Going vegan doesn’t have to limit one’s palette entirely. There are still many options to choose from, whether it be from meals to everyday snacks. Healthy and natural ingredients and foods are plentiful throughout the vegan diet and knowing which flavor profiles work best together can further help to structure one’s diet. Here are a few healthy vegan snack ideas:
Fruit & Nut Butter
Fruits and nuts make an excellent combo for a healthy and nutritious vegan snack. Fruits naturally contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber while a wide variety of nuts contain protein and fiber. Some fruits to combine are bananas or apples with possible nut butter options being almonds, peanut butter, or cashews.
Trail Mix
A classic snack everyone enjoys, trail mix is a great choice. Trail mix is naturally plant based and usually contains seeds, nuts, and an assortment of dried fruit among other kinds of varieties. Most trail mixes are usually rich in protein, fiber, and a variety of natural fats. Some mixes however contain added sugar, salt and other unhealthy ingredients, but this snack can be custom made at home with minimal effort.
Edamame With Sea Salt
Edamame is another name for immature soybeans that are still in the pods. This snack is chock full of plant proteins, having around 17 grams per cup while only containing around 200 calories. Edamame can be prepared by steaming, boiling, or thawing using a microwave. Soy sauce or sea salt work best as a topping for this snack.
Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.