Grown-Up Snacking: 25+ No-Guilt Everyday Snack Ideas Good Enough to Serve Guests You'll Want to Hide for Yourself
Simple, healthy little bites to tide you between meals or to entertain guests on the weekend
Welcome to the Eating and Feeding Newsletter! As a retired cancer doc, I’m so glad you’re here to motivate your healthier eating! We are growing a community taking back control over what we eat without sacrificing the joys of food!
Here are 25 ideas for elevated snacking … you deserve a private little moment, some “me” time, maybe an escape from the kids. Smash that crescent moon “Do Not Disturb” on your phone and make yourself a good snack. Did you invite guests for a glass of wine and land home at half past six? You got this! These work wonders as aperitivos or starters which can be quickly turned out!
Do you find yourself unintentionally at the bottom of an open a bag of chips before The Residence’s cliffhanger reveals who killed A.B. Wynter? When the server offers to refill your glass of wine, do you look up to find you’ve plowed through a dish of salty rice crackers? These snack foods usually satisfy your wen for something “crunchy,” or “salty, ” or “sweet” only to have those pangs rebound in a very short time. You’ve eaten something convenient and easy, but not all that satisfying to your palate or your hunger. So, pass up the boxed and bagged snacks with their “healthy” halo false promises. Stock the fridge and the pantry, so that several of these little bites below can be assembled with little effort. When you eat between meals, why not make it something more memorable for you and your gut?
Edamame- At 11 gm of protein and 4 gm of fiber per serving, these are an ideal snack. Buy them shelled, unsalted in the the freezer aisle of your grocery, defrost and steam on demand in the microwave, and salt as you need.
Tortilla Chips with Black Bean and Corn Salsa- Boost the fiber in store-bought salsa by adding cooked black beans and fresh or frozen corn kernels; or chop tomatoes, onions, and cilantro to toss with fresh lime juice, a little olive oil, black beans and corn for your own home-made fresh salsa.
Blistered Shishito Peppers- The best Japanese izakaya snack takes two minutes in the pan; don’t say I didn’t warn you how addictive these are- a great cocktail hour option to put out with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini with Chopped Figs, Walnuts, and Fresh Thyme Add olive oil to goat cheese with a bit of honey, if you like, whisk until creamy, and spread thinly on toasted sourdough baguette slices; toss with chopped figs, walnuts, and fresh thyme and sprinkle on each.
Strawberries and Sour Cream- I ate this as a child and the memory lingers; sweet tart strawberries set off by the creamy tongue-coating fat of 2 Tablespoons of good sour cream. Some brands add live lactic acid bacteria cultures back into the sour cream after pasteurization to provide probiotic benefits.
Popcorn Drizzled with Dark Chocolate- I air-pop mine in a hot pink microwave silicone popper. Without salt, it’s a superb low calorie, high fiber, whole grain snack. You can spread yours on on a sheet tray over parchment paper or a silicone mat and drizzle with chocolate melted in the microwave (20 second pulses, stir in between, until 2/3 melted, stir until smooth and glossy, and then drizzle on the popped kernels. Allow to set.)
Carrot Sticks Flash-marinated in White Balsamic Vinegar- A Sicilian hostess taught me that 15 minutes bathed in vinegar is all it takes to elevate crisp carrots sticks to delectable; my kids ask for more whenever they are served as an aperitivo.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers- De-seed and halve Poblanos lengthwise, toss in a little olive oil and roast at 400 F ten minutes, spread with ricotta and a Tablespoon of sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack; finish under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly.
Two Dates Rolled in Honey and Sesame Seeds- High in fiber, but keep to the 133 calories/ 32 gm sugar/ 2 date serving; brush the dates in honey liquified in the microwave 10 seconds and then immediately roll them in toasted sesame seeds. Allow to set.
Radishes with Olive Oil and Sourdough Toasts- Those radishes have a lovely peppery bite that are nice with the twang of toasted sourdough brushed with a little olive oil; the French eat these with butter and salt, but try a few varieties “naked” like French Breakfast, Cherry Belles, and Easter Eggs and you may find the flavor and crunch satisfying on their own.
Grilled Tangerines- Grilled tangerines are having a moment highlighted by the Netflix K-drama, “When Life Gives You Tangerines.” I can recommend both. When roasted and slightly charred in their peels, the Vitamin C-rich citrus flesh becomes sweet and lovely. When it’s not grilling season, wrap them in foil and roast at 400 F in the oven 10 minutes.
2/3 Unsalted Tortilla Chips/ 1/3 Lightly Salted Chips with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde Losing yourself in a bag of tortilla chips can drive up sodium. The label may suggest 65 - 115 mg for an 8-10 chip serving, but how many did you eat? Your tastebuds likely will be satisfied by mixing unsalted chips with a lightly salted version. Well-sourced lightly processed corn tortillas are made from whole grain with little else added. Toss them together in a snacking bowl, portion the amount that will quench your hankering, and avoid eating out of the bag.
Baby Carrots with Spinach and Artichoke Hummus- Get a day’s worth of Vitamin A and 4 grams of fiber in a serving (5 carrots, 2 Tbsp of hummus); ramp up the flavor, fiber, and nutrients by mixing in chopped pan-wilted or blanched spinach (fresh or frozen will do just fine) and canned artichoke hearts 2 parts vegetables to three parts hummus.
Cashews, Walnuts, Almonds, Dried Cherries, and Dark Chocolate Bits Buy unsalted nuts, dried cherries, and mix with dark chocolate broken into bits. Guittard mini-baking chips come in the perfect size to add to your selection, including a non-dairy version.
