Healthy Snacks and Light Bites: Easy Recipes You Can Prep Ahead

Healthy snacking mostly comes down to one thing: having something good ready before you get hungry. Here are the snacks and light bites from our kitchen that are easy to prep ahead, plus a few habits that keep portions in check.

Make-ahead snacks

• California Breakfast Bars: oats, almonds, walnuts, chia, flax, honey and cinnamon. Mix, bake and keep them in the fridge for the week. They’re a good one to make with the kids.
• Guacamole & Fresh Salsa: avocado, lime, cilantro, onion and jalapeño. Press plastic wrap right against the surface with a little extra lime juice to keep it green.
• Quick Vinaigrettes: a jar of homemade dressing makes raw vegetables far more appealing than a bag of chips.

Lighter versions of snack favorites

• JD’s Grilled Buffalo Wings are brined, steamed to render the fat, then grilled crisp, so you get the flavor of wings without the fryer.
• Buffalo Chicken Salad turns the same flavors into a full meal over romaine, carrots and celery in under 20 minutes.
• Grilled Bonsai Broccolini is a vegetable side that eats like a snack, charred and coated in a Caesar-style dressing.

Portion tips that actually work

• Portion snacks into small containers when you prep them, not when you’re hungry.
• Pair a carb with protein or fat, like fruit with nuts or vegetables with guacamole, so it keeps you full longer.
• Save rich party dips like Buffalo Chicken Dip or Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip for sharing. Serve them with vegetables alongside the chips.
• Drink a glass of water first. Thirst often shows up feeling like hunger.

Build a weekly snack plan

Pick one baked snack, one fresh dip and one vegetable each week. That’s three prep sessions that cover most of your snacking. Find more ideas in our Healthy & Delicious and Snacks collections.