Vegan Snacks That Are Healthy and Taste Good
There are plenty of advantages to veganism, from the environmental benefits to the positive health effects like weight loss and improved mental clarity. Plus, being vegan is kind of like being part of an exclusive club with its own lively community.
Whether you’re a longtime vegan advocate or you just want to dip your toe into the world of plant-based eating, you might find yourself wondering about snacks. In between those beautiful vegan meals, what are you supposed to munch on?
Sure, there are many tasty vegan snacks available in the store, but you need to proceed with caution when it comes to the nutritional panel. Vegan does not always mean healthy, and there could be sugar and fat lurking around every corner.
Ready for some delicious vegan snacks that are healthy at every level? We’re here to compile all the best options into one definitive list. If you’re ever in need of a snack for yourself or a vegan friend, keep this page bookmarked and ready to go.
Let’s not delay further – these are our favorite healthy vegan snacks that taste great.
Quick and Easy Snack Setups
The best snacks are a one-two punch of different flavors and textures that complement one another perfectly. Sure, you can bite into an apple, peel an orange, or munch on some celery as a decent vegan snack, but you’re missing out on the real beauty of snack time.
That’s why our recommendations involve at least two ingredients to give you something tastier and more nutritious to dig into when the mood strikes.
First on the list is the iconic veggies and dip, which can be prepared in a matter of minutes once you master the technique. Just load up your fridge with carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery, cauliflower, and snap peas, and you can assemble a glorious crudité platter anytime you want.
Your dip selection might be somewhat limited by vegan restrictions, but don’t be fooled – some of the best dips don’t need animal products to taste great, and there are plenty of products available that replicate your old-school favorites with plant-based ingredients.
Definitely make hummus a part of your snack repertoire if you haven’t done so yet. This is a smooth, creamy paste made from chickpeas and fully customizable with all kinds of spices. Add garlic, pepper flakes, lemon juice, or any other seasonings to get the perfect flavor.
There are plenty of store-bought hummus products we love, but we suggest trying to make it on your own at some point to add a personal touch. If chickpeas aren’t for you, substitute cannellini beans and make an amazing white-bean dip at home.
Other Middle Eastern veggie dips include baba ghanoush and tahini, which are made from eggplant and sesame seed, respectively. You might be unfamiliar with these items at first, but soon enough, they’ll be on the shortlist for your favorite snack foods.
As far as yogurt sauces go (think strained yogurt raita and tzatziki), they can be achieved using vegan yogurt products derived from coconuts, almonds, or cashews. With just a few added ingredients, you’ve got a gourmet dip that can be sweetened to accompany fruit or made savory to work well with your fresh-cut veggies.
Speaking of nuts, you’ll want to stock up your pantry with a wide range of nut butter that you can dip and spread on sliced fruit like apples and bananas. Nuts are an excellent source of fat and protein that will keep you full and give you a crucial nutrient boost.
Finally, you can count on spicy classics like salsa or guacamole to layer on the flavor with tortilla chips or healthy crackers, as long as they meet your dietary checklist.
Some Preparation Required
We love the speed and simplicity of reaching into the fridge for a quick two-step snack, but some of the best vegan munchies demand a bit more preparation. If you have a few minutes at home and you’re willing to put in some extra work, these are worth the effort.
If you haven’t mastered the art and science of smoothie-making, this is a perfect time. Pick up a blender (with some power behind it) and start experimenting with various ratios of veggies, fruits, nut butter, seeds, and powders that you can mix up at any time.
The framework is pretty easy to follow. Start with some leafy greens like spinach, collards, or kale, then toss in some diced fruit like pineapple, mango, banana, or pears. You want a little extra sweetness to balance out the bitter greens.
Then you scoop in your favorite peanut butter, top it with chia seeds or hemp seeds, and add some vegan protein powder if you need another boost. Blend it up, chug it down, and you’ve taken in more veggies than most Americans get in an entire week!
Smoothies will never let you down, and they only take a few minutes to prepare and make.
We also recommend learning to quick-roast some veggies like potatoes or broccoli (ideally with olive oil), so you can snack on something warm and crunchy instead of the usual cold cut vegetables from the fridge.
Figure out your favorite chickpea seasoning so you can roast them up and have a tasty, flavor-packed snack that tastes better than most chips and crackers.
Oatmeal is another snack that doesn’t always have to be for breakfast. The process is so quick, the nutrition is fantastic, and you can add anything you want on top, sweet or salty.
Last but not least, you owe it to yourself to form a new relationship with popcorn, an ingredient that has much more depth of character than you may think. Popcorn is a blank canvas just waiting for you to layer on wonderful flavors and enjoy.
Test out a few funky seasonings from the store or mix up your own at home from scratch. If you’re feeling bold, sprinkle some nutritional yeast on your popcorn and experience a savory sensation that true vegans know and love.
Big Batch Snacks at Home
There comes a time in the life of every vegan when those store-bought bars, granola mixes, and grain bowls just don’t do the trick anymore. You want better nutrition, more flavor, and affordability in the long term!
That’s why you need to learn a few go-to recipes for big-batch snacking that you can rely on time and time again.
At the top of the list, we recommend granola, which you can use in a huge range of tasty snacks. Granola from the store isn’t always healthy (or vegan), but the homemade version is 100% in your control.
You don’t need much to start making great granola at home. Load up on old-fashioned oats, create a custom mix of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, mix it all together in a bowl with coconut oil, and drizzle a natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey.
Bake a few batches of different granolas over the course of a Sunday afternoon, and you’ve got a wealth of flavor and taste for the whole family all week long. The granola can be munched on its own, thrown in a bowl with almond milk, or used to create a more indulgent trail mix.
The next recipe to learn by heart is the famous vegan energy bites (or bars). You’ve seen them online, in magazines, and everywhere else, and now it’s time to make them your own.
There are so many varieties of energy bites out there, so just pick the one that looks tastiest to you to get started. Lots of the ingredients cross over between recipes, and you can make several batches in just a few hours. Plus, it’s fun to roll up those little balls and bars by hand.
Once you realize how easy it is to make these delicious snacks, you’ll wonder what took you so long.
Protein-Packed Vegan Snacks
We don’t blame you if you miss the feeling of ripping open a bag of crunchy snacks and digging in like the old days. That’s why we’re proud to bring you vegan snacks that feature nostalgic flavors, crazy crunch, and a very impressive nutritional panel.
Our Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds have been a hit so far on the vegan scene, including 25 grams of protein with way less sodium than other snacks in its category.
A more recent addition is our Outstanding Puffs, also 100% vegan and loaded with substantial daily values of key nutrients you might be missing.
It’s our mission to bring you super healthy vegan snacks that don’t fall short on flavor. Read our reviews to hear what people are saying and find out more about our brand here.
Conclusion
We know that sticking to the vegan lifestyle isn’t always easy, but hopefully, these snack recommendations will spark your inspiration once again and motivate you to stay the course.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-snacks
https://runningonrealfood.com/easy-vegan-snack-ideas/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/g5135/healthy-vegan-snack-ideas/
