26 Healthy Snacks That Will Satisfy Any Craving

When you’re looking for a quick bite between meals, it’s good to have options. Sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy: whatever you’re in the mood for, these recipes can help you keep your healthy eating goals on track.

December 19, 2022

By: Kristie Collado

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Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

Photo By: Tara Donne

Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

Photo By: Tara Donne ©FOOD NETWORK : 2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne

Photo By: Kate Mathis

Smart Options Everyone Will Love

If you ask us, snacks are an important part of any healthy eating plan. They can fuel your workout, help you power through an afternoon slump at work or keep your family from indulging in too many sweets and treats. (Yes, there are healthy snacks that even kids will love!) Want to stock your kitchen with a few wholesome options? With these recipes you’ll be whipping up everything from trail mix and better-for-you cookies to homemade hummus and these 5-star, spiced edamame pods in no time!

Get the Recipe: Spiced Edamame

Almond Cherry Pepita Bars

This completely plant based fruit-and-nut snack has a light and chewy texture that comes from brown rice cereal and syrup. Dried cherries give it a burst of sweet-tart flavor that is balanced by flaky sea salt, almonds and pepitas. Wrap them individually for a satisfying snack that can be made ahead and taken on the go.

Get the Recipe: Almond Cherry Pepita Bars

Frozen Yogurt Dots

How can something so tiny have so much flavor? Thanks to fresh fruit and Greek yogurt these little frozen treats are packed with sweet and tang. A serving of ten has only 50 calories and 3 grams of sugar.

Get the Recipe: Frozen Yogurt Dots

Tamari Pecans

Tamari is a dark soybean sauce that is like a thicker version of soy sauce. Its mellow flavor gets amped up by cayenne pepper as the coating for these fiery pecans.

Get the Recipe: Tamari Pecans

Greek Yogurt Onion Dip

Use Greek yogurt for a healthier spin on beloved onion dip. This version incorporates shallots and chives, and it can be served with sliced vegetables or low-salt pretzels or pita chips.

Get the Recipe: Greek Yogurt Onion Dip

Chocolate-Chia Pudding

Chia seeds give this super-chocolaty pudding a satisfyingly rich texture. Plus, they're a great source of fiber!

Get the Recipe: Chocolate-Chia Pudding

Almond, Coconut and Date Bites

Who says healthy snacks can't be indulgent? These bites are packed with fiber and heart-healthy fats, but they're also sweet, crunchy and delicious. Whip up a batch and pop them in the fridge so you'll be ready the next time you're in need of a snack-time boost.

Get the Recipe: Almond, Coconut and Date Bites

Albacore Tuna with Celery and Walnuts

When you’re craving a salty, protein-packed snack, this is the one to turn to. Geoffrey dresses up tuna with olives, capers, celery and walnuts for a wholesome bite that’s full of flavor.

Get the Recipe: Albacore Tuna with Celery and Walnuts

Crispy Roasted Kale

Curly kale is excellent for roasting. The tender leaves become crisp and crunchy when dressed in a light mixture of olive oil and kosher salt. Be sure to place the kale in one layer on the sheet tray — overcrowding will steam the kale rather than crisp it.

Get the Recipe: Crispy Roasted Kale

Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

Whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt keep these cakes flavorful and moist while adding fiber and protein. Each cake gets 1 teaspoon of sweet cream cheese glaze-far fewer calories than the multiple tablespoons of frosting piled onto your typical cupcake.

Get the Recipe: Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

Chunky Guacamole

One more reason to celebrate guacamole: Avocados are rich in just the kind of "good" fats health experts encourage us to eat. In Ellie's version, diced red onion is key — it gives a great bite to chunks of creamy avocado.

Get the Recipe: Chunky Guacamole

Goji Berry Trail Mix

Giada's five-minute trail mix features nuts, raw seeds and two kinds of dried fruit (apricots and Goji berries). Stir spoonfuls into Greek yogurt or have the snack on its own.

