The United States has one of the highest rates of snack consumption in the world. A survey conducted by the Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the US’s quantity of snack consumption has experienced a 29% increase over the past 30 years.
Fortunately, many Americans are now moving toward healthier and more nutritional snacks and incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diets. This move helps to reduce the number of individuals struggling with obesity and to improve their general health condition overall.
The following snacks are easy to make and offer delicious alternatives to pre-packaged and high calorie snacks.
- Banana Oat Cookies: Banana Oat Cookies have got to be among the most tasty and healthy homemade snacks out there. They’re both easy to make and absolutely delicious! These sugar-free cookies are so good, you’d think they contain a lot of added sugar, but the opposite is the case. Your kids are sure to love them too!
Ingredients
- 3 bananas
- 1 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup date sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 pinches cinnamon
Recipe
- The first thing to do is to preheat your oven to about 350°F.
- Then peel and mash 3 ripe bananas properly.
- Pour the 1 3/4 cups of rolled oats and 1/2 cups of date sugar (date sugar refers to the whole dried date that has been ground to powder, not actual sugar) and mix thoroughly. Then add two pinches of cinnamon and mix again.
- Share the mixed batter into 12 servings input on a baking sheet that has been oiled slightly.
- Put in the oven for 10-14 minutes until the outer part looks golden. You can then remove, allow to cook, and your cookies are ready.
- Sweet & Spicy Cashews: This snack is a beautiful mixture of sweetness and spiciness to give you that mouth-watering, healthy snack that the whole family will love.
Ingredients:
- 2 ups raw unsalted cashews
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For optional cashew salsa: diced tomato, basil, and red onion
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Put the cashews into a bowl and add all other ingredients except the sea salt.
- Mix thoroughly, preferably with your hands, ensuring they are clean first.
- Spread the mix on parchment paper and put into the oven, allow to bake for about 7 minutes
- Remove from the oven and turn over with a spatula, then put back into the oven for about 7-8 minutes or until it is light brown in color
- Remove from the oven and add a little sea salt.
- Allow cooling before serving for a crunchier taste.
- Bacon Avocado Fries
Ingredients
- 3 avocados
- 24 thin strips of bacon
- 1/4 c. ranch dressing, for serving
Recipe
- First, you preheat the oven to about 450 degrees.
- Cut the avocado into 8 equal slices
- Wrap each avocado slice with bacon and place on a baking sheet, then put into the oven
- Cook for about 12-15 minutes until they are crispy and cooked through.
There are so many healthy homemade snacks and it’s so easy to find recipes online! You can even try out new recipes and develop something that’s fun, easy to make, and nutritious.
