These 5 simple, budget-friendly, and satisfying vegan snack ideas are sure to hit the spot when your craving a little something extra between meals. With simple and wholesome ingredients, these healthy snacks will also leave you feeling nourished, satisfied, and full of energy! Also, I made sure to choose snacks with ingredients that can be found in virtually any grocery store and that are budget and kid friendly!
1. Hummus and Pita Bread
This is a simple yet classic combination that combines whole grains with protein and healthy fats to provide you with complete protein . For those of you who don’t know, a food or combination of foods that is considered a complete protein contains an adequate amount of the essential amino acids your body needs to thrive.
On a vegan or plant-based diet, there aren’t many foods that are complete proteins on their own, but simple and tasty combinations of ingredients provide the balance of nutrients that your body needs. Plus, hummus packs in so much flavor and is oh so good when dipped into a warm, soft pita bread.
2. Rice cakes (or bread!) with nut butter, banana, and cinnamon
This warming and satisfying vegan snack combination of nut butter, banana, and cinnamon brings back memories from my childhood! For this snack, I typically use rice cakes but bread will work great too. The healthy fats from the nut butter will leave you feeling full and satiated until your next meal, and the banana will give you that hint of sweetness that we often crave in a snack.
Plus, the cinnamon is filled with antioxidants (even more than other superfoods like garlic!), reduced inflammation in the body, reduces your risk of heart disease, and naturally lowers blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of type-2 diabetes! Also, do I even have to tell you how well cinnamon goes with banana and nut butters! So, go ahead and sprinkle some on to elevate the flavor of your filling and satisfying vegan snack!
3. Yogurt or plant-milk with granola
I’m sure most of us have fond memories of enjoying a nice bowl of cereal in the morning as a kid before heading out to school, and this plant-based version of that meal is sure to hit the spot when you’re craving a little something sweet!
You can choose whether to use a plant-based milk such as oat, soy, cashew, or almond, or a plant-based yogurt. At least where I live, plant-based yogurts are pretty pricey, so if you’re trying to stick to a budget, i suggest using one of the shelf-stable plant-milks that are found in the pantry aisle of the grocery store.
Granola and cereal are pretty cheap everywhere, but I suggest getting one that’s low in added sugar and made using whole-grains. But, for my yogurt parfait fans who are willing to spend a tad bit more for a good plant-based yogurt, go ahead! And, just a little tip, but yogurt or plant-milk with granola is so much better with some fruit added on top!
4. Trail mix
Trail mix is a healthy, nutritious, filling, and protein-packed snack that is filled with healthy fats, nutriets, and minerals to keep you feeling your best. Plus, trail mix can be made with pantry and budget-friendly ingredients such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, shaved coconut, dried fruit, and vegan chocolate chips, or for an even easier option, just go with the pre-made trail mix!
Nuts also happen to be high in nutrients such as Vitamin E, Magnesium, Fiber, Phosphorus, Copper, Manganese, and Selenium. Plus, nuts are high in antioxidants which have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and reduce your risk of developing certain diseases. And, there’s research providing evidence that eating nuts can reduce cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease! So, go ahead and enjoy a generous handful of trail-mix for an easy and satisfying vegan snack.
For an easy recipe, check out this post here.
5. Edamame
Edamame is another easy, refreshing, tasty, and satisfying vegan snack for when you’re feeling a little peckish before meal time. Edamames are a type of soybean, so they are considered a complete protein and are perfect for pre or post workout snacks.
These can be bought frozen in most grocery stores and only require 5-7 minutes of boiling to prepare. Steaming them or microwaving them will work too, and this snack packs in a whopping 18.4 grams of protein per cup. Edamame has also been found to lower cholesterol and is jam-packed with minerals such as Folate, Vitamin K1, Thiamine, Ribovlavin, Iron, Copper, and Manganese!
To enjoy edamame, eat them raw or toss them in a pinch of sea salt along with the juice of half a lemon to make a simple, refreshing dressing. Just another hint, but edamame also goes fantastically in any noodle dishes or buddha bowls if you want to incorporate them into your meals.
Building your own satisfying vegan snacks
Now that you’ve got a few ideas, here are a few tips to keep you going and help you make some delicious and balanced snacks. First of all, start with a healthy source of fat. Yes, I know that we’ve all beed told by diet culture that all fat is bad, but that couldn’t be further from the case. Our bodies need fat to survive, and fats found in plant-based sources are actually proven to reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and of developing high-cholesterol.
Also, healthy fats leave you feeling full and satisfied after a snack and will give you that extra boost of energy you need to get through your day. If you have a large but unsubstantial snack that is lacking in fat, you may find yourself coming back for more later or feeling hangry. And, just a quick reminder that eating a balanced diet means eating a balance of ALL sorts of food, whether that food is high in sodium, carbs, fat, protein, or is processed, it’s healthy to enjoy everything in moderation.
The ext step after choosing a healthy source of fat is finding some thing that goes well with that chosen food item. Like hummus with pita, nut butter with banana, or nuts in trail-mix. I suggest choosing a type of fruit or something higher in carbohydrates than your other food item to give you that energy your body needs. Again, CARBS ARE NOT BAD! They have been demonized by our society but are absolutely essential to basic bodily functions and our entire health!
So, if you are feeling hungry between meals, honor those hunger cravings and give your body the fuel it needs to get you through your day, and these 5 simple and satisfying vegan snack ideas are a great place to start.
Curious for more?
Check out some of my other recipes including vegan cheesy lasagna, spicy vegan tacos, vegan gumbo, lentil veggie burgers, and the best vegan chili! Or, if you’re looking for some more southern inspired plant-based recipes check out my previous post on how to make Hoppin’ John, a spicy rice and bean dish. Plus, remember to subscribe down below to get updates when new recipes are posted, and check out my new youtube channel, ecofoodstuff! I’ve finished a video for this recipe, and a video for my chili and pancake recipes as well!
We are looking for nutritious vegan snacks, and these look great. We will try them!