Healthy Snack Recipes

We all like to munch. Having a good supply of healthy snack recipes lets you feel good about munching!

Here are the keys to healthy snacking:

• have lots of healthy snack recipes
• keep the ingredients for those recipes on hand
• DON'T keep unhealthy snacks in the house

In spite of all my good intentions, I will eat potato chips if there are potato chips anywhere nearby. If eating potato chips isn't an easy option, I'll have a healthy snack.

There are lots of healthy alternatives to choose from. Here are my favorites.



The Ultimate Healthy Snack

The very healthiest snack I know is a platter of raw fruits and vegetables. You may have to train yourself and your children to think of this as a snack, though. If the food is cut into interesting shapes and served on a pretty plate, it is more appealing. Here are our current favorite snack tray items:

• carrots (cut into sticks or coins)
• cucumber slices
• cherry tomatoes
• kiwis (peeled and cut into chunks)
• apple slices

Cheesy Snacks

It's late afternoon, you're hungry and tired, but it won't be suppertime for a couple of hours. Don't reach for the cookies - have a cheesy snack instead! The protein in the cheese will keep you powering on until dinnertime!

• Baked Cheese Balls are tasty little two-bite morsels with a shortbread-like texture.

• A favorite snack from my childhood is Cheese Under The Broiler. It is pure melted cheese delight.

• Quesadillas make a great snack as well as a delicious light supper. You'll find a quick easy Quesadilla recipe in "Last Minute Meals".

Crunchy Snacks

What is it about crunchy snacks that is so appealing - and so addictive? We seem to have an innate need for crunch. There are healthy alternatives to potato chips and corn chips, though!

If a plate of crisp raw vegetables won't satisfy your need for crunch, try one of these nutritious crunchy choices.

• Here's the ultimate in healthy snack recipes: Kale Chips. You won't believe how addictively delicious they are!

• Popcorn doesn't have to be slathered with butter and salt to be delicious! Read about my favorite healthy way to serve popcorn and tell me about yours!
  
  
• Roasted Soybeans (also called "Soy Nuts") are easy to make, healthy, economical and tasty. They make a great snack for hiking.

Dips and Spreads

If your kids aren't yet excited by plain raw fruits and vegetables, begin by serving raw veggies with one of these tasty dips.

• Beet and Cream Cheese Dip is a beautiful shade of pink. The color alone might entice your children to try it. It tastes great, too!
  
  
• Black Bean Hummus is a filling and nutritious dip. It has become my favorite bean dip recipe.
  
  
• Guacamole is a delicious avocado dip. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like. I had no idea that it is so easy to make!
  
  
• Original Hummus is a fabulous dip for vegetables. I think that homemade hummus tastes much better than the store-bought brands I've tried. It too is much easier to make than I expected.

• This Spinach-Cream Cheese Dip is a dramatic shade of green. At Halloween we call it "Green Slime Dip". It's delicious at any time of the year.
  
  
• Tzatziki is the Greek cucumber-yogurt dip that is traditionally served with wedges of pita bread. It's also delicious as a vegetable dip.

• I had no idea that it would be so easy to make Vegetable Pâté! Now that I know, I make this a lot. It's so good!
  
  
• White Bean Dip is creamy and delectable. Use canned white kidney beans, or cook your own.

Sweet Snacks

Do you have a sweet tooth? Most of us do - and many of us automatically reach for cookies and candy bars to satisfy a craving for sweets. That's not necessary once you have a good supply of recipes for easy healthy sweet snacks.

• Apple Cream Cheese Melts look and taste wonderful, but are very quick and easy to make.

• You're sitting down with a cup of tea. You're in the mood for something sweet. There are no cookies in the house. What to do? Pull out your healthy snack recipes and whip up a batch of Peanut Butter Balls! They'll be ready to eat by the time your tea is cool enough to drink!

• Here's another option: Sesame Raisin Peanut Butter Balls. I can't decide which one I prefer!

There are more sweet snacks on my page of easy baking recipes.

Wobbly Snacks

Snacks don't have to be "fun" to be good, but sometimes it's nice to surprise the kids with a treat that makes them laugh. These wobbly snacks are fun to eat, easy to make, and healthy.

• Finger Jello is a fun snack for kids! It's easy to make, and is a favorite treat with small children. (Big kids and adults like it too!)

• If your kids like Finger Jello, they'll probably like Yogurt Jellies too.

Even More Healthy Snack Recipes

Here are a few more ideas that didn't fit neatly into any of my categories.

• Hungry? In a rush? Quick Avocado Boats are a quick and filling snack.

• My children's favorite summer snack is Homemade Popsicles. We go through a lot of these on a hot day! Using 100% fruit juice makes this a healthy treat that I'm delighted to serve.

And if that isn't enough healthy snack recipes, here is a whole page of Snack Ideas From My Readers.

Home from healthy snack recipes.