Snacks are an important part of everyone’s day (maybe even a highlight) but they’re not always affordable. Grocery store snacks like granola bars, crackers, and yogurt tubes can add up fast. And a lot of times, these types of packaged snacks have a lot of sugar, sodium, preservatives, and trans fats—so they’re not an ideal choice to eat every day. Here are some ideas for affordable snacks that are easy to make and sure to be a hit!
1. Popcorn
Sometimes it’s easy to overlook popcorn as a snack idea, but it’s really kind of a perfect option. It’s inexpensive, easy to make, and actually pretty good for you if you don’t add too many unhealthy toppings to it.
Store-bought microwave popcorn is convenient, but it’s not the healthiest (it tends to be high in fat and sodium, and often has artificial ingredients). An alternative that’s almost as simple is to make your own microwave popcorn. All you need is a brown paper bag, some popcorn, and oil. Any other seasonings you decide to add (or not) are up to you!
2. Seedless Mandarin oranges
Easy to peel, and with no seeds to worry about, these sweet little mandarins are an ideal snack for when you don’t have time to do any prep work. Portable, all-natural, and perfectly packaged in their own peel, they’re great for throwing in a lunch bag, handing out at soccer games, or setting out in a bowl at home for a healthy anytime snack.
3. Peanut butter balls
Peanut butter is high in protein, so it can be a nutritious and satisfying snack. For a fun twist that’s easy to pack in a lunch or hand out in the car, check out Peanut butter balls! They have just 3 ingredients, and they’re fast and easy to make. They’re sweetened with honey, not sugar, so they make a great healthier alternative to cookies or candy!
4. Sweet potato chips
Everyone loves potato chips, but they’re generally loaded with trans fats and salt. When you make your own sweet potato chips, you can avoid unhealthy oils and limit salt, so they’re a much healthier alternative to the store-bought version.
Sweet potatoes make delicious chips, but you can also use regular potatoes. The idea that sweet potatoes are more nutritious is not really accurate; sweet potatoes are higher in Vitamin A, but regular potatoes are higher in potassium, and they’re very similar in their calorie, protein, and carb levels. With only three ingredients, they’re quick and easy to make.
5. Tater tot nachos
Just about everyone loves nachos. And the same is true for tater tots. So could there be a bigger win-win than tater tot nachos? With just a few ingredients and a 30-minute preparation time (most of it’s just oven time), these are pretty simple to make. They also reheat well, so you can make a big batch and then leave some in the fridge for your family to pull out and heat up whenever they feel a snack attack coming on.
