Snacking is a popular topic around here. A lot of our own lunches could be rightfully called snacks — a little nibble at 11am, and another at two o'clock. Here are fourteen of our favorite easy snacks, all refreshing and nourishing (and not too heavy or rich, either).
TOP ROW
• 1 Kale chips - Bake up a pile of leafy greens into delicately crispy chips touched with sea salt and olive oil.
• 2 Deviled eggs - A two-bite powerhouse of protein and flavor.
• 3 Roasted chickpeas - Crunchy, toasty, and deliciously snacky.
• 4 Frozen (and steamed) edamame pods - Bright green edamame with a little salt is such a great lunch or snack.
• 5 Stuffed peppers - A few little peppers (from a jar is fine), stuffed with some good ham or a bite of cheese make a great lunchtime snack.
MIDDLE ROW
• 6 Homemade granola bars - Make a big batch with your favorite mix-ins then eat them for lunch and snacks.
• 7 Olives - We love a handful of olives as a snack in the afternoon.
• 8 Baked tofu - We really love chewy squares of baked tofu! They're great on salads, or for nibbling by themselves.
• 9 Whole wheat crackers - Good crackers can be a good snack — with or without peanut butter or cheese.
• 10 Roasted almonds - We love roasted almonds with orange and paprika, or with oil and herbs.
BOTTOM ROW
• 11 Homemade granola - A handful of sweet and salty granola (preferably with dried cherries and pistachios) is a great mid-morning pickup.
• 12 A cup of plain yogurt - One of our favorite snacks is plain yogurt, so tangy and refreshing.
• 13 A quick tartine - Spread a piece of bread or a cracker with some goat cheese (or peanut butter) and a piece of radish or daikon (or a slice of banana!).
• 14 A piece of fruit - We saved the best for last; our favorite little snack is a sweet clementine or juicy plum.
What's your favorite light and/or easy snack?
Related: What President Obama Eats for His Afternoon Snack
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PB on toast or cheese and crackers/slices of baguette.
Plain yogurt, if I'm at work. At home it might be a few bites of leftovers or some cheese and an apple. Cheese and dried apricots is a good snack too.
Half a toasted whole wheat English muffin with cheese, preserves or whatever I have in the work fridge.
Flaxseed crackers and cottage cheese.
Def going to try out kale chips soon. Any idea what the calories look like on those? Or, better yet, the best/most accurate way to calculate calories for homemade meals?
Kale's a punishment, not a snack. But some of the others sound great.
Palmetto, hilarious!
I like homemade apple/blackberry sauce. It pairs really well with plain yogurt.
Apples, mini Clif bars (when I'm out of homemade ones), raw vegetables, tiny bowls of dry cereal.
Wow, my snacks make me sound rather Spartan. I choose to save my calories for the real deal, I guess.
Toast with cream cheese/peanut butter/jam, tortilla chips and salsa with extra jalapenoes, fruit, yogurt, nuts, raw vegetables with Ranch dressing or hummus, cheese (often a piece of Laughing Cow or a Babybel.)
Thanks! I've just added 3 new recipes to my "must-make-right-away" list. I will definitely be making the granola bars today. Baked tofu is a favourite of mine already as is a piece of fruit. I also like plain old carrots.
Fruit is the best snack-at this time of year the mere opening of a clementine cheers me up.
Greek yoghurt with honey, or honey and a spoonful of granola, or (the best) with the syrup from preserved ginger.
Dates! The best quality ones are far better than chocolate in my book.
Cheese and crackers (with a lovely chutney).
Buttered toast (with or without honey).
Everything that you said above, Medjool dates, toasted pita with a bowl of za'atar and olive oil to dip, and a weird one from my high school days: nutmeg milk ice. If I needed a pick-me-up before a workout, I would make this:
Put some skim milk, lots of ice, fresh grated nutmeg, and honey in the blender and blend till frothy and all the ice is crushed. Delicious like a milkshake without being heavy at all.
kale chips? i've seen this three times this week... i've never had kale but now i'm eager to try this. hmmmm....
i love to make my own hummus, no tahini though, and have that as a snack with veggies sticks, flaxseed crackers, homemade pita chips or smeared on multigrain toast.
a plate with sliced apple, nuts and a babybel cheese and a cup of tea is my favorite snack to have when i'm at home working or watching a movie.
at the office, fruit is the easiest thing or crackers/veggies with cottage cheese.
oh... i forgot about the edamame. DH and I actually had this last night as a side dish with dinner (steamed potstickers).
I steamed the pods and then tossed them with salt, pepper and chili powder. VERY YUMMY. I had some leftover that I wanted to bring to work as a snack, but i forgot them. :o(
Another great healthy snack like these are roasted chickpeas, with a little sage and good olive oil they are a crunchy, earthy snack. Check out my recipe here:
http://www.paultuorto.com/giustogusto/?p=750
loads and loads of hummus. @lasiciliana - why would you omit the tahini! and chickpeas that didn't make it to hummus get roasted with olive oil and cumin.
Edamame is one of my favorite snacks. Other favorites: granola with yogurt...hummus with pita chips...apple slices with peanut butter or slices of cheese...banana drizzled in honey...sushi...crunchy wraps...wow, I'm getting hungry.
kale chips are awesome!!! try them if you haven't.
I've got a category on my blog, Fix Me A Snack, that is devoted to snacks that take 10 minutes or less to prepare - http://www.fixmeasnack.com/category/10-minutes-or-less/. Some of it is not on the light side. But mostly I'm looking for snacks made from real foods that are easy and quick.
Pumkin seeds or sunflower seeds mixed with dried cranberries or golden raisins. If you're not worried about fat, take a spoonful of cream cheese and roll it around in the seed/raisins mixture.
A plain kosher dill pickle, or better yet, a pickle with cream cheese wrapped in ham (sort of like "snake eyes," but trading the spring onion for a pickle is definitely an upgrade in my opinion).
Sardines on toast or a cracker.
A tomato slice sprinkled with sugar.
Daikon radish with Thai peanut sauce.
I love snacks. :)
peanut butter and salsa on whole grain bread