Quick and Clean: 40 Non-Processed Snacks (That Meet Your Need for Speed)

In a society that is geared towards instant gratification, the problem with non-processed food is that it isn’t “quick”. One of the major reasons that people give for eating processed foods over whole foods is that “I needed something quick.”  Don’t let your need for speed sidetrack your healthy eating habits.

If you are a prepper, it’s important in a disaster situation to have quick nutrition available

In a grid-down situation, foods that don’t require cooking can be especially vital.  Some people make the mistake of relying on long-term storage foods that require lengthy cooking times, forgetting that cooking fuel might need to be rationed in order to last throughout the event.  Alternatively, relying on highly processed foods will not provide you with the extra energy you need for the demands that may be placed on you physically in such a situation.

One strategy that you can employ for some instant food gratification is to make a habit of a weekly food-prep session. Spend some time each weekend washing, cutting, and cooking food for the week ahead.  This will give you cut-up veggies, prepared protein sources and washed fruit that you can eat right from the refrigerator. This session can also include some home-baked goodies for lunch boxes and some complete meals that just need to be reheated at serving time.

Be sure to have some foods on hand that can be prepared quickly

Some of the suggestions below are just snacks but when combined with another selection can take the place of a meal:

1. Nuts
2. Trail mix:  Mix dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and a handful of real dark chocolate chips
3. Fresh fruit: Whatever deliciousness is in season – our selection this week is apples, oranges, and strawberries
4. Dried Fruit: Raisins, dried berries, dried apple slices
5. Salad: If your veggies are pre-washed you can put this together very quickly. As well, salad can be preassembled. Simply add protein and dressing at serving time.
6. Veggies:  carrots, radishes, sugar snap peas, celery, peppers, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes
7. Steamed veggies:  Top them with cheese or chopped hard-boiled eggs
8. Eggs: Nature’s fastest protein – boil, scramble, poach or fry – eggs make a great topper for other “fast foods”
9. Yogurt Parfait: Top your homemade yogurt with fruit and granola
10. Leftovers
11. Cheese: Opt for a healthy version without additives and artificial colors
12. Smoothies: Throw fruits, veggies, yogurt and your milk of choice into the blender. Add a little pure vanilla and some honey. We like to freeze fruit for this purpose to make a rich thick shake.
13. Homemade granola cookies: Recipe HERE (you can make them into granola bar shapes if you want to)
14. No-bake haystack cookies:  Recipe HERE
15. Hummus: Serve the dip with veggie sticks, homemade crackers, or tortillas
16. Applesauce:  Try topping it with homemade granola and vanilla yogurt for a  quick no-cook “apple crisp”
17. Chocolate Milk: Directions HERE
18. Apples with natural peanut butter
19. Frozen Yogurt Berries: Toss well-washed berries in homemade vanilla yogurt. Place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours for a cold, healthy treat
20. Popcorn
21. Edamame
22. Pancakes or Waffles:  Top with fruit for a nutrition boost
23. Couscous: This speedy grain only requires the addition of boiling water or broth.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, covered, and you have an instant hearty side dish.  Add some steamed veggies and lean protein to turn it into a one dish meal
24. Cottage cheese:  Top homemade cottage cheese with fresh fruit
25. Home-canned food:  Meals like chili, soup, and spaghetti sauce can be pressure canned at home for a delicious healthy “fast food meal”
26. Fruit Salad: Top it with nuts and a honey-sweetened yogurt for a protein boost
27. Dill Pickles:  Home-canned, of course
28. Ants-on-a-log:  Celery sticks stuffed with natural peanut butter then topped with raisins
29. Quick Greek Salad: Chopped cucumber, peppers and cherry tomatoes with feta cheese and vinaigrette
30. Homemade Fruitsicles:  Puree fruit that is overripe, then freeze it in popsicle forms – strawberry-banana is a favorite combo here
31. Guacamole
32. Savory snack mix:  Popcorn and nuts sprinkled with parmesan cheese and spices
33. Tzatziki:  This yummy Greek garlic and yogurt dip is a satisfying snack with homemade crackers or veggies
34. Medjool dates and almonds
35. Frozen grapes
36. Homemade gazpacho:  Puree tomatoes, peppers, onions, jalapenos, and other seasonal veggies.  Keep in the fridge and serve cold.
37. Quick Banana Nut Cookies: Mash 2 overripe bananas well.  Stir in 1 cup of steel-cut oats and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
38. Latte: Make a delicious latte with a homemade creamer
39. Mexican Black Bean Salad: 1 cup black beans, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers, some fresh cilantro, and lemon juice
40. Green Apple Salad:  Chopped green apple, red grapes, and walnuts sprinkled with a dressing made from honey, lemon juice and cinnamon

Note: Once upon a time, tuna was on my healthy snacks list.  Post-Fukushima, we don’t eat it anymore.  Pacific tuna caught off the coast of California is tainted with radiation from the disaster.  So-called experts say that the small amount of radiation is safe, but this is a theory that I’m not willing to test on my own family.

Your healthy snacks are only as good as their ingredients

Food that you produce yourself is always the best option, because then you can be absolutely assured of both the seeds and the farming process. Supplement with items from local farms (find a location near you)or the organic section of your grocery store.  When you eat in-season, it is far easier to choose the most nutritious foods and save money.  Carefully wash your produce to get rid of any airborne residue that might remain on the food.

Build your pantry stockpile with long-term storage foods. Select healthy basics such as nuts, honey, whole grains, and dried fruits.

When you always have quick options available it is far easier to make choices that fuel your body.

What quick and healthy snacks do you feed your family?