25 Healthy Snacks

Is it only two hours after breakfast and your stomach is the chattiest in the room? Why not grab a snack? Eating small meals or snacks throughout the day is said to help boost metabolism and burn calories (as well as helping to quiet your stomach). As a result, eating smaller, more frequent meals may be ideal for healthy weight maintenance or even for weight loss. Of course, it is also possible to eat too frequently, so be careful not to overdo it.

Ignoring your stomach is one option, but if you choose to feed it - do yourself a favor and make a healthy choice. A choice you will not regret the moment you have swallowed your last bite. It is a good idea to keep your kitchen stocked with several healthy snacks. That way you have something healthy in reach when you are hungry for a sweet treat or something salty or spicy. Rather than grabbing greasy potato chips or a fatty doughnut, try one of these snacks. These healthy snacks are all vegetarian friendly and many of them are vegan friendly.

Looking for sweet and sour? Rather than sucking on hardened clumps of artificially flavored sugar (known as candy on the streets), try grabbing some berries for a refreshing snack.

Berries are high in antioxidants and whether you choose strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries, you are sure to get a decent dose of vitamin C. Strawberries rank the highest, with 160% per cup (sliced). If you are looking for a low calorie snack, you will be delighted to know that one cup of berries will range from 53 calories for sliced strawberries to 84 calories for blueberries.

Berries contain iron, dietary fiber, protein, Omega-3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, and an assortment of vitamins.

You are not limited to the most common types of berries, as there is a wide variety ranging from acai berries to young berries. Buffalo berry, anyone?

Kale chips have become a popular snacking choice among foodies. They are packed with nutrients and only take a few minutes to prepare. Eat a serving of these healthy chips and you'll walk away feeling accomplished, rather than guilty.

One cup of kale is only 33 calories! Kale has Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Hummus is a good source of protein and dietary fiber and pairs well with veggies. You can make your own hummus and experiment with creating different flavors. If you like a bit of spice, add cayenne pepper to your hummus. Roasted red pepper hummus is a popular choice with a nice flavor. You can even use black beans rather than garbanzo beans to create a unique flavor.

Grapes really seem to enhance the flavor of almonds, making them an excellent pair.

Almonds are an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6 fatty acids, and vitamin E. Grapes are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Nuts are a great option for snacking, especially if you're trying to rid yourself of hunger pangs. Many nuts, though, are roasted in oils. Nuts already have plenty of fat, and oil is not a whole food.

I buy raw nuts and create my own mixture. I've found raw peanuts on Amazon and am blessed to have a Trader Joe's nearby, where I buy raw cashews, walnuts, and pecans. They have other options as well, such as raw almonds.

If you really want to be a nutty nutritional superstar, load the mixture with walnuts. I could write a page on how healthy they are (maybe I will).

If they taste weird to you at first without all the extra salt and oil, give it a minute. Before you know it, your taste buds will adjust and they'll taste perfectly fine - and your body will thank you!

Oh yes! Dark chocolate is on the list. Besides being worthy of hiding from others, dark chocolate is high in iron and rich in antioxidants. When selecting chocolate, check the ingredients list to ensure sugar is not listed first. Opt for at least 70% cocoa content, if possible.

If you're craving something salty, grab a handful of pistachios. Pistachios are a good source of iron, protein, and dietary fiber. They contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

If you're in the mood for a frozen treat, frozen grapes may do the trick. As their name suggests, they're grapes... only frozen. Grapes are a good source of vitamin C and vitamin K. Ten grapes only contain 34 calories.

After much consideration, I have decided to share my family recipe.

1. Wash grapes
2. Place grapes in your freezer for several hours

You are welcome.

Juicy oranges are always a nice treat. Oranges are known for their high vitamin C content, and for a good reason. One cup of orange slices will provide you 160% of your recommended daily value of vitamin C.

Pecans go great in pies so why not as a snack food? Pecans are a good source of iron, amino acids, and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

No, I'm not suggesting you date a pecan. That would be weird. I'm suggesting you slice a date open stuff it with a pecan. The result? Pecan pie! At least, that's what many of us think it tastes like.

Warning: dates sometimes have bugs or bug droppings. Please inspect the interior of the date before inserting the pecan.

Dates are a high calorie food, so don't eat too many of these mini pecan pies, or your scale may have a few words for you in the morning! Yet, if it's between a candy bar and one too many mini pecan pies, always choose the latter! Keep eating like this, and the candy bars will soon taste unfavorably to you.

Another salty option is pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas. Of course, you could also eat them unsalted, which would make them even healthier.

If you are only looking for a snack because of boredom, this may be a good option because it takes a little extra work to remove them from their shells.

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of high quality protein, complete with all essential amino acids. They also contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Applesauce is a healthy snack that can be modified a bit. It tastes great with a little cinnamon. It is great cold and arguably even better heated, especially in the winter.

If you want your friends to think you eat applesauce of the highest sophistication, you ought to throw a cinnamon stick in the pot while it is being heated.

Applause is excellent when homemade, and is even appropriate for babies.

Applesauce contains iron and is a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.

