Healthy snack recipes: 10 ideas to keep hunger at bay

These delicious healthy snack recipes will stave off hunger and unhealthy snacking, without the need for refined sugar or unhealthy fats!

Related: 10 best healthy breakfast ideas and recipes

Healthy banana bread recipe

Low in fat and sweetened only with dried fruit, this is far healthier than a pastry or cake.

• Serves: 10
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 55 minutes
• Per serving: 200 calories | 4g protein | 9g fat | 1g saturated fat | 27g carbs | 3g fibre | 18g sugar

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 100ml sunflower oil
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 100g raisins
• 100g dates, chopped
• 150g wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method:

1. Add bananas, egg, sunflower oil, mixed spice, raisins and dates to a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add mix to a bowl and stir in wholemeal flour and baking powder.
3. Pour the mixture into a large (900g) lightly oiled loaf tin and sprinkle the top with a tablespoon of sunflower seeds.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180oC/gas mark 4 for 15 minutes. Place some foil on top and bake for a further 30-40 minutes.

Related: Healthy pudding recipes: 7 low-calorie dessert ideas

Healthy houmous snack recipes

Add a twist to houmous with these healthy recipes, and serve it with crudités for a nutritious party dip or satiating snack.

Sesame houmous

• Serves: 8
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 30 mins
• Per serving: 185 calories | 7g protein | 14g fat | 2g saturated fat | 8g carbs | 3g fibre | 1.3g salt

Ingredients:

1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp sesame seeds
300g pot of houmous

Method:

1. Simple stir the tahini and sesame seeds into the houmous.

Curried houmous with mango chutney

• Serves: 8
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 30 mins
• Per serving: 156 calories | 6g protein | 10g fat | 1g saturated fat | 10g carbs | 2.5g fibre | 1.5g salt

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp medium curry paste
• 1 tbsp mango chutney
• 300g pot of houmous

Method:

1. Simply stir the curry paste and chutney into the houmous.

Beetroot & horseradish houmous

• Serves: 8
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 30 mins
• Per serving: 155 calories | 6g protein | 10g fat | 1g saturated fat | 11g carbs | 3g fibre | 1.4g salt

Ingredients:

• 2 beetroot
• 1 tbsp horseradish sauce
• 300g pot of houmous

Method:

1. Peel and quarter the fresh beetroot and roast for 30 minutes in a hot oven, or use two pre-cooked beetroot (not in vinegar).
2. Add to a bowl with horseradish sauce and houmous, blend well and serve.

Healthy granola recipe

This tasty breakfast is low in fat and has no refined sugar.

• Serves: 6
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
• Per serving: 225 calories | 7g protein | 10g fat | 0.9g saturated fat | 28g carbs | 3.5g fibre | 9g sugar

Ingredients:

• 150g rolled oats
• 30g flaked almonds
• 30g pumpkin seeds
• 30g sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g raisins
• 50g apricots, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 150oC/gas mark 2. Mix the oats with the almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, and reserve.
2. Add honey, molasses and cinnamon to a large pan. Gently warm until the cinnamon has dissolved and the mix is runny. Then stir in the oat mixture until it’s well coated.
3. Lightly oil a baking sheet, spread the mixture over it and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and add the raisins and apricots. Mix well, spread over the baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool before storing. Keeps for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

Related: 9 healthy & easy lunch ideas and recipes

Berry smoothie recipe

This nutritious, protein-rich drink will set you up for the day ahead.

• Serves: 1
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Per serving: 336 calories | 16g protein | 10g fat | 4.5g saturated fat | 44g carbs | 5g fibre | 36g sugar

Ingredients:

• 80g frozen raspberries
• 80g frozen blueberries
• 200ml oat milk
• 2 tbsp live natural yoghurt
• 100g silken tofu
• 1 tbsp runny honey

Method:

1. Add the raspberries, blueberries, oat milk, yoghurt, tofu and runny honey to a jug and blend until smooth.

Healthy popcorn snack recipes

Basic popcorn

• Serves: 4
• Preparation time: 3 minutes
• Cooking time: 3-5 minutes
• Per serving: 42 calories | 1g protein | 2g fat | 0.2g saturated fat | 6g carbs | 0.5g fibre | 0.1g salt

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp (30g) popping corn

Method: 

1. Add popping corn to a large hot pan over a medium heat, and place the lid on.
2. After a minute or so, you’ll hear the corn start popping. Cook for a further two to three minutes, shaking the pan several times.
3. Remove from the heat and leave for one minute to make sure the corn has stopped popping. Remove any un-popped kernels, and it’s ready to eat or add flavourings (see right).

Cheesy garlic & thyme popcorn

• Serves: 4
• Preparation time: 3 minutes
• Cooking time: 3-5 minutes
• Per serving: 86 calories | 2g protein | 4.5g fat | 3g saturated fat | 5.5g carbs | 0.5g fibre | 0.1g salt

Ingredients:

• 15-20g butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 litre popped corn
• 1 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated

Method:

1. Add butter to a pan with garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Cook gently for two minutes, without browning the garlic.
3. Add popped corn and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Chilli lemon popcorn

• Serves: 4
• Preparation time: 3 minutes
• Cooking time: 3-5 minutes
• Per serving: 67 calories | 1g protein | 4.5g fat | 0.5g saturated fat | 5.5g carbs | 0.5g fibre | 0.1g salt

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 litre popped corn

Method:

1. Add olive oil to a pan with red chilli and smoked paprika. Cook gently until the paprika dissolves.
2. Add the juice and grated zest of an unwaxed lemon and heat until the juice has almost evaporated.
3. Mix in popped corn and serve.

Healthy hot chocolate recipe

Satisfy your comfort-food cravings with this healthy winter warmer.

• Serves: 2
• Preparation time: 2 minutes
• Cook time: 3-5 minutes
• Per serving: 161 calories | 5g protein | 7g fat | 1.5g saturated fat | 18g carbs | 1g fibre | 18g sugar

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp cocoa power
• 1 tbsp cold milk
• 200ml hemp milk
• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 small ripe banana, chopped
• Dark chocolate, to serve

Method:

1. Add the cocoa powder to a jug and mix to a paste with milk.
2. Meanwhile, warm the hemp milk in a saucepan with the molasses and stir until dissolved. When hot (but not boiling), mix into the cocoa paste.
3. Add the banana and whizz in a blender, then return to the saucepan and heat for a minute.
4. Pour into a cup, grate a little dark chocolate on top and serve.