30+ Healthy Meal Prep Snack Recipes
A roundup of 30+ dietitian-approved, healthy meal prep snack recipes. There’s grab-and-go as well as freezer options too to ensure you have something nutritious on hand to get you between meals!
It’s normal to feel hungry between meals, especially if they’re more than 3-4 hours apart. Hunger is a natural, physiological sign that is important to honour!
Having a healthy snack on hand can help address that hunger and keep your blood sugar from dropping too low, therefore preventing any feelings of shakiness, irritability, dizziness, or nausea that might occur if we go too long without eating.
Without having a snack on hand, you risk getting to that hangry state, which can cause you to hit the work vending machine or purchase processed snack foods that are often higher in sugar, since you’re craving that instant energy boost.
From my professional (and personal) experience as a dietitian, I find that many of us need something to tie us over between lunch and dinner, specifically.
Luckily, there are many nutritious snacks that we can make ahead of time to help prevent this from happening too often. These 30+ dietitian-approved, healthy homemade meal prep snack recipes are easy to prepare and use simple, nutritious ingredients.
How To Make A Healthy Snack?
Like a balanced meal, a snack should also combine carbohydrate sources with a source of protein or fat.
Healthy carbohydrates provide you with energy, while protein and fat help to stabilize your blood sugar and keep you fuller/more energized for longer.
Try making a large batch of some of these recipes, and keep them in your fridge or freezer for the week. They’ll be ready to grab-and-go when you need them!
Healthy Energy Bite Recipes
Energy bites, bliss balls, power balls, protein bites…there are so many names for these little guys!
One thing remains the same, though: they’re one of my favourite healthy make ahead snack recipes for meal prep!
Energy bites are often no-bake, meaning you just mix the ingredients together with no real cooking involved.
Depending on the recipe, they can pack in TONS of nutrition, like different nuts, seeds, or dried fruits. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats (like omega-3s) as well as plant-based protein.
These recipes below should keep in the fridge for about 1 week in an airtight container, or you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Grab one or more when you’re needing a snack at home, or bring a few with you to work or school!
1) No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Date Balls
2) No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
3) No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites
4) Almond Butter Energy Balls
5) Coconut Matcha Energy Balls
6) Chocolate Hazelnut Bliss Balls
7) Lemon Coconut Bliss Balls via Lindsay Pleskot, RD
Healthy Energy Bar Recipes
Similar to energy bites, but in a bar format. These healthy energy bar ideas are great make ahead snack recipes as well.
While nutritious store-bought protein or energy bars do exist (some brands are great!), many of them are filled with tons of sugar or artificial sweeteners and additives.
With these homemade versions, you can be sure that the ingredients are more simple and whole food-focused.
8) Healthy No-Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
9) Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars via Minimalist Baker
10) Peanut Butter Goji Berry Granola Bars via Love & Lemons
Healthy Homemade Trail Mix
Homemade trail mix is an excellent make ahead snack recipe idea. You can make a big batch and then portion out servings for the week. It’s super easy to pack with you on the go (I love using these reusable stasher bags to carry it)!
While commercial trail mixes are available, I love making my own so that I have control over the ingredients, I can experiment and get creative with the flavours, and I often save money by purchasing the ingredients in bulk.
By choosing a combination of dried fruit with nuts and seeds, you’re pairing energy-rich carbs with healthy fats and protein to help balance your blood sugars and keep you full.
11) Healthy Homemade Trail Mix: 3 Ways
12) Savoury Spiced Nuts
Healthy Dip Recipes
These simple homemade dip recipes are made with nutritious ingredients and will keep for about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Make a large batch and portion out some dip in a little glass jar or container with a lid. You can bring this with you to work or school, alongside some chopped veggies, whole wheat crackers, or pita chips.
To make these dips a part of a nutritious snack, I try to focus on recipes that have sources of fibre, protein, and/or healthy fats to keep you feeling full and nourished for longer. The ones below hit all these requirements!
13) Herbed Cottage Cheese Dip
14) Canned Salmon Cream Cheese Dip
15) Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip
Healthy Snack Box Ideas
These bistro boxes are not only fun to look at, but they’re an awesome, customizable make-ahead snack idea! While you can switch things up as desired, below are a couple recipe ideas to inspire you.
