The paleo diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods, mirroring the eating habits of our ancestors while incorporating modern nutritional understanding. A key aspect of this diet is prioritizing homemade snacks made from natural ingredients over pre-packaged, processed options. This article explores a variety of paleo-friendly snack recipes, from simple options to more elaborate creations, ensuring you have a diverse and satisfying selection to choose from.
Embracing the Paleo Philosophy: Homemade vs. Store-Bought
One of the core principles of the Paleo diet is centered around the idea of not feeling like certain foods are forbidden. Rather, the focus is on making conscious choices to eliminate foods that offer little to no nutritional value. This perspective shifts the focus to creating your own snacks using natural, wholesome ingredients, effectively replacing processed, pre-packaged alternatives.
Quick & Easy Paleo Snacks
When time is short, these simple snacks are perfect for satisfying hunger:
Hard-Boiled Eggs
A classic and convenient snack, hard-boiled eggs are packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain antioxidants like lutein, ovalbumin, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Everyone should know how to make hard-boiled eggs.
Whole Fruit
Portable and packed with fiber and plant compounds, fruits like apples, pears, bananas, and oranges are excellent paleo choices. They can help reduce inflammation, lower the risk of chronic diseases, and support weight management.
Read also: Paleo Granola Recipes
Ranch-Flavored Roasted Almonds
Spice up plain roasted almonds with a homemade ranch seasoning. Toss almonds with olive oil, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried chives, and dried parsley. Bake until golden and fragrant.
Banana Boats with Almond Butter
A satisfying combination of fiber-rich banana and protein-packed almond butter. Cut a banana lengthwise, spread almond butter on each half, and sprinkle with coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, cacao nibs, or cinnamon.
Tuna Salad Pickle Boats
This is the absolute cutest way to eat tuna salad. Combine tuna with mayo, chopped celery, and finely diced onion and spoon onto pickle chips for a savory, high-protein snack.
Fresh Veggie Sticks with Dairy-Free Dip
Slice carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, and bell peppers into sticks for a low-calorie, nutrient-rich snack. Pair with a dairy-free dip made from coconut yogurt, dill, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Dips and Spreads: Elevating Your Veggies
Dips and spreads are a great way to add flavor and excitement to raw vegetables or roasted meats.
Read also: Paleo Diet Delivered: What You Need to Know
Tonnato Sauce
A creamy and tangy sauce made with anchovies, capers, and canned tuna, tonnato is surprisingly delicious drizzled on veggies and roasted meat.
Beet Hummus
This pretty pink dip is a great way to get kids to eat more veggies. This vibrant beet hummus is creamy, flavorful, and completely chickpea-free! Made with simple ingredients, it's Paleo, Whole30, and dairy-free-perfect for dipping or spreading.
Sweet Potato and Cashew Dip
Here’s your new favorite Whole30 and vegan veggie dip: Sweet Potato and Cashew Dip!
Chip Alternatives: Satisfying Your Crunch Cravings
Missing the crunch of traditional chips? These paleo-friendly alternatives will hit the spot:
Brussels Sprout Chips
So much better than kale chips. If you love the crispy bits when you roast Brussels sprouts? If you’re a closet snacker like me, you’ll want to make these chips anytime you buy Brussels sprouts.
Read also: Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe
Cabbage Chips
Swap out Parmesan for nutritional yeast to get the same cheesy taste.
Healthy Carrot Fries
Step aside, sweet potato. This is our new favorite veggie fry.
Porkitos (Crispy Prosciutto Chips)
Did you know that you can turn prosciutto into Porkitos? These Porkitos, or crispy prosciutto chips, are perfect on their own as a snack or topped on salads!
Sweet Potato Chips with Chicken Salad
Top homemade sweet potato chips with a spoonful of chicken salad for a protein-packed snack. To make your own sweet potato chips, toss thinly sliced rounds of sweet potato with a bit of olive oil, then bake them at 425℉ (218℃) for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes to prevent burning.
Paleo Tortilla Chips with Guacamole
Pair grain-free tortilla chips made from cassava, chia seed, and coconut flour with homemade guacamole for a convenient, savory snack.
