Finding healthy snacks for weight loss is a priority for me because once I’m hungry, it’s over. Today I’m arming you with a ton of easy and delicious weight-loss snacks that will fill you up and fuel you throughout the day. These are the best snacks for weight loss and are just dang tasty too.
Hunger usually hits me around 10:30 am while grocery shopping or doing a Lowe’s run. After running around the store, I catch a glimpse of the junk food by the register. My stomach immediately starts to ache, then my tastebuds salivate and it’s hard to turn down a cheap, tasty snack at that moment.
Then there’s bedtime when I realize I didn’t eat enough for dinner and I don’t want to go to bed hungry. The easy choice is something quick and dish-free, which usually isn’t very healthy.
Can you relate?
This is how we’ve been trained to fuel our body in a busy world — last minute and convenient. Yet it’s not going to get us the body we want. A strong, energetic body takes nutrient-rich snack fuel. I make a snack plan that I can switch up as needed day to day.
The Best Snacks
With the help of a holistic nutritionist back in 2011, I learned the secret to a wholesome snack to keep my health goals on track. A snack should keep you full until your next meal, and to do that it needs two important ingredients:
Healthy Fats: This will help satisfy your hunger cravings and help your body absorb the nutrients in the snack.
Protein: This will fuel your body and help build muscle. I prefer plant-based protein found in nuts and seeds, yet it’s totally up to you.
If a snack meets those two requirements, then I move on to what craving I have. Do I want something salty? Tart? Sweet? That’s when the “flavors” come into play. The below snack list covers a variety of taste preferences, so dive in and find a new favorite!
Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Research shows a correlation between nutrient-dense snacking and breaking the cycle of overconsumption. If your body doesn’t dip into “hangry” status, often leading to nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods, then you won’t constantly be filling up on food that isn’t filling long-term.
Below is my list of plant-based snack recipes that are packed with protein, healthy fats and flavor explosions. Some take five minutes or less, and others can be made in advance and enjoyed throughout the week. I hope you enjoy some of these snack recipes and reach your weight loss goals.
Baked Weight Loss Snacks
Now, there is no secret snack that will have you dropping the lbs. And I don’t advocate for anything that touts a “get skinny quick” mentality. A healthy weight is achieved through healthy patterns in all areas of your life.
Making good snacking choices can lead to making good meal choices, which can help you sleep better and have more energy to regularly move your body. See how this works?
When I talk about healthy snacks for work or sleep tea or a post-workout smoothie I’m showing you how I try to use food to fuel my body in a beneficial way. This might take some time to figure out, yet I feel my best when I’m eating food that helps me. Now, let’s see the snacks!
Garlic Baked Chickpeas
5 from 5 votes
Crispy, crunchy, savory. These garlic-baked chickpeas are a serious snacking experience. They are surprisingly light and perfectly seasoned for that garlicky explosion you want. Eat them right away for the crispiest result!
This gluten-free granola recipe can be used as a smoothie bowl or yogurt topper, eaten as-is or enjoyed with a plant milk for a decadent cereal. Enjoy straight from the oven or store in an air-tight container to enjoy all week long!
Don't sleep on this savory snack option. Ranch Cauliflower Popcorn is crispy, seasoned to perfection, and as easy to eat as a bowl of, well, popcorn! It's seriously delicious and the perfect snack for any time of day.
These delicious, wholesome vegan protein bars will give you the energy to get stuff done while nourishing your body with plant-based protein such as good-for-you nuts and seeds.
My whole family adores these strawberry vegan muffins, but I definitely love them the most. These muffins bring back childhood peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a sophisticated and more nutritious way.
Tamari, the deeper flavored cousin of soy sauce, goes splendidly with toasted almonds. Eat as is for a quick, filling snack or roughly chop and use as a savory salad topping.
This roasted chickpea snack is a savory, slightly spicy, and deeply satisfying recipe with 10 grams protein per serving. Turmeric adds a touch of warmth and a vibrant color, while the ginger and cinnamon lend a hint of sweet spice.
If you want options that don’t require heating/baking, then I’ve got those, too! These recipes are just as easy to make in bulk to enjoy throughout the week. In fact, I usually pick three snacks and prep enough to rotate through to keep up the variety yet stretch my dollars and time further.
Strawberry Lemon Chia Pudding
5 from 2 votes
Snack in luxury with this strawberry lemon chia pudding. It's incredibly delicious and nutritious with 4 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber and only 5 grams of sugar. Double or triple the recipe to prep once, yet have snacks for the week!
This crunchy carrot salad is lighter, brighter, and not weighed down by mayo. The raw seeds add protein and extra crunch— this makes a great snack or healthy side dish
About the afternoon slump with these no-bake energy balls! The combination of chocolate chips, rolled oats and almond flour provides a fantastic source of complex carbohydrates. Creamy almond butter and tropical coconut oil bind, while fragrant vanilla and savory salt enhance flavor of the pure maple syrup.
Chocolate chia pudding makes the perfect snack, quick breakfast or unique brunch addition. Use it to top pancakes, inside a parfait or mixed with granola. You may need more than one spoon as it is entirely delicious and shareable!
