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Healthy Snack Swaps
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Healthy Snack Swaps

Recipes

Author:

Matt Lyons

Super Easy Healthy Snack Swaps 

Healthier alternatives that might get you out of your comfort zone!

We all have sugar and junk food cravings, which are absolutely okay to indulge in every so often. Whenever you are craving a quick snack, you’d rather go for some Cheetos or a few Oreos instead of some vegetables or fruit. It’s alright, most of us feel the same way. However, you’d be surprised to learn about some delicious snack recipes that incorporate healthy ingredients instead of all that excess sugar, carbs, etc. present in many of the snacks we munch on. Check out some of these great healthy alternative snack options! 

Our new & improved simple squares

If you have not yet tried our all-natural ingredient squares, you need to give them a try! They are packed with delicious yet healthy ingredients including cashews, almonds, almond butter, vanilla, and organic gluten free oats. Currently we offer two flavors, honey nut and chocolate chip honey nut. Our new and improved squares are just 190 calories. 

Simple botanics squares
Our new and improved squares, in the flavor honey nut. Photo courtesy of Simple Botanics.

Frozen grapes

If you haven’t tried frozen grapes yet, now is the time! Frozen grapes are a great substitute for candy cravings, and don’t contain all the added sugar and artificial additives found in most candies. Even many fruit snacks contain the same amount of sugar as some candies. Try cotton candy grapes in particular, they are great for satisfying that sweet tooth!

Crispy chickpeas

I wish more people knew about chickpeas, they are absolutely delicious! If you love your salads just as much as I do, A healthy alternative to using croutons in your salad are chickpeas. 

Yes, chickpeas taste so good, but what are some of the health benefits in particular?

  • Packed with nutrients including lots of copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium.
  • Rich in plant protein. 
  • Benefits digestion.
  • Can help with overall brain health.

Chickpeas are the perfect way to get in that plant based meal with lots of protein and fiber! 

GOYA chick peas from walmart
GOYA chickpeas. Get yourself a can at Walmart for $3.97 each.

Homemade banana cream ice cream

I know what you might be thinking...there is no way ice cream can be made in a healthy way! Ice cream gives you loads of sugar, calories, and saturated fat. But that’s the catch with this recipe.. It’s not technically made the same way as actual ice cream.

This recipe is healthy and tastes phenomenal. It’s also very short and just a few steps! First, you’ll want to go ahead and place some chunks of banana in the freezer. Leave them in there for a few days, then you will want to blend them in a food processor or blender. There you have it! You may also want to top your mixture with some other healthy ingredients to give it more of that taste. You can use blueberries, walnuts, peanuts, and more!

Kale Chips

Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks out there, rightfully so! Even though very tasty, potato chips don’t contain very many nutrients or other healthy ingredients. However, kale chips are a great alternative option! Kale is very healthy, and all you have to do is cut it up a little bit and throw some pieces in the oven. Avoid adding too much oil and salt to make sure you’re not taking too much away from the kale’s nutritional value. Otherwise, enjoy! 

Kale has a host of great health benefits. Check it out:

  • Vitamins: Kale has been known to be a great source of Vitamins A, C, and K. Vitamin A is for strong vision, Vitamin C is vital to heal wounds and continuously provide collagen, and Vitamin K helps your bones to stay strong and can even prevent blood clotting. 
  • Minerals: Kale contains high amounts of magnesium and calcium. Along with Vitamin K, magnesium and calcium help keep your bones as strong as they can be. Magnesium is also known for being able to lower high blood pressure. 
  • Beneficial plant chemicals: Kale provides a variety of beneficial plant chemicals including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Beta-carotene can help improve immune function. Lutein and zeaxanthin help keep your eyes as healthy as possible and can also reduce the risk of developing a macular degeneration

Baked kale with lemon, salt, pepper, and oil
Add lemon, salt, pepper, and some oil to give your kale some flavor. 

Cucumbers and hummus

Typically, we associate chips and pita bread when thinking of eating hummus. However, a healthy alternative other than the chips or bread are cucumbers! Cucumbers go very well with hummus, and they serve as the perfect opportunity to up your veggie intake and hydration. Cucumbers are about 95% water after all! 

Infused water

When it comes to certain parts of our day, many of us will go with having a glass of juice to drink along with our meal or snack. While super tasty and good to have in small amounts, fruit juices have loads of sugar and calories. Fruit juice can get rid of much of the nutritional value of the fruit that it’s being made from originally. 

Instead, try out infused water! Even though this option technically isn’t a “snack,” it’s a healthy option to go along with what you might be snacking on. Add slices of your favorite fruit to your water and let it sit for a bit. This will still give your drink that tasty flavor, just without all that added sugar. Personally, I love adding lemon to my water in the morning. Lemon aids in digestion, can help with weight loss, and is a great source to help detox your liver. 

Hopefully you were able to find some options in this list that stood out to you. Healthy eating can be delicious, fun, and a creative way to try out some things you haven’t before! 

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