Plantain Chips with Dairy-Free Queso
Plantains are starchy relatives of the banana that can be used in savory paleo recipes. Pair them with guacamole or dairy-free queso made from cashews for a delicious snack.
Sweet Treats: Guilt-Free Indulgences
Satisfy your sweet tooth with these paleo-friendly desserts:
Blackberry Fruit Roll-Ups
Whip up these yummy homemade blackberry fruit roll-ups with just four ingredients. Blend, spread, bake, cool, cut, and roll.
Paleo Granola
Perfect for a carb fix without the grains. This grain-free Paleo granola is crunchy, not too sweet, and infused with tropical flavors that remind me of my favorite fruity beachside drinks.
Chocolate Cherry Paleo Granola
This fabulous chocolate cherry paleo granola makes an easy and crowd-pleasing DIY homemade holiday edible gift!
Paleo Almond Crackers
When the crispy, salty craving strikes, these got your back.
Paleo Protein Bars
Several healthy, paleo-friendly protein bars are available for convenient on-the-go snacks.
Berry Snack Cake
This snack cake has a tender crumb dotted with tangy berries and just the right amount of sweetness from maple or coconut sugar. This simple and delicious Berry Snack Cake is the perfect back-to-school paleo and gluten-free treat!
Paleo Energy Cookies
Specialty food stores sell brands like Go Raw, which makes superfood cookies with ingredients like cacao, coconut, and sesame seeds that can be enjoyed as an on-the-go sweet snack. You can find recipes for homemade paleo energy cookies that are made with ingredients like bananas, pumpkin seeds, nuts, hemp hearts, and raisins online.
Grain-Free Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones
Feel like a morning scone with your coffee? These grain-free dark chocolate cherry scones are one of my favorite baked paleo treats!
Paleo "Oatmeal"
Traditional oatmeal made with oats is not permitted when following a paleo eating pattern. Instead, you can make nutrient-dense, grain-free oatmeal using paleo-friendly ingredients. To make paleo oatmeal, combine coconut milk, almond flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, ground flaxseeds, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a pot. Bring to a simmer until thickened to your desired consistency. Top with fresh fruit, nut butter, coconut yogurt, cacao powder, or cacao nibs for extra flavor.
Creative Combinations: Elevating Simple Ingredients
These recipes combine simple ingredients in creative ways for delicious and satisfying snacks:
Cherry Tomato Bites
Before you can stuff your cherry tomatoes, you’ll first need to do a little bit of prep work: Make an opening in the tomatoes. Take each of the cherry tomatoes and cut a thin slice off the tops. Hollow out the tomatoes.
California Sushi Bites
Get yourself some paleo mayo (and sugar-free hot sauce) and get to snackin'.
Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potato Fries
Dieting is easy when you can snack on these.
Cucumber Sushi
The sauce may not be paleo-approved, but these fun veggie bites are!
Bacon Avocado Fries
Bacon + avocado = pure bliss.
Avocado Stuffed with Egg Salad
Combine the impressive nutrient content of avocados with the nutritional power of eggs by stuffing half an avocado with egg salad.
Sweet Potato Avocado Toast
Thin slices of sweet potato can make a delicious substitute for grain-based toast for those following paleo diets. Simply slice sweet potato and roast them at 400℉ (204 ℃) in the oven for 20 minutes. Top with slices of fiber-rich avocado, sea salt, and red chili flakes.
Apple and Cashew-Butter Sandwiches
To make a fun, portable snack, cut cored apples in thick rounds, then cover them with a spoonful of cashew butter. Top the rounds with another slice to create a sandwich. Roll the sides of the sandwiches in fine coconut flakes or chopped cashews for added texture.
Collard Green Spring Rolls
To make a fun snack using a variety of veggies, wrap layers of shredded carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, and red onions in a collard green leaf. You can add a source of protein, such as shrimp, fish, or chicken, for a more filling combination. Dip your spring rolls into paleo-friendly sauces, such as almond-butter sauce, spicy mayo, or guacamole, to complete the snack.