Many people enjoy eating between meals. Snacks can be part of a healthy eating pattern. They can help you get important nutrients, keep you energized and satisfy your hunger between meals.

Tips for Healthy Snacking

• Plan for snacks in advance. Add healthy snack foods to your grocery list
• Stock your fridge, freezer and pantry with healthy foods that you can grab quickly. Some examples include:
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Frozen fruit
  • Fruits canned in water or their own juice
  • Whole grain bread, crackers and cereals
  • Lower fat yogurt
  • Lower fat cheese
  • Unsalted nuts and seeds and their butters
  • Hummus
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Single serving canned fish
• Include a vegetable or fruit with each snack. Wash vegetables and fruit ahead of time so they are quick and easy to grab when you are hungry. Cut up vegetables and store them in smaller containers in the fridge
• Pack snacks in your bag for when you are on the go. Travel friendly ideas include roasted chickpeas, nuts and seeds, and fruit such as apples, oranges and bananas
• Pack small portions of leftovers and use them as snacks. After meals, package leftovers into smaller “snack” sized containers, date and label the containers, and store them in the fridge or freezer
• Be mindful when you snack. Take time to eat and notice when you are hungry and when you are full
  • Eat without distractions, put electronics away and focus on enjoying eating
  • Try not to eat straight from large packages or containers. Portion out a smaller amount instead
• Stay hydrated throughout the day. You can sometimes mistake hunger for thirst. Make water your drink of choice

Healthy Snack Ideas

Snacks can be both healthy and satisfying. Snacking can be as simple as grabbing an apple, a handful of nuts or a bowl of popcorn. Here are some snack ideas that are more filling. All of these snacks include a fruit or a vegetable.

• Fresh or frozen berries with cottage cheese
• Banana slices with peanut butter
• Fresh fruit skewers with Greek yogurt
• Canned fruit such as peaches or pears with yogurt
• Apple slices topped with almond butter or cheese
• Peaches with soft tofu
• Unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon and toasted nuts or seeds
• Yogurt and chopped fresh fruit sprinkled with nuts or granola
• Homemade wholegrain blueberry muffin
• Apple berry crisp with a dollop of Greek yogurt
• Whole grain English muffin with almond butter and fruit slices
• Homemade smoothie or lassi
  • Blend together fruit and/or vegetables with yogurt, milk or unsweetened fortified soy beverage
• Homemade trail mix
  • Mix together dried whole grain cereal, unsweetened dried fruit, nuts or seeds
• Chia pudding with unsweetened shredded coconut and pineapple
• Frozen yogurt popsicle
  • Blend together fruit and yogurt, then pour into popsicle mold tray and freeze
• Energy bites made with dates and nuts
• High fibre cereal topped with chopped fruit and milk or fortified soy beverage
• Cut up vegetables with hummus or a yogurt-based dip such as tzatziki
• Green leafy salad with sliced strawberries and toasted almonds
• Celery sticks or cucumber rounds topped with tuna salad
• Veggie sticks with cashew dip
• Bean and corn dip with pita chips
• Carrot sticks, whole grain crackers and cheese
• Cherry or sliced tomatoes and a hardboiled egg
• Edamame and cucumber chunks with a splash of olive oil and vinegar, topped with sesame seeds
• Salsa or guacamole with homemade chips from whole grain pita or tortilla
• Whole grain pita with baked falafel and red pepper strips
• Whole grain toast topped with apple slices and melted cheese
• Mini baked spinach and egg frittata

For More Information

For more information on snack ideas and recipes, see Canada’s food guide:

• Healthy Snacks https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/healthy-snacks/
• Make healthy meals using Canada’s food guide plate https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/make-healthy-meals-with-the-eat-well-plate/
• Recipes: Snacks https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/recipes/#Snacks

For information and advice based on your specific food and nutrition needs and preferences, call 8-1-1 and ask to speak to a HealthLink BC dietitian.

For additional information, see the following resources:

• HealthLink BC www.healthlinkbc.ca – Get medically approved non-emergency health information.