Quick Vegetarian Snacks

There’s nothing as fun and worthwhile as whipping up some quick vegetarian snacks – and healthy ones at that. Nutritious snacks are an important component of any diet and that includes vegan diets.

The sad thing is, many snacks and convenient foods do not have enough nutrients in them other than sodium, added sugar, and extra calories.

That notwithstanding, making quick vegetarian snacks with adequate nutrients do not have to be rocket science. This article will give you some ideas for healthy but quick vegetarian snacks.

FRUIT WITH NUT BUTTER

A combo of nut butter with your favorite fruit makes a very filling, and of course delicious quick vegetarian snack, one that you can enjoy at any place or at any point in time.

You can use fruits that are rich in fiber and antioxidants. These fruits will fill you up and keep you satisfied between meals. Fruits that you may use with nut butter include strawberries, bananas, and apples (1). As a plus, nut butter like peanut, almond, or cashew butter will supply you with an adequate amount of healthy fats and proteins.

CHEESE STICKS

Cheese sticks are another important, healthy, and quick vegetarian snacks. They help to curb cravings on the go.

With cheese sticks, you can get roughly 5-7 grams of protein in every 28-gram serving. The nutrient profile of cheese sticks vary based on the type and brand of cheese.

Cheese sticks are rich in protein. This makes it a satisfying and healthy vegetarian snack (2). Cheese sticks are also rich in calcium. Calcium is very essential for build-up of your teeth and bones (3).

HUMUS WITH BELL PEPPERS

Another healthy combo would be that of hummus with bell peppers. This is a healthy alternative to the conventional chips and dip.

One good thing about bell peppers is that they have a low-calorie content. They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. Also, they provide a satisfying crunch. Also, dipping bell peppers in hummus will increase your intake of fiber and protein while maintaining a low-calorie count.

Chickpeas (Roasted)

Chickpeas are rich in fiber, protein, minerals such as folate and manganese, and vitamins.

The good thing about roasted chickpeas is that they are easy to make. All you need is cooked chickpeas and olive oil along with your best seasonings and spices. Toss all together before and then bake at 200℃ (400℉). Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Suggested seasonings include garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin.

POPCORN

Popcorn is a low-calorie snack with a high amount of nutrients including zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Popcorn is also rich in manganese. Manganese boosts immune function, digestion, brain health, and also enhances the production of energy (4).

When purchasing popcorn, go for the air-popped variety instead of the microwave or prepackaged varieties. The prepackaged and air-popped varieties are loaded with fat, sodium, and extra calories.

You may enhance the flavor by seasoning your popcorn with parsley, vegetarian parmesan, onion powder, and paprika.

NUTS

Did you know that some nuts can serve as quick vegetarian snacks? Yes! Nuts such as pistachios, cashews, walnuts, and almonds are rich in nutrients such as fiber, magnesium, calcium, iron, protein, and heart-healthy fats.

Apart from its rich stock of nutrients, studies have shown that nuts reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, and certain cancers such as colorectal cancer (5).

However, you should note that nuts have high-calorie content, so it is better you moderate your intake. The recommended amount is 1 ounce at a time.

YOGURT AND FRUIT

Yogurt is rich in potassium, vitamin B12, calcium, and protein. So you want a list of excellent quick vegetarian snacks? Yogurt is part of it.

You can boost your intake of vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber by combining your yogurt with berries, apples, and grapes, bananas, or any of your favorite fruits (6).

When buying yogurt, you should look for the unsweetened, plain varieties. This will cut down on your intake of added sugars. You may enhance the flavor with honey, cinnamon, or maple syrup.

This guide will teach you how to prepare healthy yogurts with an Instant Pot ®

KALE CHIPS

Kale chips are delicious and easy to prepare. With kale chips, you’ve successfully added some greens to your diet.

Kale is rich in vitamins A and C. Both vitamins are good for the immune system (7, 8).

You can prepare your kale chips at home by mixing the kale with sea salt and olive oil, then bake it for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 135℃. Kale burns easily, so make sure you watch closely while they bake.

COTTAGE CHEESE

Cottage cheese is made from the cord of cow milk. Cottage cheese is rich in protein and other essential nutrients like selenium, vitamin B12, and phosphorus.

Cottage cheese is also rich in calcium. Calcium is vital for muscle function, bone formation, and secretion of hormones (9).

Cottage cheese does not have a strong flavor. As such, it can be enjoyed on its own. You may also combine it with fruits like pineapple, berries, melon, and bananas.

On the other hand, you can combine your cottage cheese with some olive and a pinch of salt and black pepper. With this, you are good to go with your cottage cheese.

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Green smoothies provide you with vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals.

Green smoothies are basically made with leafy greens such as spinach or kale. But that notwithstanding, you can also other ingredients, and veggies. Suggested ingredients include flax meal, chia seeds, bananas, beets, celery, and carrots.

You can also add some vegan protein powders. Among these are brown rice protein, hemp, pea, and whey. With these, you’ll be filled for a long time. It will also help to regulate your blood sugar while enhancing muscle growth (10, 11, 12).

EDAMAME

Edamame is basically partially ripe soybeans. They can be steamed, boiled, or roasted to make a nutritious and tasty snack.

A cup of cooked edamame gives you 8 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein (plant-based protein). It also supplies you with an adequate amount of vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.

Apart from being one of the quick vegetarian snacks, edamame is also versatile. You can buy the cooked, ready-to-eat varieties, or you can roast it at 200℃ for at least 30 minutes. When roasting, garnish with garlic, pepper, vegetarian parmesan, or paprika. This will make your snack more savory and satisfying.

TRAIL MIX

Trail mix is a quick vegetarian snack made with dried fruits, seeds, and nuts.

Trail mix is delicious, portable, versatile and healthy. You can always garnish it to your taste.

Some nutritious ingredients that you use to create your perfect trail mix include popcorn, puffed rice, coconut, seeds, dried fruits, and nuts.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with essential nutrients such as fiber and protein.

Pumpkin seeds have a good supply of magnesium. Magnesium helps in blood pressure regulation, muscle contraction, neural function, and synthesis of DNA (13).

Pumpkin seeds can be roasted at home. Just toss them with salt, olive oil, and spices. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 175℃ or until the color turns golden brown.

OATMEAL

Oatmeal is mostly eaten at breakfast. However, you can enjoy it at any time of the day. It makes a nutritious and filling snack.

Oats are rich in beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is a type of fiber that enhances weight loss, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure control, and cholesterol level (14).

You can boost the flavor of your oatmeal with nuts, dried fruit, seeds, nut butter, or cinnamon.

EGGS (HARDBOILED)

Don’t be surprised that eggs make the list of quick vegetarian snacks. They are nutritious and wholesome, and can keep you full between meals.

Nutritionally, eggs are rich in protein, B and A vitamins, and selenium.

Research has shown that consumption of eggs increases satiety, thus enhancing weight loss and increasing the level of HDL and antioxidants in the blood (15, 16, 17).

THE SUMMARY

Healthy snacks should be included in your diet. Doing so will keep you filled and satisfied between meals while also giving you some extra nutrients.

The good news is that there are many healthy, quick vegetarian snacks to choose from. What’s more? They are all delicious and easy to prepare. So, there’s no need for wasting more time. Just pick the ones you prefer and startup.