10 Healthy Snack Ideas Perfect For Weekends

The weekend rolls around and it’s like all our self control flies out of the window. A little switch flicks on in our heads that tells us its the weekend, and boom! The healthy mindset we had adopted Mon-Fri disappears. It can be frustrating when your resolve was strong only to completely deteriorate at the mere sight of the weekend. Of course, life should be about balance – everything in moderation is key if you want to live a sustainable healthy lifestyle. That being said, if you want to make smarter choices come the weekend while feeling like you’re still eating a treat, the ideas below can help you. Take a look and you’ll find 10 healthy snack ideas perfect for weekends! 

1. Homemade Tortilla Chips and Dip

Homemade tortilla chips are possibly far more satisfying because you know you’ve made them all on your own. All you need is a piece of flatbread, pitta, or a wrap cut into portions. You can cut them into triangles, strips, or whatever you prefer. You can then spritz them with a little oil and pop them in your oven or air fryer until they are crispy.

For the dip, you can pretty much make whatever you fancy. You can make homemade salsa with chopped tomatoes, onions, and herbs, or you could make guacamole with avocado, lemon, and anything else you like. Get experimental! 

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1. Kale Chips 

Kale chips are super easy to make in an air fryer. All you need to do is place your kale inside with a little oil, salt, pepper, and maybe some lemon. It only takes 5-10 minutes and they are so tasty! You’ll get your nutrients in while feeling like you’re chomping on a treat. 

1. Protein Mug Cakes

If you need a good way to get more protein in but also want to indulge in a sweet treat, a protein mug cake is the way forward! Again, this is something you can get experimental with. Grab a mug, add your protein of choice, a little baking powder, honey or sugar, peanut butter if desired, a milk or milk alternative, and maybe even a piece of chocolate. Mix it all together until it has a cake batter like consistency and put it in the microwave for as long as it takes to rise. Be careful not to overcook, as it can go rubbery! 

1. Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Spicy roasted chickpeas are a delicious treat to eat in front of a film. Toss drained chickpeas with a tablespoon of olive oil and air fry it for 15 minutes. You can then add seasoning, more oil, and lemon juice before putting them back in the air fryer for 5 more minutes. You can easily store these to eat later on by placing them in an air tight container and they’ll last a few days! 

1. Energy Bites

There are a ton of ways to make yummy energy balls! For this, all you have to do is add your chosen ingredients together in a bowl, mix, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and then roll into balls. That’s it! You don’t even have to bake them. An idea of some of the ingredients you can use include:

• Oats
• Peanut butter
• Ground flax seed
• Chocolate chips
• Cup honey
• Chia seeds
• Vanilla extract 

Try the above recipe and see how you get on and you might just like to play around and make up your own next time! 

1. Hummus 

Homemade hummus can be enjoyed with your homemade tortilla chips, or you could use carrot sticks, peppers, celery sticks, or anything else of your choice. Simply drain and tip the chickpeas into a food processor, add some garlic, tahani, and a squeeze of lemon juice. You should also add 1 tablespoon of oil and a little salt before blitzing. Mix it yourself, getting the hummus from the sides of the bowl, and blitz again to ensure a good consistency. You can taste it and add something extra if it needs it! 

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1. Banana Ice Cream

This is a super easy recipe that will satisfy an ice cream craving in no time. All you need is one frozen banana and one regular banana. Blend them together until they are the consistency of ice cream, and voila! You can also add protein powder or another flavouring if you wish. 

1. Fruit Smoothie

Fruit smoothies can be customised to suit your needs. All you need is fruit, veg, maybe a protein powder, a nut butter, and any other additives you fancy. Here’s a recipe for a peanut butter banana one with a twist:

• One banana
• One scoop of vanilla, banana, or peanut butter protein powder (optional)
• A milk of your choice (oat and coconut work well)
• A spoonful of peanut butter
• A small handful of kale leaves 
• Vanilla essence (optional) 

All you have to do is blend together, and if you want it extra cold, add ice! 

1. Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet potato chips are ridiculously easy to make. Chop into discs, add to your air fryer, and wait until cooked! You can also add oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. 

1. Cinnamon Dusted Apple Chips 

Cinnamon dusted apple chips are the perfect snack for fall. Simply cut an apple or two into bite sized chunks and place them in your air fryer drizzled with a little oil. You can then cook for 10 minutes until crisp. When done, toss them in cinnamon and enjoy! You can literally use this recipe on any other vegetables, so get experimental with your veggies and your herbs and see what you can come up with! 

If you’ve been trying to think of ways to curb those cravings at the weekend, don’t do anything silly or extreme. Fads never work in the long run. Instead, have lots of the above ideas in your back pocket so you can whip them out whenever you need to. You’ll be getting plenty of nutrients and you’ll feel so much better for it. Enjoy and thanks for reading!