Piedmontese Tuna-Stuffed Mini-Peppers When traveling on the outskirts of Turin, Italy, we had lunch beneath the terra-cotta roofed bell tower of a sleepy village set in the hills. The chef brought these tiny roasted peppers to our table stuffed with a simple tuna mousse. It was one of those novel tastes traditional to the region that lingers years later. They are a terrific snack high in protein or as mezze to set out for guests with a crisp white wine.
Apple Butter on Multigrain Toast Having a batch of this no-added sugar apple butter in the fridge not only provides an instant high fiber snack spread on multigrain toast, but you’ll want to add it to morning oatmeal, make the kids sandwiches with nut butters, or serve a dollop with minced fresh rosemary over cream cheese on wholemeal crackers to guests.
Skewered Green Olives, Roasted Pepper, and Anchovy In Spain, they call this Pintxo Gilda after the femme fatale Rita Hayworth played in the 1946 film Gilda. Canned desalinated anchovies or meaty tinned sardines coiled to be easily speared will do. The original calls for guindilla peppers, but I toss quartered, de-seeded red bell peppers in olive oil and roast 25 min at 400 F as an alternative. Use Spanish green manzanilla or Castelvetrano olives for a colorful presentation on wooden cocktail picks for your appetizer hour, but be sure to tuck several away for later to relive Rita’s star moment.
Zucchini Spears with Labneh and Aleppo Pepper- Select thinner, tender-skinned zucchinis to cut into 4 inch zucchini spears; these are less likely to require de-seeding. Dip one end into thick labneh and then sprinkle red Aleppo flakes over the labneh. The heat adds great dimension in contrast to the cooling, creamy dip.
Crisp Cabbage Wedges in Soy Dipping Sauce- In Osaka, the tables were set with ice-crisp green cabbage leaves to dip in soy-garlic sauce; make your version with 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 chopped scallion, 1 Tablespoon hot water, and 1 minced clove of garlic.
Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Peanuts, and Wasabi Peas- Buy unsalted almonds and be certain they are fresh; mix with shelled peanuts, shelled sunflower seeds, and wasabi peas.
Sardines with Romesco Sauce on Whole Grain Crackers Tinned sardines served with a rich tomato-y sauce made with almonds and garlic over whole grain crackers; better yet, if fresh sardines available, grill them with olive oil and serve with the sauce over crusty, sourdough bread.
Chilled Sesame Spinach (Ohitashi) Like every Japanese mother, keep a little dish of this side marinating in the fridge. Simply blanche chopped spinach in boiling water and bathe in a marinade of soy, mirin, and sesame oil.
Mini Cucumber, Cherry Tomato, Parsley and Cherry-size Mozzarella Balls (Ciliegine Salad) Buy little balls of mozzarella or cut ovolini into squares. Mix with halved cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, and mini-cucumbers (Armenian) 1/4 inch sliced tossed with a little olive oil.
A Mess of English Peas (In Season) Nothing sings Spring better than English Peas in their pods. Eat them raw right out of their shells when they are at their peak. And, it’s simply fun to open each green packet to reveal your own little harvest. Enjoy and put out a little dish for the discarded pods..
Fennel Bulb Wedges with a Squeeze of Fresh Citrus- Fresh fennel bulb has the crunch you crave and a lovely anise (think black licorice!) notes. Slice the bulbs lengthwise in thick spears or quarters and serve chilled with a squeeze of fresh orange or lime juice.
Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Spread (Zaalouk) with Whole Wheat Pita Triangles- Zaalouk is a scented North African stewed vegetable salad. I make it regularly to use as an aromatic dip for crudités and crackers— the garlic gives it bones balanced with the warmth of cumin, paprika, and a little heat all working together. When the eggplants are done under the broiler or grilled, they take on a smoky depth adding complexity to the dip, but a simple stovetop sauté also works well.
Zaalouk has caught the attention of many great chefs here on Substack. First, Lizzie Wingfield posted her recipe cooking the aubergines “quickly on a hot griddle.” She offered, “I rather like a bowl of it with a dollop of greek yogurt and some of the quick-preserved lemons.” Then Substack worked it’s magic inspiring Cookwitch to take a blowtorch to the vegetables to bring out their smoky char. “When mint hits olive hits char,” she swooned over the result, “suddenly, I’m on holiday in a small village taverna somewhere with wood smoke and laughter.”
To make your own, halve the eggplants lengthwise and coat with olive oil. Place under the broiler until the flesh is soft and creamy. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon into a sauté pan. Add two-three tomatoes, chopped and deseeded, for each eggplant used, and simmer on the stove with 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp each sweet or smoked paprika, and cumin 20 minutes, 1/4 tsp chili flake or Aleppo pepper if you like heat, mashing occasionally with the back of a spoon. Add a little water to moisten and olive oil, as needed, stirring until it reaches the thick and chunky consistency of a spread, about 20 minutes. Season to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Three Rules for Intelligent snacking…
Reach for whole foods first- Savor the seasonality of fresh produce- the arrival of little French prune plums, heirloom apples in New England, and the first Brandywine tomatoes off the vine- their peak flavor and availability are fleeting.
Fiber drives fullness - Many mistakenly reach for protein snacks when for most meeting daily fiber goals is more challenging; high fiber foods will increase your satiety, steady blood sugar, and help get you to your fiber target of 25 gm/day.
Good fats are good fuel-To satisfy hunger with staying power, think nuts, seeds, beans, and fermented dairy like yogurt, sour cream, and labneh. Fat also promotes absorption of micronutrients from all that great produce.
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This has so many brilliant ideas for snacks – often one of the most difficult things to make healthy – thank you!
Wonderful ideas here! I want to make every one! Thanks, Ellen!