Healthy Snack Ideas

A good snack bridges the gap between meals without leaving you hungry an hour later. The trick is real food: chickpeas, avocado, nuts, fresh vegetables, a little cheese. Many of the best snacks come from cuisines that have been perfecting small plates for centuries. And when you want something sweet, homemade beats the packet every time, because you choose what goes in.

Dips worth the chips

Hummus. Chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic, blended smooth. Cheaper and better than the tub, and it keeps for days.
Guacamole. Ripe avocado mashed with lime, chilli and coriander. Serve with crunchy vegetables as well as corn chips.
Vegetable sticks. Carrot, cucumber, capsicum and whole radishes. The crunch is half the pleasure.

Savoury bites

Falafel. Crisp outside, fluffy and green inside, and vegan as they come. Make a batch and freeze the extras.
Fresh spring rolls. Rice paper wrapped round herbs, vegetables and rice noodles. No frying needed for the fresh Vietnamese kind.
Kimchi. A small bowl of spicy fermented cabbage, Korean-style. Bold flavour in a few bites.
Roasted chickpeas. Toss drained chickpeas with oil and spices, roast until crunchy, and they're gone in minutes.
Cheese and fruit. A wedge of cheese with an apple or a few grapes. The classic for a reason.
Fresh herbs on toast. Ricotta, a pile of torn basil or mint, salt and good oil. Two minutes.

Nuts and seeds

Almonds, walnuts and other nuts. A small handful is filling and easy to carry. Toast them for two minutes in a dry pan and they taste twice as good.
Flourless bread. A seed and nut loaf. A thin slice with a smear of nut butter makes a solid afternoon snack.

Something sweet

Healthy cookies. Oat cookies sweetened mostly with dates. One bowl and 20 minutes in the oven.
Bananas. Nature's snack bar, already wrapped.
Homemade Bounty. Coconut bars dipped in dark chocolate. Still a treat, but you know exactly what's in it, and it's easy to make vegan.
Homemade Snickers. A no-bake slice with peanuts and caramel. Cut it small and share it.
Yoghurt with honey. Plain yoghurt, a drizzle of honey and a few mulberries or other berries.

A word on "healthy"

No single snack makes you healthy, and no single treat ruins you. Australia's dietary guidelines suggest building most of what you eat from vegetables, fruit, grains, protein foods and dairy or alternatives, and keeping the sometimes foods for sometimes. Snacks are a good place to sneak in an extra serve of fruit or veg.

Plan ahead

Keep chickpeas, nuts, oats and frozen fruit in the cupboard and freezer, and you'll always have a snack ready. Our pantry staples guide covers the basics. Want something to drink with it? Try our drinks and smoothies collections, or see our healthy breakfasts for more ideas.