Clean Eating Snacks: Top 100 mostly plant based snack ideas

Clean Eating Snacks for weight management will be the focus of this week’s challenge. To maintain an easy approach you will find in the following many suggestions for wholesome ideas with little or no preparation time.

If you need to watch your weight then you will love the fact that I’ve specified some quantities for good snack foods I recommend to indulge wisely;) In addition, expect three easy steps that will help you “automate” your smart snacking habits.

For your convenience I’ve packed the suggestions in 3 different categories:

1. 50 Single ingredient foods without or just a little preparation time
2. 25 Plant-based snack recipes with two main ingredients
3. 25 Healthful snack ideas with more than three ingredients 

Why you should opt for fiber loaded alternatives 

Nutrient-poor junk food with added sugar, like candy bars or pastries, act similar to fuel that runs hot and flames out. Yes, they can give you a quick energy shot, but it is often followed by a crash that can leave you sleepy, hungry and unable to concentrate.

Fiber-rich snack foods, in contrast, will work like slow-burning fuel providing you with a flow of steady energy that keeps you satiated much longer. All of the 100 inspirations are at least vegetarian and a big bunch of them are naturally vegan, dairy free, gluten-free and perfectly suitable for a plant-based diet..

Let’s start with some quick snack ideas for times when you are super-lazy in your kitchen.

Easy & quick ideas 

If you’re short on time, it is still better to opt for nutrient-dense single ingredient snacks instead of unhealthy treats. Use easy no-cook groceries that need no preparation, like fruits, veggies, eggs or nuts. In the summertime, frozen grapes are amazing options.

If chosen wisely, a handful of dry fruits are wonderful energy providers too. But please take note of the ingredient list – choose packages that say “no sulfites”; only the fruit should be listed. For the best possible weight management, limit your fruit consumption to two portions per day.

50 single ingredient ideas without or little preparation time

Choose from the following list of healthy filling snacks. Don’ t miss the links below.

1. Frozen blended banana “ice cream”
   
   
2. Fresh grapes
3. A medium banana
4. Sliced bell peppers
5. Nibbling some carrots (a great strategy against sugar cravings)
6. Fresh cherry tomatoes
   
7. Apple wedges (preferably organic)
8. 1 tablespoon of almonds (high in fiber!)
9. Fresh strawberries
10. Kiwi
11. Fresh watermelon chunks
    
12. Sliced kohlrabi
13. Hard boiled egg (extreme high satiation, healthy snack for he office)
14. Fresh pineapple chunks
15. Dried self-made fruit chips (ideal cinema snacks)
    
16. Fresh cherries
17. Sliced cucumbers
18. A handful of sunflower seeds
19. Fresh blueberries
    
20. Frozen grapes (great summer snack)
21. 1 tablespoon of cashews
22. Fresh grapefruit
23. Green pears
    
24. 1 tablespoon of walnuts
25. Dried mango slices
26. A handful of  peanuts
    
27. Homemade popsicles
28. Some dark chocolate (max. 1 oz./30 gr. per day)
    
29. Clean olives & pickles
30. 1 – 2 apricots
    
31. 1 tablespoon of hazelnuts
32. 2-3 Medjool dates
33. A handful of pumpkin seeds that are extra rich in fiber. Click here to check out my list of Top 11 high fiber snacks!
    
34. A small cup of brown rice
35. 1 Peach
36. Steamed edamame with sea salt
    
37. Baked sweet potato toast
38. 1 tablespoon of pistachios
    
39. 1 tablespoon of clean raisins
40. 1 tablespoon of mixed nuts
41. A cup of cottage cheese
42. Plain baked potato
43. Fresh raspberries
44. 2-3 Prunes
45. 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
    
46. Radishes slightly salted
47. Fresh figs
    
48. Toasted coconut chips
49. Roasted chickpeas
50. Fresh honeydew chunks

25 Wholesome Snack Recipes with Two Ingredients

These are complex carbohydrates with plant-based protein or healthy fats – with a few exceptions. From a clean eating standpoint, most snacks should be a combination of complex carbohydrates (veggies, fruits, nuts, whole wheat) with lean protein.

