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

1. Apple wedges with nut butter (1-2 tablespoons)
2. Whole fruit – oranges, bananas, frozen grapes, melon, berries
3. Carrot sticks and hummus
4. Plain popcorn
5. Mixed nuts – raw and unsalted (I love macadamias and Brazil nuts)
6. Vegetable crisps
7. Hard boiled eggs
8. Smoothies – my go-to is my Avocado & Blueberry Power Smoothie
9. Protein bars/balls – I love Kind bars
10. Olives
11. Mashed avocado on toast – I use half an avo with a squeeze of lime juice, then season with cumin, paprika and sea salt
12. Rice cakes with sliced tomato 
13. 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.

1. Zucchini slice – My popular gluten-free recipe is here
2. Chocolate mousse – here's my 3-Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Mousse
3. 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
4. Healthy meatloaf – my recipe is husband approved! He loves it for breakfast or after a workout
5. Chia puddings – my recipe here is easy and delicious. It's also nice as a dessert
6. Bliss balls – I love these Choc Peppermint Bliss Balls and these Lime, Coconut & Pistachio Bliss Balls
7. Bacon and egg cups – these take literally 5 minutes to prep and are so filling
8. Roasted chickpeas 
9. Fish patties – this is a really easy recipe, I just use almond meal instead of flour so it's gluten-free
10. Banana muffins  – I use this recipe but make individual portions and cook for half the time
11. Vegetable frittatas
12. Zucchini and corn fritters

What are your favourite healthy snacks? Do you have any extras to add to the list?