I'm looking for healthy snacks, preferably veggies, that are both affordable and convenient. So far my go to's are baby carrots and celery. I also do some frozen veggies from Aldi, but those take 4-6 minutes to microwave and require a plate or bowl + utensils, so anything more convenient than that would be great, such as if I only have 1-2 minutes to grab something from the kitchen.
Radishes, cucumbers cut into batons, pickles of any crunchy kind (baby cucumbers, pattypan squash, baby corn), button mushrooms (they are edible raw), endive, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers cut into strips.
Nice. I like this.
Different direction but roasted chickpeas (oven or airfryer) and different seasoning keeps it from being boring, my 2 and 4 yo love them too
Yes! Cheap and so very very delicious. Mix with cucumber, tomatoes, romaine, tzatziki and a pita .....mmmmmm
Sliced red peppers are delicious and easy. Cabbage is cheap, delirious raw, underrated.
Bell peppers! From Aldi. Spend 10 mins one day prepping by slicing them up then they’ll be easy to grab and go
This is going to sound strange but they are great with peanut butter. Really helps makes them filling too
Grape or cherry tomatoes. Raw broccoli or cauliflower with ranch dressing, edamame,
Raw broccoli also works with houmous. Delish and healthy
I meal prep a crap ton of veggies once a week. I like to chop my own as it is much cheaper and better flavor. Broccoli, carrot, cucumber, celery, peppers, tomatoes. Portion it out for each day with a side of dipping sauce. And whatever is left at the end of the week gets stir fried and served with rice and a protein.
Thanks!
Fill up with veggies, satiate with a small measure of fat and protein. Make little lunchables in advance so you can grab and go.
Veggies will make you full but don’t always scratch that itch that made you crave a snack. Full fat yogurt dip, a little cheese, or salami/pepperoni will provide the protein and fat we find so satiating. It doesn’t seem healthy but I think people don’t think about much satisfaction goes a long way for portion control.
Baby carrots and sliced cucumber for dipping
I get a 5 pound bag of carrots great value
A mixture of nuts, raisins, dried fruit such as pinapple, mango, papaya, apricots... mix up and put into small serving containers. Round it out with veggies.
Make 5 bean salad on your day off. It only takes ten minutes, and a single batch will last for days. You can use fresh beans, but canned is simple.
2 cans green beans 1 can wax (yellow) beans 1 can kidney beans 1 can canallini beans 1 can chick peas.
Drain and rinse beans and put in large container. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1/3 cup oil.
Mix and refrigerate overnight. Put into serving size containers. Really good, lots of fiber, protein and antioxidants.
Try the celery and baby carrots from Costco. Cheaper and lasts longer!
Do not try their cucumbers or baby cucumbers (rip-off!) I’m currently living a frugal life and after a lot of research these are the best ones for our health and pocket! Other veggies spoil earlier and cost way too much! Just got 2 pack baby carrots today from Costco!! Lasts 1 months (2 people eating)
A dehydrator would be a good investment if you're a fruit fan. Strawberries, bannerers, apples, kiwi, maingo...
Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers (English and Persian ones you don't need to peel).
I prefer to slice whole carrots instead of buying baby carrots which IMHO aren't as tasty and are usually more expensive than whole carrots.
If you want to save some money right off, stop buying so called "baby" carrots. They are actually a breed of really long skinny carrot that gets chopped into short sections and put in a rock tumbler type of thing to make them look like a little bitty carrots. Get some inexpensive carrots, scrub them, and cut them into sticks. Exactly the same food.
A mix of dried fruits/veggies and nuts can be a really great snack, healthy within portion limits of course. Not good if you want something you can just eat as much as you want. To be frugal, buy the components that you like separately and then mix it up yourself.
If you feel that taking 5-6 minutes to do a miniscule bit of meal prep is literally too time consuming? I'm not sure you can be helped. Maybe you need to set aside a few min once or twice a week to do prep work.
Sugar snap peas. Edamame.
Roma tomato, quartered, a little dollop of mayo on each one, salt and pepper
Celery. If you buy a bulk bag, it is cheap. You can add peanut butter for a snack. I like to use them with salsa and sour cream instead of chips. It's cheaper, gives fiber and water, and still has a crunch.
nuts, cut cheese
Prices are best during peak season.
Check produce calendars for your area.