 minutes to prep and are so filling
- Roasted chickpeas
- Fish patties – this is a really easy recipe, I just use almond meal instead of flour so it's gluten-free
- Banana muffins – I use this recipe but make individual portions and cook for half the time
- Vegetable frittatas
- Zucchini and corn fritters
What are your favourite healthy snacks? Do you have any extras to add to the list?
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