Again, we want to focus on having some protein, fat, and fibre to make these filling and nutritious!
16) Peanut Butter Banana Roll Ups Snack Box via Damn Delicious
17) Boiled Egg Snack Packs via Get Cracking
Healthy Treats
While things like cookies and muffins are not always the most nutritious, there are ways to boost the nutrition in these yummy treats!
The recipes I’ve selected below contain fresh fruit or hidden veggies, sources of fibre, protein, healthy fat, and simple ingredients.
If you’re craving something sweet, but don’t want a sugar crash, give some of these treats a try! They’re perfect to make ahead of time and can be portioned out for a tasty snack.
18) Chewy, Healthy Breakfast Cookies
19) Honey Tahini Oatmeal Cookies
20) Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
21) Meal Prep Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins via Lindsay Pleskot, RD
22) Nut-Free “PB&J” Oatmeal Cookies
23) Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
24) Almond Butter Stuffed Dates via Choosing Chia
Healthy Chia Pudding Recipes
I love making chia puddings for a delicious, filling, and healthy snack. Chia seeds form a gel-like consistency when they’re mixed with liquid, which is why they’re great for making “puddings.”
TIP: If the consistency of the seeds weirds you out, try BLENDING your chia pudding in a high-speed blender. It makes the pudding completely smooth.
Chia seeds are rich in dietary fibre, anti-inflammatory omega-3s, plant-based protein, and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Making chia pudding involves very little cooking and it’ll keep for about 5 days in the fridge. You can make a large batch, portion it out, and add toppings as desired.
Grab them from the fridge when you feel like a snack; or, pack them with you to work in an airtight container or jar. Store them in your work fridge, and don’t forget to pack a spoon!
25) Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding
26) Key Lime Pie Chia Pudding
27) Maple Kefir Chia Pudding
28) Blended Chocolate Ginger Chia Pudding
29) Coconut Chia Pudding With Honey & Lime
30) Blended Raspberry Chia Pudding
Healthy Freezer Snacks
While you may not be able to pack these snacks with you to work or school, they’re a great option to keep in the freezer for when you’re in need of a snack at home.
Because they’re kept in the freezer, they’ll last much longer than in the fridge!
31) Strawberry Orange Frozen Greek Yogurt Bark
32) Banana Popsicles With Yogurt + Fruit
33) Peanut Butter Banana Bites via Eating Bird Food
No Time To Meal Prep?
Short on time? It happens! Here are some easy, balanced snack ideas that don’t require a recipe:
- Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl
- A slice of whole wheat toast, topped with nut butter + a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Half an avocado, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and topped with hemp seeds, salt + pepper. Pair with crackers or eat with a spoon!
- 2 hard-boiled eggs sprinkled with salt, tamari, or seasoning of your choice
- A greek yogurt cup paired with fresh fruit
- A banana or apple paired with nut butter
More Meal Prep Ideas
- 25 Dietitian-Approved Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
- 30 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas For Lunch & Dinner
- 25 Meal Prep Component Recipes To Mix & Match
- How To Meal Prep With Eggs
- 18 Healthy Lunch Ideas To Pack For Work
I hope this post has given you tons of ideas for easy, healthy make-ahead snack recipes! If you include any of these recipes in your weekly meal prep, let me know in the comments below.
If you do make and of these recipes, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: 30+ Meal Prep Snacks, Including Carrot Cake Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw carrots, shredded
- 10 medjool dates
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- sprinkle of sea salt
- Optional: shredded coconut to cover
- Optional: plain greek yogurt, creamy peanut butter (to serve)
Instructions
- Wash and peel 1-2 carrots (depending on size). Roughly chop and add to a food processor to shred them. Set shredded carrots aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Halve dates and remove pit. Place dates in food processor, along with pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt. Process until nuts are in tiny pieces. Add all processed ingredients into the mixing bowl with shredded carrots.
- Add rolled oats and chia seeds to mixing bowl, and combine all ingredients together with a large spoon. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to get things to stick together.
- With a spoon, grab about a tbsp of mixture and roll into balls (about the size of a ping-pong ball). If you'd like, you can now roll these balls into shredded coconut.
- Place energy bites onto a baking sheet, making sure to leave room between them so they don't stick together. Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes (you can store them in here too!)
- Serve with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and creamy peanut butter, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
