Tips to Make a Satisfying Vegan Snack + Recipes

Here are a registered dietitian’s tips to help you make a satisfying vegan snack. You’ll also find 15 easy vegan snack recipes to try!

Looking for tips on how to build a nutritious and filling vegan snack? Here are some tips to help you! But first…

Do You Need Snacks?

Everyone is different. Some people prefer eating three larger meals, others prefer eating smaller meals with snacks in between. There’s no right or wrong. If you feel your best with smaller snacks and meals, then listen to your body and enjoy snacks when you want them.

Add Protein

Adding a source of protein to your snack can help you feel full and satisfied for longer. If you find yourself being hungry soon after eating, you might need to add more protein (or you might need bigger portions!).

Vegan Protein Sources to Enjoy with Snacks:

Nuts and seeds: Try having a handful of nuts or seeds with your snacks, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews or pumpkin seeds.
Hummus: Dip crackers or vegetables in hummus for a delicious savory snack.
Roasted chickpeas: Buy roasted chickpeas or make them at home with your favorite seasonings.
Protein powder: Protein powders are not necessary for most vegans, but they can be convenient. Try adding them to smoothies for a nutritious snack. Smoothies aren’t only for breakfast!
Granola bars or energy bites: You can make easy snacks at home by adding nuts and seeds to a food processor with dates (see the recipes further in this post). When choosing store-bought granola bars, try to choose ones that have some protein sources, such as nuts and seeds!

For more information on vegan protein sources, check out this post.

Include Carbs

Carbs provide us with energy and help us feel energized and satiated. There’s no need to avoid them. Instead, add a source of carbs to your snacks if it feels good to you.

Sources of Carbs to Consider Adding to Your Snacks:

Fruit: Fruits are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Enjoy a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts or dip an apple or a banana in peanut butter.
Dried fruits: Dates, apricots, raisins, prunes, figs and more. Mix dried fruits with nuts or seeds for a simple trail mix or add dates to a no-bake snack. Dates are also great dipped in peanut butter and topped with chocolate chips.
Crackers: Serve crackers with your favorite dip or vegan cheese.
Oats: Craving a bigger snack? Try overnight oats or a simple bowl of oatmeal. You can also add oats to granola bars.
Bread: Have a toast with nut or seed butter, mashed avocado or your other favorite toppings.

Choose Fiber-Rich Foods

Try choosing whole grains or high-fiber carbs most of the time if possible, but don’t aim for perfection. Fiber will promote satiety and help with your digestive health.

Try choosing some of the carb sources above and aim for whole grains or high-fiber options when possible.

Add Fats

Don’t be afraid to add some fat. Like protein and fiber, fats help with satiety. Plus, they’ll help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).

You can add fats to your snacks by adding nuts, seeds, avocadoes, nut or seed butters or by using some oil when cooking. Try choosing unsaturated fats more often for a heart healthy choice.

Make it Taste Good and Honor Your Cravings

If you’re forcing yourself to eat a “healthy” snack that you don’t enjoy, you likely won’t feel satisfied and will leave craving more. Make your snacks interesting!

If you don’t like raw nuts or seeds, try them roasted and lightly salted. Try a vegan yogurt that you love and top it with berries and hemp hearts. Try a delicious smoothie with your favorite fruits. Have a banana with peanut butter and a few chocolate chips or simply have a square or two of chocolate with your snack if that’s what you crave. Denying yourself what you crave will only intensify the cravings. Enjoy it!

Eat Enough

Last but not least: Eat enough. Some people feel better when eating snacks, others don’t. In the end, listen to your body and eat a snack if you’re hungry. The amount that you need or want will change from day to day and from person to person. This is completely normal.

Finally, it’s important to note that you don’t need to make every snack perfectly balanced and nutritious. It’s completely normal (and encouraged!) to enjoy less nutritious snacks when you want them. These tips are here to help you prepare balanced and filling snacks, but we eat for much more than just nutrition. We also eat for experiences, enjoyment, comfort and so much more. Enjoy your food.

Looking for more tips? Check out these posts on how to make a filling smoothie and how to prepare balanced vegan meals.