While chickpeas are wonderful to make hummus, they are also excellent when roasted. If you are looking for a snack with a gigantic crunch that is sure to create curiosity among others, roasted chickpeas will fit the bill.

Roasted chickpeas are versatile and can be flavored in a variety of ways. If you want a bit of spice, sprinkle them with cayenne pepper before roasting. Garlic powder is a great choice to sprinkle over chickpeas. You can even use cinnamon and nutmeg to flavor your chickpeas.

Dehydrated fruit is excellent to keep on hand at all times, considering fresh fruit does not last long. The process of dehydrating fruit does not cause fruit to lose many of its nutrients.

If you purchase dehydrated fruit, check to ensure sugar hasn't been added. Better yet, consider dehydrating fruit on your own.

Save yourself the calories and avoid oil by pairing your guacamole with veggies rather than nacho chips. Avocado is already a high calorie food, and we definitely don't want to give that up. So this is a delicious compromise.

Which veggies to try? Pick anything with a nice crunch and you can't go wrong! Carrots, raw zucchini, cucumbers, and green peppers are great options.

A sweet, juicy melon is always a nice treat that is low in calories. A cup of melon balls is approximately 50-60 calories. Melon contains iron and an assortment of vitamins. Cantaloupe, for instance, contains 120% of your recommended daily value of vitamin A and 108% of vitamin C.

Chia seeds are loaded with nutritional goodness, so why not include them in your snack collection? This is easily accomplished by turning them into a yummy pudding.

You can make your own pudding quite easily. Combine one part chia seeds to three parts plant-based milk, spice it up, refrigerate overnight, and enjoy!

How to spice it up? You could add a splash of vanilla, some raw cacao powder, and/or cinnamon. If you want them a little sweet, give them a splash of your favorite sweetener - maple syrup is a great option. An even better option? Blend dates with water to create something that tastes a lot like brown sugar. Yummy!

Popcorn is healthy if it is not covered in unhealthy ingredients. Rather than microwave popcorn, air popped popcorn is ideal.

Popcorn is 100% whole grain, high in antioxidants, and a good source of dietary fiber. Naked popcorn is only 30 calories per cup.

If you don't like naked popcorn, mist it with olive oil rather than smothering it in butter. A healthy alternative to salt is nutritional yeast, which has a cheesy flavor and is high in vitamin B12.

Apples are a good pick-you-up snack that will help put your hunger to rest. Apples are a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber and rich in antioxidants.

If you want a little variety, sprinkle some cinnamon on your apple or eat it with a bit of peanut butter.

A word of caution: apples are considered a dirty dozen. That means they are one of the twelve produce items with the highest levels of pesticide contamination. A good solution would be to buy organic, if possible.

If you're in the mood for something salty, another healthy option is edamame. Edamame is steamed or boiled soybeans and is fascinatingly high in good quality protein. Edamame is an excellent source of iron, folate, and dietary fiber.

Hold the presses; the good news doesn't stop there! Edamame is packed with an assortment of other vitamins and minerals. Of course, if you can live without salt, omit it and make this an even healthier snack.

Who doesn't love bread??? Anyone? That's right, we all do! The trick here is finding a bread with the right ingredients. For instance, you want to avoid bread with oil. Some good brands to choose from are Ezekiel and Dave's Killer Bread. Check ingredients! Another option is to make your own!

Find a fruit spread with good ingredients - you don't want a lot of added sugar... or any, if you can find it.

You only have one choice to make - do you want to eat it toasted or un-toasted! Such a difficult decision!

For an insanely fun snack, top a whole grain cracker with a slice of avocado, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a dash of garlic powder, and a leaf of fresh spinach or basil. Each of these ingredients has health benefits and they pair together nicely for a delicious snack.

Rather than garlic powder and olive oil, you can substitute hot pepper sauce for a bit of spice.

Celery and peanut butter are a healthy pair that taste great. Both contain an assortment of vitamins and minerals and peanut butter is a great source of protein and Omega-6 fatty acids.

A word of caution: celery is considered a dirty dozen. That means it is one of the twelve produce items with the highest level of pesticide contamination. A good solution would be to buy organic, if possible.

Say what? Wasn't the point to avoid potato chips? Surely the author has gone mad, right?

Actually, potatoes aren't all that bad. They have some rather nice qualities. They're an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber, high quality protein, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and a plethora of other vitamins and minerals.

Make no mistake; I am not suggesting you buy potato chips. I am suggesting you make potato chips. Making delicious, crunchy potato chips is rather easy.

1. Slice potatoes
2. Spray a microwaveable plate with cooking spray (preferably canola oil or olive oil)
3. Spread the sliced potatoes on the plate in a single layer
4. Microwave for 3-7 minutes, or until slightly brown
5. Remove from microwave (be careful, the plate may be very hot)
6. Season lightly with salt, if desired. Alternatively, for a healthier chip, leave plain or add other seasoning (such as cayenne pepper, onion powder, etc.)

If you make more than one batch, you shouldn't need to oil the plate each time.

Store the chips in an airtight container or zip lock bag. They will keep for up to a month.