Get the Recipe: Goji Berry Trail Mix

Honeyed Lemon-Berry Snack Cake

Honey not only pairs beautifully with citrus and berries, but it also is hygroscopic, which means that it pulls moisture from the air. This property helps create the cake's moist, dense, almost-pound-cake-like texture and will continue to improve the texture in the days after baking.

Get the Recipe: Honeyed Lemon-Berry Snack Cake

Cracked Pepper Potato Chips with Onion Dip

These baked potato chips have a satisfying crunch and less fat than store-bought. And, once you try the easy, homemade onion dip, you’ll never buy it at the store again.

Get the Recipe: Cracked Pepper Potato Chips with Onion Dip

Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Chicken Apple Salad

Sweet, hollowed-out cherry tomatoes make perfect, tiny bowls for a chicken-apple salad filling.

Get the Recipe: Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Chicken Apple Salad

Homemade Hummus

Ree’s homemade hummus couldn’t be easier. Simply add a handful of ingredients to the food processor and puree until smooth. Better yet, it’s healthy — and the perfect dip for raw veggies.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Hummus

Muscovado Cocoa Chip Cookies

Molasses-heavy muscovado sugar and intense bittersweet chocolate create an insanely fudgy texture in these craveworthy cookies. The secrets to perfecting these cookies are: Avoid overmixing the dough; and, to avoid overcooking, bake it straight from frozen and pull the cookies from the oven when they're almost underdone.

Get the Recipe: Muscovado Cocoa Chip Cookies

Nut-and-Seed Granola

We left the oats out of this low-carb, low-sugar granola. Our taste testers were split on the level of toastiness: Some liked the granola golden brown, while others liked a deeper, more robust version. Just follow the recipe's visual cues (and your nose) for your preferred doneness.

Get the Recipe: Nut-and-Seed Granola

Protein Popcorn

You only need 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to make a healthy snack that you can eat by the handful. Nutritional yeast has a nutty, cheese-like flavor, making this snack perfect for anyone who loves cheese popcorn.

Get the Recipe: Protein Popcorn

Crunchy Peanut Butter Thins

These crunchy little cookies are a satisfying alternative to regular peanut butter cookies. Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids - look for them in specialty health food stores if you don't see them in the regular grocery store.

Get the Recipe: Crunchy Peanut Butter Thins

Mini Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

These mini quiches are individually sized without a crust for great portion control. In addition, the combination of half egg whites and half whole eggs beaten with some skim milk and topped with a sprinkle of crumbled turkey bacon makes for a tasty snack that's not too high in calories.

Get the Recipe: Mini Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Peach Pie Smoothie

For peach pie lovers: a drinkable, easy-to-make, healthy version of a dessert favorite.

Get the Recipe: Peach Pie Smoothie

Savory Curry Granola with Coconut Oil, Nuts and Seeds

This granola is easily broken into big, chunky pieces — making it perfect for snacking. Crunch on it in place of potato chips or dunk pieces into your favorite Greek yogurt dip.

Get the Recipe: Savory Curry Granola with Coconut Oil, Nuts and Seeds

Beet Tahini Hummus

The sweet earthiness of beets in this hummus is tempered by hummus tahini and creamy labneh. If you can't find labneh, just substitute full-fat Greek yogurt for the same rich dairy tang. Black sesame seeds and cilantro make a striking garnish on this beautiful dish that comes together easily.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Beet Hummus

Fruit-Sweetened Mini Banana Muffins

There are only 6 grams of sugar in each of these little muffins and all of it comes from the fruit and milk — there's no added or refined sugar!

Get the Recipe: Fruit-Sweetened Mini Banana Muffins

Baba Ghanoush

To make this flavorful baba ghanoush, Ellie bakes an eggplant to just the right softness, then mixes the pureed flesh with garlic, lemon, tahini and chopped fresh parsley. Perfect with whole-grain pita or crudites!

Get the Recipe: Babaganoush