I love snacks.  I’m what you might call a forager or grazer, eating here and there throughout the day.  And, when I am not at home, I have a back-up plan.

Back in the day, I had a drawer full of snacks that could rival your best grocery store selection…from soup to nuts, literally.  And, I still find snack bars in my purse and back pack that have been there a while.  Fortunately, I’ve only found one forgotten banana  – just before it became a problem.

I believe that snacks or small meals should be quick to prepare and easy to grab on the go.  Even when you can’t have gluten or dairy.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as nuts, are obvious,clean and wholesome snack choices, but they don’t have to be boring.  Pair them with nut butters, GF/DF dark chocolate, or some fresh mint.

Snacks can also be packaged and ready to go, or take just a little bit of preparation.  Here are some allergen-friendly, mostly-healthy, and easy snack ideas that I rely on when I need a quick bite or need to pack something to go.

1. A sliced apple or banana with 2 teaspoons of almond butter
2. An orange and 2 small pieces of dark chocolate (GF)
3. 10 cashew nuts or 10 almonds
4. 2 ounces of leftover lean roast beef or chicken
5. A handful of low fat tortilla chips and salsa (preferably fresh or the kind you find in the refrigerator section of your grocery store)
6. Half of a small avocado, chopped and sprinkled with lemon juice and a little black pepper
7. 1 gluten-free toaster waffle (I eat Van’s brand) with a tablespoon of almond butter and a couple of slices of fresh peach on top
8. A serving-size container of chopped, fresh fruit – toss some fresh mint on top for flavor and fresh breath :  )
9. 2 pieces of lettuce filled with 2 tablespoons of tuna each and sprinkled with some lemon pepper or other GF spice mix
10. A hard-boiled egg with black pepper
11. 1 GF unprocessed fruit/nut bar (like Lara bar, Raw Revolution, or any other snack bar that has no gluten or dairy)
12. A small bowl of gluten-free cereal (like Rice Chex) with dairy-free milk or So Delicious coconut kefir
13. A single-size serving of V-8.
14. 2 GF deli meat roll-ups with a tablespoon of hummus and a red pepper slice inside each
15. A handful of cherry tomatoes with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for dipping
16. 6 gluten-free crackers (I like Mary’s Gone Crackers and Crunchmaster – available at most Costcos – brands) with 2 tablespoons of hummus
17. 1/2 cup frozen orange juice, eaten as sorbet
18. ⅓ cup low fat, low salt refried beans spread on a corn tortilla or crispy GF tostada shell (Los Pericos brand) and topped with salsa
19. 1 rice cake (Lundberg brand is my favorite – many GF/DF flavors) topped with cucumber slices, banana slices or nut butter
20. Baby carrots and broccoli florets with a GF/DF dressing.  Annie’s Naturals has a variety that are delicious and free of allergens.  Green garlic is one of my favorites.
21. 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce with chopped pecans (the GoGo Squeez-pack and snack pack apple sauces are great)
22. 8 ounces of a bottled fruit and vegetable smoothie (Odwalla & Naked Juice are two examples)
23. Seaweed snacks – Annie Chun’s are tasty!  I find them in the health and Asian food sections.
24. A bowl of instant GF miso soup or rice noodle soup (again Annie Chun for the latter)
25. A banana, frozen without its peel and then pureed in the blender with 7 walnut halves

Bonus Snack:

3 handfuls of fresh-popped popcorn, lightly sprinkled with salt and dried herbs (sage, garlic powder, and chili powder are great).  The following makes 2 servings of home-made popcorn.
To make, use an air popper (you can probably find one at your local thrift store).

Or,

• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot on high heat.
• When pot is very hot, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (not olive) and 1/3 cup of kernels to the pot, swish them around so kernels get coated.
• Cover and let kernels pop, swishing the pot periodically to keep popped corn from burning, until the popping sound slows way down (almost to a stop).
• Immediately turn popcorn out into a serving bowl and sprinkle with herbs.  Watch your eyes – the occasional kernel might still want to pop right out of the pot!
• Sprinkle with a bit of salt and dried herbs.

The best way to have these snacks ready to go:

• Prepare snacks the day before (or morning) you need them
• Pack them in air-tight, serving-size storage containers.
• Place them in purse, backpack or other container you’ll be carrying with you throughout the day – or, just have them packed and at the ready so you are not tempted by larger portions while working at home.