These kinds of snacks guarantee the highest satiation effect, and the protein content will create an extra mental boost:

1. Self-made crunchy baked savoy cabbage chips with olive oil
   
2. Passionfruit with Soy yogurt
3. Banana with 1 tablespoon almonds or some dark chocolate chips
4. Frozen strawberries in Greek yogurt
5. Hard-boiled eggs with nuts or an apple (Tip: prepare eggs on the weekend)
6. Some mozzarella (15 g/0.5 oz) with sliced radishes.
7. 2 tomatoes with 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese
8. Banana topped with almond butter or other nut butters
9. Clean eating banana oatmeal cookies
   
10. Kiwi carpaccio with almonds (great for summer parties)
11. Herb roasted nuts
12. Sliced tomato with a balsamic drizzle
13. Almonds and raisins
14. Baked zucchini chips with clean eating ketchup
15. Self-made crispy baked carrot chips with coconut oil
16. Leftover grilled veggies
17. Sweet potato fries (baked)
18. Apple slices with almond butter
19. Self-made crispy baked kale chips
20. Plantain fries
21. Clean Almond milk
    
22. Grilled fruits
23. Butternut squash chips
24. 1 cup air-popped cinnamon popcorn
25. Spiralized carrots with cottage cheese
    

25 nutrient-dense snack ideas with more than 3 ingredients 

1. Energy balls with dried plums and almonds + Top 12 no-bake energy balls (also with peanut butter)
   
2. Tomato Mozzarella Skewers
   
3. Strawberry banana smoothie
   
4. Fresh veggies and guacamole
   
5. Mango salad with cucumber and red pepper
   
6. Veggies with pesto dip
7. Clean eating raspberry muffins
   
   
8. Clean fruit and nut bar
9. Parsley root soup
   
10. Celery sticks with some hummus
11. Spiralized apple cranberry salad
    
12. Parmesan roasted carrots
    
13. Small Endive salad with clean dressing
14. Clean Eating cabbage soup
    
15. Leftover red beet burger or black bean patty
    

16. Roasted Brussels sprouts
17. Marinated mushrooms

18. Clean eating pear salad with walnuts

19. Veggies with lentil dip

20. Kohlrabi celeriac soup

21. Breakfast egg muffins

22. Vegetable broth from clean vegetable stock concentrate

23. Ice smoothie: blend frozen berries and unsweetened coconut milk (a little ginger adds zing)

24. Cabbage salad with carrots and pineapples

25. Clean eating vegetable soup

These were my top 100 snack inspirations for you. And I have a last one (number 101) which is not really clean but perfect for my 80/20 approach to clean eating – a coffee treat: “Latte Macchiato.”

It might not be as healthy as the above suggestions, but it is a great compromise with a high satiation effect that won’t make you craving any cookies, promised. The satiation comes from low-fat milk. This very common “snack idea” in Europe is made of 1 espresso, warm low-fat milk, and some milk foam (see picture above).

3 baby action steps for switching to healthier habits

1. Think about your single most unhealthy food that you tend to desire most often. Do you find yourself often craving greasy potato chips or something similarly addictive?
2. Try to replace it with one of the fiber-rich foods above. (e.g. replace potato chips with crispy baked savoy cabbage chips).
3. Remember: it’s all about balance. If you slip and eat something unhealthy, don’t beat yourself up! Try it again the next time and replace your unhealthy snack with something different on the list, like dried fruit chips.  Iterate as often as necessary till you find your optimal replacement. With over 90 clean ideas, I’m sure you’ll find your all-time favorite:)

5 additional tips for fiber-rich snacking

1. Eating small meals every three to five hours can help to resist the urge to overeat. It keeps your metabolism revved up and helps normalize blood sugar.
2. With several snacks per day, you can actively prevent post-meal sleepiness that comes from consuming too many calories in one sitting.
3. Make sure that snacking happens during your active times of the day in between your meal time. That way you’ll be better off with your weight-control goals.
4. Keep healthy snacks easily-accessible; hide or ban unhealthy snacks around you.
5. Stock your handbag with nutrient-dense treats (I have always a box of raw almonds or a homemade trail mix in my bag).
   Click here for my top 11 high fiber snacks!

And what about healthful bedtime snacks?

I’m often asked for healthy midnight snacks… and if you followed my 52-week clean eating habits challenge so far, then you know how important it is to develop a pre-bedtime routine (challenge week #3). This recommendation is still valid: Finish eating at least two hours before bedtime, and eat no later than 9 p.m.

What are your favorite clean eating ideas for breaks?

Could you successfully switch an unhealthy habit to a better alternative? Please share your clean recipes with us in the comment section below!