What Are Good Snack Foods?

Snacking often gets a bad reputation, and in certain cases, for good reason. These sweet and savory options offer a satisfying solution to your mid-meal cravings, while also supporting your health, mood, and energy throughout the day.

Olives are one of the healthiest foods in the world, and a staple of the Mediterranean diet. The fruit’s combination of phenolic compounds, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, essential amino acids and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K help protect against early aging, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer, including breast, prostate and skin, according to the Journal of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice. Try them on a charcuterie board, chopped into tapenade or on their own drizzled with olive oil for a vibrant, juicy, flavorful snack.

You may be familiar with miso soup from your favorite sushi restaurant, but with as little as 3 ingredients, one of them being hot water, you can make your own rich, flavorful miso soup in a matter of minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of yellow miso paste to a mug or bowl, and add 2 teaspoons of dried seaweed granules; kelp is my favorite. Cover with 1 cup of hot water, and stir gently. The seaweed will unfurl into soft, noodle-like ribbons in one minute. Sip and slurp your way to a hydrating, fermented and surprisingly satisfying snack almost instantly. For more protein, add cubed tofu before the hot water.

Oddly satisfying and surprisingly hydrating, a cold, zesty pickle will sometimes do just the trick when the craving for a midday snack arrives. The crunch is familiar to fresh produce but with an even juicer texture and more vibrant flavor. Clearly, I can’t say enough about them! Pickles are an extremely low-calorie food, generally about 5 calories per spear, and research from the Journal of Food and Health Science suggests that pickling actually enhances the antioxidant capacity of certain vegetables, cucumbers included. Look for pickles that have been naturally fermented without any preservatives, like those from Cleveland Kitchen or Grillo’s.