The Best Clean Snacks: Recipes and Ideas

I started eating clean shortly after starting my weight loss journey and I have to say it is now my preferred way of eating.

I eat three main meals a day, including snacks around 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. I have a snack between breakfast and lunch and then again between lunch and dinner. This helps me feel full and satisfied between meals. Some people like to have a snack after dinner. I don’t like to eat after 7:00pm, but do what works for you.

Eating five small meals a day requires you to look at food a little differently!

useful guide

Here are some simple clean eating guidelines when choosing ingredients for snack recipes.

• Buy organic food whenever possible.
• Choose whole wheat instead of white.
• Choose healthy oils (coconut, olive, sunflower, walnut, etc.) on canola or vegetable oil. Stay away from hydrogenated oils.
• Choose natural sweeteners (honey, pure maple syrup, etc.) instead of white sugar.
• Don’t use low-fat or bland ingredients. These are full of chemicals, additives and sugar. You’re better off using the full-fat version sparingly.
• Lower heat. My goal is to keep snack calories under 200 to maintain my lifestyle goals.
• Read the label. Most of the ingredients you buy don’t even have a label (like apples), and if they do, they should only have a few ingredients. For example, the only ingredient in peanut butter should be peanuts.
• Choose ingredients rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Remember, the purpose of these clean snacks is to keep you full between meals.
• All tastes. You don’t want to get bored with snacks; I like to have multiple toggles depending on cravings.
• keep in stock healthy pantry. This makes it easy to put together a clean snack when you don’t have time to run to the store. My favorite snack ingredients on hand are chia seeds, flax seeds, oatmeal, almond butter, dried fruit, chickpeas, olive oil, and more. Here’s a list of healthy foods I like to stock up on.

Remember, clean eating means eating food in its most natural form—free of chemicals, preservatives, and additives.

look at mine How to eat clean Learn more about the beginner’s guide.

How to prepare snacks

The best clean eating advice I can give is to make sure snacks are prepared ahead of time, which means snacks should be part of your meal planning and meal prep routine.

Every Sunday, I take the time to prepare meals and snacks for the week, which goes a long way toward sticking to clean eating throughout the week.look at mine clean meal prep A guide to all my best tips and ideas.

Supplies

Having the right supplies will not only make it easier to prepare snacks on the go, but it will also make it easier to transport them. These are the containers, equipment and other supplies I use every week.

• mason jar – I use 4 oz container store nuts, 16 oz container Parfait, to store fruit, I also use 32 oz container Store chopped fruits and vegetables.
• Pyrex Simple Storage Container – I use these for storage energy ball, tuna and chicken salads, vegetables, fruits and more. These are all great containers available.
• Pyrex glass mixing bowl Essential for whipping up a batch of energy balls or anything that needs mixing.
• small ice pack – I always use a small cooler to ship clean snacks.
• ice bag – Then again, I always carry a cooler with me. Therefore, it is essential to prepare a bunch of ice packs.
• high speed mixer -I use it to make smoothies, but it can also be used to quickly mix hummus or nut butters.

Shopping Tips

Luckily, clean ingredients and organic brands are available in most grocery stores.

The natural foods section of stores like Wegmans and Tops offers a wider selection of cleaning ingredients. Or, if you have a Whole Foods near you, they have a variety of clean eating ingredients. Remember to look for organic and food in its most natural form.

Believe it or not, another great place to get clean ingredients is BJ’s Wholesale. Over the years, they have offered more organic ingredients. Many readers say Costco and Sam’s Club also have good organic options.

My advice is to shop around and get familiar with where to get the best deals on clean snacks and ingredients.