Summer is on its way!! And it is always helpful to have some quick, easy, nutritious, and fun snack ideas in mind for road trips, picnics, baseball games, and lazy days in the backyard!! The Healthier Tomorrows team has shared their favorite summer snack ideas so that you can spend less time thinking about what to bring with you to avoid hunger pangs and more time thinking about your grand summer adventures ahead!!
My current obsession is Trader Joe’s “Chips in a Pickle”.
I get indecisive about what I want to have, so I tend to make my own little “charcuterie boards” of snacks on a plate – usually some nuts, potato chips, chocolate, and maybe some apple slices or carrots. – Sara
My go-to snack lately is perfect for summer. I have a busy work/life schedule with two young kids so I need snacks that are convenient and uncomplicated. I’ve been craving crisp, juicy snacks as the weather is getting warmer, and I’ve found a great solution. I buy individual guacamole packets from Aldi (spicy flavor is preferred) and a bag of mini cucumbers and simply dip and eat! The combination is perfect—salty and creamy yet crisp and crunchy. Plus, I can eat them without any preparation or dishes to do afterward, which is an added bonus. – Kerry
My absolute favorite summer snack is frozen red grapes with cashews. It’s the best sweet and salty snack on a hot day. It is super yummy, and pairing the two helps stabilize blood sugar. – Alessandra
I’ve been mixing vanilla Greek yogurt with a spoonful of peanut butter and a little honey to make a sort of creamy peanut butter dip. Then you can dip whatever you want! My personal favorite is apples, but you could also use bananas, strawberries, pretzels, etc. It’s nice and refreshing as the weather gets warmer, but the dip also has protein and fat to make this snack satisfying and more nutrient dense! – Jessie
I love stuffing dates with nut butter, dipping them in melted dark chocolate, and keeping them in the freezer! So yummy and tastes like a fiber-rich relative of a Twix bar! Sometimes if I want to add an extra protein punch, I will mix some collagen peptides into the nut butter before I stuff the dates. – Dara
My favorite summer snack is what I call my PB Granana Smoothie. It’s a blend up of greens, banana, and peanut butter, along with some other nutrient-dense ingredients to further support the gut microbiome and anti-inflammatory pathways. Not only is this smoothie delicious, it’s nutritious and balanced for blood sugar stability and sustained energy! Cheers to health! – Jess
Frozen Grapes! So easy, like a little bite-size popsicle! All you do is wash and remove it from the stem and put in the freezer. I like to put them on a baking sheet so they don’t clump together, but you can also lay them out flat in a plastic bag. If you’re looking for a little extra sweetness (especially good for more sour grape varieties), tossing them in a few spoonfuls of sugar to coat the outside of the grapes before you freeze makes them the perfect summer treat. – Anna
Fruit dip made with vanilla greek yogurt, peanut butter, and ground cinnamon (love dipping apple slices in this) – Hannah
Toast with ricotta, honey, sliced almonds, and strawberries, or avocado toast with pickled red onions, feta, and microgreens or other toppings
I love these because they’re simple, fresh, and delicious, with a mix of carbs/healthy fats to stay full and satisfied. I get inspired by the toasts at my favorite coffee shop and try to recreate them at home. –Adrienne
Let’s not forget the gluten-free side of snacking!!
I very much enjoy having chocolate rice cakes w/ peanut butter as a sweet, filling snack. Sometimes, depending on how I’m feeling in the moment, I’ll throw some strawberries on top. I don’t like bananas, but strawberries w/ peanut butter and chocolate — yum! That is the way to go! The Quaker chocolate rice cakes even have little chocolate chips in them — OMG delicious.
As for a savory snack, I enjoy having gluten-free Wasa crackers. I like the sesame ones, but I’ll also take plain, whatever is available in the grocery store! I throw some slices of deli turkey and cheese on there, as well as lettuce and tomato if I’m feeling like it. I’ll do a few “open-face cracker sandwiches.” Delicious! – Loni
When I close my eyes and think of summer, the first image that pops into my mind is a bunch of loved ones gathered around a fire, making s’mores after a day of enjoying the lake, river, or pool! They’re a super simple and wonderfully sticky snack to enjoy after a warm summer day. You can even get creative with your own s’mores variation. Some of my favorite variations are swapping the chocolate bar for Reese’s cup or adding peanut butter to the original recipe (as you can see, I’m a peanut butter lover!). Use your imagination and see what variations you can come up with!
Ingredients:
-Graham Crackers
-Marshmallows
-Milk Chocolate Bars
Instructions:
-Place half of the chocolate bar on the graham cracker half.
-Use a metal skewer or long stick to toast a few marshmallows over the campfire until desired char – my personal favorite is golden brown. If you’re not around a campfire, microwave the marshmallow for about 15-25 seconds until it has doubled!
-Place the toasted marshmallow over the chocolate graham cracker half and top with the second half.
-Press together, slowly remove the rod or skewer and enjoy! – Claire
Article by Megan J. Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S