Whenever we are on a diet, or trying to lose some weight, or trying to eat healthily, the one thing everyone misses is the different snacks we can munch on all day long! With the concept of eating healthy, any kind of candy bars, chips and crisps, protein bars and everything else that’s delicious, is quickly eliminated from your life.  

With any kind of eating regime, you are bound to get hungry in between meals. You might be hankering for a bar of your favourite chocolate, but there’s always a better, healthier snack option available that won’t jeopardize your health. 

When you are eating healthy, you can still munch on something crunchy, savoury or sweet whenever you feel hungry, without adding extra calories to your body. Snacks can, just like your meals, can be low-carb, high-protein, low-sugar and high-fibre foods.  

So, if you find yourselves to be restless for a little snack, here are some healthier options that will stop you from reaching for a bag of chips! 

  • Boiled Eggs 

Boiled eggs might not just be for breakfast; you can have them any time during the day, more than one if you want. You can even keep boiled eggs ready for a snack around the house to gobble down whenever you feel light-headed or hungry. If you don’t like the taste of boiled eggs, you can add a little low-fat mayonnaise, salt and pepper, or any other seasoning. 

A single 100-gm boiled egg only has 155-kcal in it, which means you can have more than one every day. Eggs, especially when boiled, have no carbohydrates in them and plenty of protein – which makes it the perfect snack for you. Instead of boiling your egg, you can also try scrambled or poached egg, but that might add some more calories to your snack. 

On the other hand, eggs are easy to boil. All you need to do is to drop them in water and wait; you can even boil multiple eggs for breakfast and eat them throughout the day if you don’t have the time to do it several times every day. 

Deviled eggs are also an easy recipe with boiled eggs; here, the yolk is mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper, and served back with the egg. Deviled eggs are simple, but also something delicious that you’ll love.    

  • Homemade Trail Mixes 

Yes, you can buy trail mixes everywhere, but they usually have a high number of candy, raisins and dried fruits in them, as well as sugar added for taste. It is much better to make your own trail mixes by buying all the ingredients separately. This way, you can only add the types of munchies you love, instead of having to go through a handful to find your favourites. 

So, what can you add to your homemade trail mix? Here is a sample recipe for you to try: 

  • 1 cup of pecans (chopped); 
  • 1 cup of pumpkin seeds (roasted); 
  • ½ cup of coconut flakes (unsweetened and natural); 
  • 1 cup of walnuts (chopped); 
  •  ½ cup of sunflower seeds (roasted); 
  • ½ cup of raw almonds; 
  • 1 cup of dark chocolate (chopped); 
  • ½ cup of dried cherries (unsweetened and sun-dried); 
  • 1 pinch of sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg (each). 

Of course, you can add your favourites or eliminate any of these ingredients, as per your personal preferences. This trail mix can be for everyone in the house, as there is nothing refined or processed in here. 

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you can eat an unlimited amount every day. Even healthy, each of these ingredients has calories in them, and only one or two handfuls should be eaten at intervals. 

  • Berries with Whipped Cream 

Something delicious that will also satisfy any sugar-craving you might be having! There’s nothing easier than getting a bowl of mixed low-carb berries and add a dollop of low-fat whipped cream on top. It could be a mixture of all the berries you like, i.e. blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and blueberries, with some cream on top. 

It takes only minutes to prepare this snack, but something you can enjoy anytime you want to. You can even replace the low-fat whipped cream with a 40-per cent full-cream one, especially if you exercise enough every day. Even when the cream is naturally unsweetened, the sweet taste of the berries can make you feel like you’re eating dessert, not just fruits. 

You can even add some whole-grain oats and/or nuts to this bowl of berries, turn this snack into a full meal or breakfast. Remember not to overdo with the berries or with the cream, because they can slow down your weight loss goal. 

  • Dark Chocolate 

Just because you want to lose weight or eat healthily, you won’t have to completely sacrifice chocolates. Dark chocolates are just as delicious and actually good for your heart, but only if you choose a bar that is more than 86% or 70% dark. Even when on a very strict low-carb diet, you can allow yourself a single square of chocolate, even white chocolate or milk chocolate. 

86% dark chocolate has only 19 kcals of carbs in a single 2-gram square and a 70% dark chocolate has 34 kcal of carbs in the same amount; on the other hand, a single square of milk chocolate has 56 kcals of carbs and a regular square of white chocolate has 59 kcals of carbs. One or two (or maybe three) squares of dark chocolate every day isn’t at all bad for you, so that’s a snack you can definitely try sometimes. 

  • Beef Jerky 

Beef jerky pieces are completely low-carb, high protein snacks that will stay in your stomach for a long time. You can buy ready-made beer jerky in the stores, but they often have refined sugar and soy sauce added to it; you can make some at home and keep them in a jar for frequent snacking. 

To make beef jerky at home, all you need are thinly sliced beef slices, kosher salt, garlic powder, chilli powder and black pepper. Combine all the ingredients together and bake for 3 to 4 hours in an oven, and you can store the beef jerky in a jar for several snack times.

Too much red meat isn’t good for your heart; so, even though this is a low-carb snack, it is better not to eat more than 3 to 4 slices every day. Unprocessed beef in moderation gives us the protein our body needs, but we need to be careful not to overdo it. 

You can also use pork rind in the same way, to make crunchy, delicious snacks for the whole family.

  • Vegetable Sticks with Low-fat Dips 

Raw vegetables don’t just have to be eaten in a salad! You can simply dunk them in a low-carb, low-fat dip to eat as a snack. Cucumber sticks, celery sticks and carrot sticks – just peel and cut them into slices, and they become the perfect low-carb snacks for any time of the day. 

As for the dip, here are some options: low-fat mayonnaise mixed with salt, pepper and paprika powder; blended tofu mixed with oil, basil and garlic; low-fat almond or peanut butter; hummus which is a blend of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice; or yogurt mixed with honey and ground cinnamon. These dips are all low in calories, have almost no fat or carbs, and very easy to make. While raw vegetables can be quite bland and boring, a simple dip makes your snack delicious enough to serve guests. 

  • Fruit Smoothies 

If you make a jar of fruit smoothies in the morning, you can drink it as a snack all day long. Any kind of low-carb, low-fat and high-fiber fruits can come into this smoothie, with some almond milk and vanilla extract for taste. ½ cup of strawberries only contains 6 grams of carbs, so you can add a lot of it in your smoothie and not have to worry about weight gain. 

Smoothies taste the best with plenty of frozen strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and pineapples; you can also add bananas and mangoes, but these fruits have a lot of sugar in them. You can even add some chia seeds, Greek yogurt and coconut shavings for added taste. 

  • Greek Yogurt  

Greek yogurt can be one of the best snacks you have ever tasted, especially if you throw in plenty of nuts, seeds or even whole-grain oats in it. While traditional yogurt contains a large amount of refined sugar, plain yogurt and Greek yogurt is natural and unsweetened. 

A regular-sized 6-ounce serving of Greek yogurt only contains 8 grams of carbs but is full of calcium. You can add anything to your yogurt to enhance the taste; Greek yogurt can be your go-to snack as many times during the day as you want, and not have to limit your intake. 

Being on a diet or eating healthy doesn’t mean that you have to stick to your basic meals, and starve the rest of the day! There are a lot of low-carb and high-protein snacks that you can eat throughout the day, whenever hungry, and not have to worry about gaining weight, and they are not just boring salads either! These are awesome and delicious snack ideas that are also healthy and good for you.