Do you want to find the best whole food plant-based snacks? These are the tried and true snacks that will help you keep your weight loss on track and keep you full all day long! Plus they’re so yummy!
We’re all trying to get healthy and some of us want to lose weight or get off the last few pounds. These 15 snacks will help you stay whole food plant-based while keeping calorie density down and staying full all day long.
I am on my own weight loss journey and I’m down 35 pounds eating whole food plant-based and I LOVE eating like this
Ideally, we eat enough food at meals to keep us full until the next meal but that isn’t always the case. Take a look at these delicious snacks to keep us on track and feeling amazing!
This post is all about whole food plant-based snacks.
Savory Snacks
1. Baked Corn Chips and Dip
I am a salty girl. I love crunchy too! This snack ticks all the boxes for me. Baked chips are oil-free (not fried) so the calorie density is going to be way lower than breaking open a bag of corn chips from the store.
You’ll Need:
2 – 3 corn tortillas (check the ingredients – buy ones that are the most simple ingredients)
1 lime
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
Salsa or Guac for dipping
Toast your tortillas until they’re crispy then break them into pieces. Squeeze your lime over the chips and dust with the spices so they stick. I buy premade guacamole sometimes for the kid’s lunches and portion control (I will eat 7 avocados worth of guac if untended). Salsa would be a lower calorie dense dip than guacamole but both are whole foods and so good! it’s up to you!
2. Oil-Free Hummus and Veggies
There is nothing better than homemade hummus. This recipe is my absolute favorite!
You’ll Need:
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup of the aquafaba liquid from the can of chickpeas (when you drain the chickpeas save the liquid!)
3 TBS tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or more depending on how you like it)
1 TBS minced garlic (garlic powder works just as well)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Blend all ingredients to a blender and blend for 3 minutes. This length of time makes it nice and fluffy!
3. Roasted Chick Peas
I love to pop these like popcorn! You can customize this to whatever flavor profile you like. My favorite is:
1 can chick peas
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 TBS garlic powder
Roast chickpeas on a baking sheet for 35 – 45 minutes at 375 degrees until they’re crispy and delicious! Keep checking them once you hit the 35 minute mark so you don’t go too far and burn them. Try not to eat them all!
Other flavors: Curry: curry powder/garham masala/chana masala, cumin
Ranch: dill, onion powder, garlic powder, sprinkle of white wine vinegar
Spanish – smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper
4. Popcorn
I love my air popper! This cuts out the oil that adds extra empty calories to an otherwise whole food snack. You can eat so much popcorn and know you’re still in range to have a good eating day! Click here to buy a cheap air popper on amazon!
I usually make a 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels and it so much food! I usually split that portion with my 2 kids any a few handfuls for myself of course!
My favorite toppings are garlic salt, paprika, umami mushroom powder or anything you like!
5. Avocado Toast
You’ll Need:
2 pieces of Ezekiel bread or Dave’s Seed Bread toasted
1/2 Avocado
Pickled Onion (optional but delicious – to make: boil 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water – add a cut up purple onion – put the vinegar mixture and onion in a mason jar to sit – eat as soon as they cool down – even better the next day!)
Mash the avocado onto the bread and top with black pepper and pickled onion.
6. Fresh Fruit and Veggies
Don’t really need to explain this one. Veggies are the lowest calorie-dense food that there is! Eat to your heart’s content. Pair with the hummus recipe, some guacamole, or yogurt to make it a bit more satisfying. I need something creamy to make this snack hold me over and feel like I actually ate something.
Sweet Snacks
7. Trail Mix
Yes! I love this option because it’s the most versatile. Use whatever you have on hand. Be careful not to eat 10 handfuls of this because it is so calorie-dense and delicious! Very healthy, but not necessarily the best choice for weight loss. My favorite combination is:
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 raisins/dried cranberries
1/4 Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (We have a nut allergy in our house and these are also vegan)
1/4 pumpkin seeds
8. Energy Balls
My kids absolutely love these and I love when they eat them! A great source of healthy calories and nutrition for them. Like most of my recipes, you can use what you have on hand and make easy substitutions. Some other add-ins are granola toppings, coconut, craisins, chopped nuts (if you can eat them).
You’ll Need:
1 cup oats (I use quick oats)
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (I use enjoy life because they’re nut free)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup Sunbutter (you could also use peanut butter or any other nut/seed butter)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Unfortunately, the best way I have found to mix this, is with my hands. Putting your kids to work to do the dirty work is also an excellent options. They’ll be more invested in eating them too when they’re ready. Roll into bite-sized balls and put on to a baking sheet to freeze. If the balls are crumbling in your hands and not sticking together, add more syrup. Put balls in the freezer to harden for about 2 – 3 hours. Keep them frozen or you can keep them in the fridge or room – temp. It’s up to you. Enjoy!
9. Smoothies
My favorite combination for a smoothie – such an ugly color but oh so good! You can use any combination of fruits and veggies you have on hand, but I ALWAYS add a banana. Also if you’re a beginner, I would do more fruit than veggies to start out. Work your way up to 50/50 or more veggies over time. It took me a while to start to like the more veggie heavy smoothies. Also, the fresh ginger was a little hard to get behind in the beginning as well. You’ll start to love it as you add more over time.
You’ll Need:
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 mini cucumber or 1 cup sliced cucumber
2 – 3 handfuls spinach, kale, or any dark leafy green
2 stalks celery
1 tbs fresh ginger
1/2 cup water (add as needed for desired texture)
10. Black Bean Brownies
OMG I just made these again for the 1000th time. You are going to love them…if you have kids they’ll go nuts too! “Sure kid, have a another brownie why not!”
You’ll Need:
1 can black beans rinsed
2 TBS cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 tps salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/tsp baking powder
1/4 – 1/2 chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand – they’re vegan and top 8 allergy free)
Preheat oven to 375. Add all ingredients except chocolate chips into a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a 9×13 or 8×8 nonstick pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 18 – 20 minutes.
11. Yogurt
You can make your own or buy one of the many plant based yogurts on the market. You can always spruce it up with granola, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or fresh fruit
12. Banana Bread
My kids LOVE this banana bread and you will too! How else can we justify eating cake for breakfast?!
You’ll Need:
1 3/4 cup flour – any kind will do, GF, oat, whole wheat, whatever
1/3 cup apple sauce
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 ripe bananas
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup plant milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life – they’re vegan and top 8 allergy-friendly)
Preheat oven to 350. Mash bananas in a bowl and add apple sauce and plant milk. Mix in dry ingredients until incorporated. Pour into a non-stick loaf pan (click here to buy one on amazon). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake 50 – 60 minutes. Enjoy!
13. Chia Pudding
If you love rice pudding or tapioca you will absolutely love this! This recipe makes one serving so double, triple, quadruple if you’re making them for the week.
You’ll Need:
2 TBS chia seeds
1/2 cup plant milk
1 TBS maple syrup (you can adjust to your taste for sweetness)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup frozen fruit (optional)
Combine chia seeds and plant milk in a bowl or mason jar. Stir very well. Cover and put in fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight is best. Stir again after about an hour if you like to make sure the chia seeds aren’t all floating to the top. The next day or after 2 hours add the syrup and frozen fruit for flavor. Enjoy
Other ingredients to vary the flavor: 1 TBS cocoa powder – 1 TBS chocolaWte chips – 1 TBS coconut shreds or flakes – 1TBS chopped nuts or seeds.
This post was all about the best whole food plant based snacks.
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