Start your day off right with this simply amazing overnight oats recipe thats's vegan-friendly and gluten-free. It's super easy to customize with the additions and boosters that will help you win your day, and easy to transport! Step aside oatmeal, there's a new way to eat oats that's here to stay.
If you're looking for a delicious recipe that is plant based, look no further. This fun, easy vegan yogurt recipe is great on its own, or turned into a parfait with the fruit compote and granola.
These lemon fat bombs, or melt-aways, make a great quick afternoon snack. I should warn you, you really have to like lemons to enjoy these tart treats.
This healthy popsicle recipe is creamy and refreshing on a hot summer day. Slightly sweet with loads of tangy fresh lime juice and plenty of creaminess from the avocado and coconut milk, it’s hard to believe these are a part of our Plant-Based Cleanse, but they totally are!
Sip on this cool and creamy coffee smoothie for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It's got the caffeine you want delivered in an oh-so-smooth beverage that has the bonus of fruits, veggies, protein, fiber and more.
These apple donuts have become a go-to snack thanks to how quick and easy they are to make. Get creative and have fun topping the apple rings with your favorite toppings.
Sometimes just having a good dip on hand will help me eat more fruits and veggies. And these dips are heavy hitters: not only are they tasty, but they are also working overtime delivering healthy fats, protein and more so you can feel full eating a plate of cut vegetables.
Make a big batch of any of these then store them in individual portions so you can grab them whenever you want. Feel like over-achieving but don’t have the time? Take just 15 minutes and pick some of your favorite produce, wash and chop and pack those into single servings as well so you’ve got winning combos to grab whenever the snacking mood strikes.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
5 from 2 votes
Enjoy the best sun-dried tomato pesto recipe out there— I add it to pizza, salads, soups, toast and veggie bowls.
Hope you're sitting down because this healthy date caramel is going to blow your mind! Made with all-natural, plant-based ingredients and ZERO added sugar (no corn syrup!), this sauce is rawkin'. Use as a spread, dip, topping, sauce, filling, or just eat it by the spoonful.
This layered Greek dip is a Mediterranean-inspired dish loaded with sauces and marinated fresh vegetables to create an irresistible appetizer. This recipe is easy to double if you are feeding a large group.
With this recipe on hand, you'll never need store-bought hummus again! Along with iron-rich chickpeas, we've included loads of fresh, vibrant herbs to add extra vitamins, minerals to this herb hummus.
This vegan basil pesto is simple to make and packed with plant-based ingredients. The garlic blends perfectly with the basil for an authentic Italian flavor.
Cashew cream is a deliciously creamy way to take your meals to a new level! This recipe highlights how easy it is to make cashew cream multiple ways. Each variation uses 1/2 cup cashews, but depending on your blender or food processor, it may be easier to make one large batch then flavor individually!
Nothing compares to the ultra creamy texture and flavor of homemade nut butter. Try these as an alternative to peanut butter to make sandwiches, sauces, dressings, cookies, and more. Or use as a luxurious, decadent dip for apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, pretzels, carrots, celery, or anything dip-able.
I love creating dips and dressings that are quick and can be used on a variety of dishes. This vegan chipotle ranch dressing is exactly that recipe! Originally created as the dipping sauce in my avocado fries, this condiment is fast becoming a staple in my fridge.
To know whether your snack is going to benefit your body, ask yourself these questions: Does it have good healthy fat? How much protein does it contain? If there are carbs, how many are fiber? Is there added sugar or only natural sugar? These are all important components of a healthy snack.
What should I eat at night to lose weight?
Nighttime snacks should be lower in sugar and higher in protein so that your blood sugar doesn’t drop or spike too much while sleeping. It should also be something light as heavy, greasy foods can keep you awake.
Is snacking healthy for me?
It can be! I like to use snacks to fuel my body, but they also have to taste good. Reach for snacks with a good mix of protein, healthy fats, and whole-food carbs to give your body the right nutrients. Most commercial snack food is missing one of these elements and can lead to spikes or drops in blood sugar, the inability to focus, or sleepiness. Healthy snacks for weight loss are filling and should give you sustainable energy, better focus, and keep your blood sugar stable.
Is it bad to snack all day?
It really depends on what your snacks are, to decide if it’s going to fuel your metabolism. Oftentimes, snacks are foods that have a longer shelf life, fewer nutrients and less water content. Even healthy snacks are cutting corners on your overall health. Meals are when we use the freshest vegetables, fruits, grains and nutrient-rich foods. Just like most things, balance is key. Snacks are here for the “gap zone,” yet aren’t a substitute for a nutritious fresh meal.
The key to weight loss success is having the right kind of snacks on hand that’ll satisfy your cravings, encourage weight loss, and pretty much put the HANGRY beast to bed.
Oftentimes, we think we are hungry when we are not. Thirsty and hungry are two signals the body tends to mix up. So if I’m feeling hungry, I reach for a glass of water before I even toy with the idea of a snack. If I’m still hungry 20 minutes later, then it’s time to fuel up.
Which one of these snacks sounds like a winner to you? Drop a comment below and let me know what you want to snack on this week!
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Those Apple “donuts” are really good and fun to make! My coworkers would ooh and ahh when I have them! Lol
Love that you shared these with coworkers!!!