Healthy Snacks That Are Anything But Boring
We haven’t met a person who doesn’t enjoy snacking. For some reason, the world of snacks has become mainly focused on greasy, salty, and sugary snacks that are highly processed. Not to mention they lack actual nutritional value.
There is a common misconception that staying healthy and maintaining fitness and weight means there are no snacks, and the food is boring and bland. We’re here to tell you that healthy snacks aren’t boring! Not only are the snacks delicious, but they’re also nutritious.
Sticks & Dip
We know it sounds like something very basic, but carrots and celery make excellent snack choices, especially with the wide variety of dipping options. Furthermore, Rythm Superfoods makes these incredible dried carrot sticks that have a texture and consistency of a Cheeto, minus the chemical additives.
As far as dips, the sky is the limit. Hummus, jalapeno cream cheese, and salad dressing sips are all delicious options. Add a few sesame seed breadsticks into the equation, and it’s a home run.
Also, don’t limit yourself to carrots and celery. Pepper slices, parsnips, broccoli stalks, and jalapeno peppers make great sticks for healthy dipping.
Nut Butter Toast
Traditional buttered toast or peanut butter toast is excellent. However, a healthier alternative is nut butter. You can find various types of nut butter and butter blends, including tahini, almond, cashew, and pistachio butter.
Stick with whole-grain bread and healthy, delicious nut butter, and your sweet cravings will be sufficed. You will also receive a nice energy boost.
Protein Bars & Snacks
Protein bars fill the gap between meals and can also be a meal replacement.
The benefits include:
- Increases Energy Levels
- Help Gain or Build Muscles
- Weight Loss
- Reduce Sugar Intake
- Improve Protein Intake
- Prevent Hunger
- Promote Health & Fitness
There was a time when protein bars could be associated with an awkward “protein shake” smell and flavor. However, new and improved options are available, and they taste amazing!
Smoothies
There are so many ingredients, countless recipes, and different ways to go with smoothies. Sweet, salty, savory, thick, thin, creamy foam; it’s like an endless sea of deliciousness, packed full of essential nutrients.
Some excellent smoothie ingredients include:
- Tropical Fruits ~ coconut, pineapple, kiwi, citrus fruits, mango, bananas
- Berries ~ strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, lingonberries, huckleberry
- Melons ~ watermelon, honey dew, cantaloupe, canary
- Apples
- Pears
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Kale
- Ginger
- Citrus Fruits
- Nut Milk
- Greek Yogurt
- Natural Sweetener ~ honey, agave nectar, real maple syrup
- Dried Spices ~ cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne
Some ingredients like kale and spinach seem off-putting to many people but when they’re combined with various ingredients the flavor profile becomes insanely delicious.
Puffed & Pops
Popcorn is an excellent low-calorie snack that provides some nutrients. We would like to inform thos of you that might not know, we can pop and puff several different seeds and grains.
While there are various options, some puff or pop more easily and most similarly to popcorn.
- Amaranth
- Quinoa
- Sorghum
- Wild Rice
Food Network tried popping and puffing different grains, one of the being wild rice. We were’nt sure if and how it would turn out, but accotding to the site, it pops almost instantly and tastes very similar to a rice cracker.
This short list we’ve shared is nothing compared to insane amount of options. Our goal was to let you know that healthy snacks and food options don’t have to be boring or bland. However, we do have to look for the options available and try new things! Make healthy eating a habit, and your health shall improve.
Let’s not forget the various companies that have our bodies best interest in mind. Trader Joe’s, Rootles, Snackzilla, and Insane Grain are a few companies you can look into when shopping for healthy snacks or food in general.