Vegan snacks are better for the environment, cruelty-free and often (but not always!) better for your health. But you don’t have to buy a ton of expensive snack foods or make elaborate recipes every time you want a snack.
Throwing together a vegan snack to keep you going until your next meal can be super easy and cheap. Here are five ideas for low-effort snacks to get you through those lazy days.
1) Peanut Butter and…Whatever You Want to Put Peanut Butter On
Peanut butter may be the perfect snack spread. It’s high in healthy unsaturated fats, contains 200 milligrams of potassium per serving, and may help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Yes, peanut butter does have a lot of salt, so it’s important to buy low-salt peanut butter or, failing that, eat regular peanut butter in moderation.
You can also make your own peanut butter at home with a food processor, and many grocery co-ops and other health food stores offer customers the option to make their own peanut butter in-store.
For a healthy, easy vegan snack, eat peanut butter as a dip on whatever fruit or vegetable you prefer. Peanut butter on celery, with or without raisins, is a classic, but peanut butter also tastes good on a variety of other vegetables and fruits, especially sweet ones like baby carrots and apples.
Craving some carbs? Spread peanut butter on saltine crackers — most types are vegan — for a salty, crunchy, satisfying snack.
2) Kale Chips or Other Vegan Chips
If you’re new to veganism or just assumed that popular brands of chips are made with animal products, you’re about to have your mind blown by the fact that many, many popular brands of chips, like Fritos, Doritos, and Sun Chips, are vegan. But these chips aren’t always what you want to reach for if you’re trying to stay slim and trim or improve your health.
Kale chips are a tasty, healthy alternative that you can make at home and season a variety of ways. Don’t feel like making your own kale chips? There are a wide range of affordable, healthy vegan chips, including vegan kale chips, on the market.
3) Popcorn
Popcorn may not be the first thing you think of when you’re thinking of healthy snacks, but it can be very healthy as long as you take it easy on the salt and butter.
Popcorn is a whole-grain food, and as such, it’s high in fiber and can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, among other health problems. Just make sure you do it right — avoid high-fat and high-salt popcorn with lots of butter, and high-sugar popcorn like kettle corn and caramel corn.
Air pop your corn, and season it lightly. Use herbs to season your popcorn for a healthy snack that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
4) Frozen Berries or Grapes
Looking for a frozen snack to cool down on a hot day? Vegan ice creams are expensive and many are disappointing in the taste department, too.
Sherberts, sorbets, and popsicles are tasty, but are mostly sugar. Frozen berries and grapes are a delicious, healthy alternative to traditional frozen snacks.
Eat them on their own or mixed into yogurt for a low-calorie snack that refreshes and balances its natural sugar content with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers.
Put frozen grapes and berries into your wine, cocktails, or sangria to cool the drink without watering it down.
5) Nuts and Nut Alternatives
Nuts are a delicious snack that doesn’t need refrigerated, so you can take them everywhere with you. They’re high in healthy fats that control levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and they also contain vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy, plus protein, fats, and fiber to keep you full.
Mix them with pretzels, dark chocolate chunks, and dried fruit for a flavorful, healthy trail mix.
Allergic to nuts? Looking for something different? Try nut alternatives like soy nuts, roasted chickpeas, or wasabi peas instead.
A healthy snack can be a great way to control your appetite between meals, while still getting plenty of the great nutrients your body needs. The next time you feel peckish, reach for something your body will thank you for.