Snacks don’t have to be unhealthy

(And being vegan doesn’t have to be boring)

I love snacking! Check my work lunch box on any given day and I have at least 3 snacks in there. Though I love snacks, a lot of snacks out there are high in sugar (check out my sugar intake post) or have a lot of ingredients that sound like a foreign language.

Here are a few of my favorite vegan snacks that are pretty healthy as well.

Lundberg Thin Stackers Red Rice & Quinoa Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter

This is my new found snack obsession. The amazing thing is you can enjoy 4 of these rice cakes for only 100 calories with NO sugar! I used to eat the Quaker rice cakes, but I noticed that I could only have one and it contained sugar. So when I came across these rice cakes at Sprouts, I decided to give them a try. At first, I thought they were bland because there is no added specific flavor like Quaker rice cakes. I decided to try peanut butter and sometimes honey as well on these rice cakes and…YUM!! This is such a simple, healthy, delicious, and fulfilling snack. I also enjoy eating these after a workout for a mid-morning snack.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

There are so many variations of these on Pinterest, but the one I first used was on He and She Eat Clean. What’s awesome is you can change up any recipe you find to match it to your preferences and diet. So for example, I would use vegan protein powder. Sometimes I add flax meal, vegan chocolate chips or honey. I really like to make these because they are super simple to make in advance and refrigerate for later. Again, peanut butter is a great post workout snack because of the protein, so these would work as well!

Guacamole & Fresh Veggies

I can’t believe I let so many years pass by without eating guacamole. I enjoy making my own guacamole because I can control the amount of salt whereas the pre-made ones from the store tend to be salty. In lieu of chips, try fresh veggies and use the guacamole as dip. It’s a lot healthier! Carrots and bell peppers are my personal favorite, but the possibilities are endless.

Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits Without Added Sugar

As a vegan, it’s important to find alternate sources of protein. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pecans are great options when making a healthier trail mix. Try to get nuts that are unsalted and don’t have any special sugar mix on them. You can also add dried fruit, but just watch the added sugar because that will make it unhealthy. I have found dried apricots that don’t have added sugar along with dried apple slices. However, unfortunately I have had a hard time finding other dried fruits without added sugar like pineapple slices. Look around at your local Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or any other place that sells bulk items.

Skinny Pop Popcorn

Since going vegan, I hadn’t been able to enjoy popcorn until about a week ago. In the snack aisle at Sprouts I decided to check out some of the more “upscale” popcorn brands. I came across Skinny Pop and noticed that they don’t even use butter, but palm oil instead. I got a 3 pack box for about $5 which is somewhat pricey, but I definitely thought it was worth it. Even the packaging is awesome. Instead of a bag, the popcorn pops in a box, isn’t as messy as a typical bag, and can easily be recycled. I was expecting the popcorn to be more like kettle corn, which I’m not a huge fan of, but it actually was like regular buttered popcorn MINUS the butter! The whole box is a little over 100 calories, no sugar, and popcorn (as long as it’s not smothered in butter, cheese, caramel, etc.) is fairly good for you. I fell in love with this product and got it again this week.  So glad there’s an alternative for vegans who want to enjoy a little popcorn while watching a movie.

Apples & Peanut Butter

As I said before, peanut butter is a decent source of protein and great for after workouts. Pick your favorite kind of apple; mine is gala. Then get your favorite peanut butter or spread (could be almond butter, cashew butter, etc.) and there’s your simple, quick, and tasty snack.
Kettle Brand Pepperoncini Chips

Best chips ever in my opinion. Vegan. Not too salty. Great on their own or on the side of a sandwich or veggie burger. Just try them. The Kettle Brand has a variety of flavors, but not all of them are vegan so be sure to read the ingredients carefully for any egg or dairy products.

Banana & Peanut Butter Wrap

If you’re looking for another great post workout snack that will carry you over until your next meal, you should try this one. Spread some peanut butter on a tortilla or flat bread and add some sliced bananas. Roll up the tortilla to make a wrap and there you go! You could also add a small bit of vegan chocolate chips, honey, or other fruits like berries. I personally like to use Flatout tortillas as they are low calorie, fairly low carb, and a good amount of protein.

No Cow Bar

Now I’ve actually only had a few of these bars, but my sister LOVES these for a pre or post workout snack. Her favorite flavor is the mint chocolate which has 20 grams of protein. She enjoys these so much because they have almost no added sugar, taste great and they are vegan. I couldn’t find them on Amazon, but she orders them online from vitamin stores like the Vitamin Shoppe.

Snacking can often be the issue in a lot of people’s diets. Sometimes we don’t even realize the poor quality of what we are eating or how much we are even eating. I suggest allotting certain snacks for certain times. Make sure to balance out the nutrients so you’re not just overloading on protein or carbs. Being healthy (or vegan) doesn’t mean removing the things you enjoy. It’s about moderation, eating with intention and awareness, and being knowledgeable.

What’s your favorite healthy snack?

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