Healthy Snack Ideas

Discover Healthy And Simple Snack Options

Sticking to a healthy eating regimen can be difficult because healthy snack ideas sometimes seem limited. Many people tend to binge on snacks or during meals because the typical “three meals a day” idea leaves them feeling hungry. Luckily, there are many quick snack ideas that are tasty and nutritious. Following are some snack ideas that you can utilize in order to stick to a healthy eating regimen.

Healthy Snack Ideas     

Anybody who has ever started a diet knows that there are some snacks that are healthier than others. Fruits are, of course, a healthy snack alternative. Fortunately, there are just as many fruit choices that you can choose from as there are sweets and dessert choices. With the number of exotic fruits that are imported into the United States everyday, you are sure to find something that tastes just as good, if not better, than those greasy potato chips or those sugary-rich cupcakes. There are, of course, the basics – apples, bananas, oranges and grapefruits. But if you have not been to your local whole foods or organic shopping market lately, you might be missing out on several fruits that you didn’t know existed.

For instance, an apple is an apple, right? Wrong. Most supermarkets have one or two varieties of apples – red and green. At your local whole foods store, however, you might find up to a dozen different apple varieties. You can choose between McIntosh, Fuji, Granny Smith and Braeburn, just to name a few. Some varieties are sweeter than others if that is what you prefer. Others have a sour taste that many apple lovers enjoy, too.

In addition to this, try looking in the citrus fruit section for some healthy snack ideas. Oranges are great, but you can also find tasty tangerines and nectarines. These fruits have a sweet and tangy taste that you cannot find in the unhealthier snacks.

If you get a wide variety of fruit, you will undoubtedly enjoy the options. Imagine walking to the refrigerator and reaching in the crisper to get a juicy peach instead of sugar-filled ice cream. Not only will you begin to enjoy fruit much more than other snacks, you will lose weight and feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Low-Carb Snack Ideas

With low-carb diets being all the rage in recent years, people are constantly looking for low-carb snack ideas. There are some ideal components that go along with low-carb snacks to ensure that they are healthy choices.

Make sure your snack has some element of protein mixed in and it is always helpful to have some vegetables as well. This can make for some interesting food combinations, such as celery dipped in peanut butter, apple slices dipped in cheese, and celery mixed with tuna salad. There are other low-carb snack ideas that are single items, such as a handful of peanuts, string cheese and plain yogurt. Sandwiches are also a great snack for low-carb dieters, but be sure to use tortillas instead of bread because they have fewer carbohydrates.

Simple Snack Recipes

The beauty of a snack is that it should be easy to make and contain as few ingredients as possible. When you make a healthy snack, you will be more likely to do it if it doesn’t involve a lot of trouble. Following are some simple snack recipes that have only a few ingredients. You can make some of them in advance so all you need to do is pull it out of the fridge and enjoy. Some will be better if you enjoy them freshly made. The decision is completely up to you.

Trail Mix

This is probably one of the most simple snack ideas because all you have to do is basically throw a bunch of stuff in a bowl and mix it up. Trail mix is comprised of several snack foods mixed together and it is great for trips, sporting events or times when you need a quick “pick me up.”

Generally, trail mix includes some or even all of the following, depending on your individual tastes: raisins, dried bananas, dried cranberries, peanuts, cashews, M&Ms;, yogurt-covered raisins, dried mango, granola, pretzels, dried apricots, almonds, and oats. You can choose what you like from this list or you can even add more items that are not included on this list.

Fruit and Cheese

Another simple yet delicious combination you can experiment with is a simple mixture of cheese and fruit. Experiment with different types of cheeses and fruits to find something that you enjoy eating. Here are some helpful suggestions to get you started:

-Chunks of cheddar cheese mixed with grapes
-Mandarin oranges mixed with cottage cheese
-String cheese with slices of orange
-Apples and pieces of sharp cheddar cheese
-Bananas and mozzarella cheese

Yogurt Mixed With Fruit

In much the same way you can experiment with cheese and fruit, you can do the same thing with yogurt and fruit. Be sure to find yogurt that is low in sugar to make the snack even healthier. Simply cut your fruit into slices and dip it into the yogurt for a tasty, healthy snack.

Fruit Kebobs

Another example of a delicious snack is fruit kebobs.

The only thing you need for this is a variety of your favorite fresh fruits and some bamboo skewers. Simply cut your favorite fruits into small chunks and slide them onto the skewer. This is easy because you can cut up a lot of fruit and store it in the refrigerator for when you are ready to use it. If you want to, you can even prepare the kebobs ahead of time so that all you need to do is pull it out the fridge when you are ready to eat it.

Eating healthy does not have to seem like a chore. In fact, with the variety of snack options at the supermarket and whole food markets, the possibilites are endless. If you are willing to broaden your horizons and try a wider variety of foods that you have never tried before, you might end up liking something that you never thought you would. Be adventurous and ask others for snack ideas. You might even discover your new facorite snack in the process.