How to Build Balanced Plant Based Snacks
This guide will help you become a snacking expert. Learn how to build more balanced plant based snacks and get 3 new DIY bistro box ideas to try yourself.
Let’s simplify snacking and make it a powerful tool for us to get nourished. While snacking might not be for everyone, there are a number of individuals that can benefit from it. And the benefits become more apparent when you focus on balancing those snacks.
If you are a desk job person or student, having something that’s easy to pick at is great. Snack boxes like these were a staple for me when I used to counsel clients back to back. In between sessions I could pop a snack in my mouth to stay energized when I couldn’t have a proper lunch time.
What Do Balanced Plant Based Snacks Look Like?
A balanced snack is one that can provide a boost of nutrition by providing at least 2 macronutrients that can help keep you feeling more satisfied and energized between meals.
Think of it similarly to how I explained balancing your vegan plate. The main difference is that a snack may be smaller in size and may just be made of two macronutrients. Think of any of these combinations:
- Carbohydrate + Protein
- Carbohydrate + Fat
- Protein + Fat
Snacking in Practice
I like to think of it as a mix and match game. So as an example, an apple by itself might make you feel full immediately after eating, but since it’s mostly simple carbohydrates, this alone may make you feel hungry pretty shortly after.
Now let’s take that same apple and pair it with peanut butter. The carbohydrates of the apple when combined with the fat and protein of the peanut butter will help to keep energy levels more stable because the carbohydrate is released much slower through digestion.
Benefits of Balanced Snacking
- May help stabilize energy through the day thanks to the combo of protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates
- Convenient to make with minimal prepping involved compared to full meals
- Can double as a convenient lunch option especially when traveling
- Helps fill in the gaps of nutrition between meals
- A solution for those that may not be able to tolerate large meals filled with fiber
- Makes it a little more fun to get your veggies in since we are mixing and matching different ingredients
Building a Vegan Bistro Box
When it comes to building your own plant based snacks I think it’s always helpful to know what to include. So now that we know what nutrients to include, here are some ideas. Pick at least one option from each category and stuff them into your favorite snack containers:
Choose a Protein or Healthy Fat
- Edamame
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Roasted Lentils
- Vegan Yogurts
- Nuts/Seeds
- Nut Butter/Seed Butter
- Hummus
- Pesto
- Marinated or Baked Tofu
- Chickpea Salad
- Avocado or Guacamole
Choose a Carbohydrate
- Whole Grain Bread
- Whole Grain Crackers
- Pita
- Rice or Rice Paper
- Quinoa
- Roasted Potato
- Plantain Chips
Bonus: Choose a Fruit or Veggie
- Apples
- Grapes
- Orange Slices
- Berries
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Salsas
Tips Building Balanced Plant Based Snacks
- Feel free to rely on premade ingredients. They are there to make life easier. You might not be into cooking and if buying a pack of flavored roasted chickpeas reduces the number of barriers to building a balanced meal, then take advantage of that!
- Plan these boxes around cravings. If you know you’re a snacker, plan it ahead so it is ready when a craving starts.
- You don’t have to eat everything in your snack box all at once. You can eat small parts of it when you start to feel hungry and if there are things you don’t get to, save them for your snack box the next day.
- Mix and match. Make these your own by prioritizing the things you love and adjusting seasonings and flavors based on preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a very individual dependent answer that is influenced by an individuals personal nutrition needs, goals and appetite. If you are someone that struggles fitting in your nutrient needs into 3 main meals, including smaller snacks in between may help. This can be especially helpful for someone that might have higher protein/calorie needs based on activity level.
It can also be of benefit for those that have to wait longer periods between meals due to work, time management or access/availability of meals. Snacks in between those longer wait times can help keep your blood sugars more balanced and sustain better energy throughout that period of time.
A lot of classic snack box ideas typically use hard boiled eggs (6 grams of protein per egg), cheese (6-7 grams per 1 slice) or cottage cheese (12-13 grams per 1/2 cup serving) as a main component for protein. So think about adequate protein swaps to fill in those gaps. Swap eggs for edamame (3/4 cup unshelled is 10 grams of protein), cheese for roasted chickpeas (1 oz is 6 grams of protein), or swap cottage cheese for some Siggi’s Plant Based Yogurt (6 oz container is 10 grams of protein).
No! The purpose of talking about balanced snacks is more to troubleshoot common issues people might run into with snacking. And that does not mean that you have to think about pairing something together always. In fact, there will be times where you just want a handful of crackers and nothing else and that is completely valid. My best advice, think about how you normally feel and see if balanced snacking can be a solution.
More Vegan Snack Recipes to Try
- Mango Lime Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Cherry Granola
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bites
- Homemade Vegan Nutella
- Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars
More Vegan Articles to Read
- Vegan Meal Planning for Beginners
- A Guide to Balancing Your Vegan Plate
- Realistic Vegan Shopping Tips for Beginners
- A Guide to Iron for Vegans
How to Build Balanced Plant Based Snacks
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 snack boxes 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This guide will help you become a snacking expert. Learn how to build more balanced plant based snacks and get 3 new DIY bistro box ideas to try yourself.
Ingredients
High Protein Rice Ball Bistro Box
- 1/2 cup cold leftover cooked white Jasmine rice
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup thawed unshelled edamame
- Pinch of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
- Toasted Nori Sheets
- Cucumbers
- Baby Carrots
Roasted BBQ Chickpeas with Veggies and Tahini Ranch
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp plain vegan yogurt
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dry dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Whole Grain Crackers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas
Peanut Butter and Blueberry Chia Jam Cracker Sandwiches
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1–2 tsp maple syrup, optional
- 6–8 Whole grain crackers
- 1–2 tbsp nut or seed butter
- 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
- 1–2 tbsp pepitas
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries of choice
Instructions
High Protein Rice Ball Bistro Box
- For the rice balls combine the cold leftover rice with the rice wine vinegar, salt and toasted sesame seeds. With damp hands take a portion of rice and squeeze and rotate the rice in your hand until a ball starts to form. Repeat this with the remaining rice.
- In your box add the edamame and sprinkle with the everything seasoning. Serve with rice balls, roasted Nori, and veggies.
Roasted BBQ Chickpeas with Veggies and Tahini Ranch
- In a small jar combine the tahini, yogurt, lemon, mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, and dill until it starts to thicken. Add a tablespoon of water while mixing and continue to add and mix until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Add some pre-roasted chickpeas, veggies and extra whole grain crackers and serve with the tahini ranch dip.
Peanut Butter and Blueberry Chia Jam Cracker Sandwiches
- Make the homemade chia jam by combining the frozen blueberries and chia seeds in a saucepan and heat up until the blueberries are thawed and soft. Mash the berries then add the zest and juice of half a lemon and a splash of maple syrup. Let the jam sit and cool completely until thickened to your liking.
- To a cracker add peanut butter and a little jam and squish together with another cracker to make the sandwiches. Place the cracker sandwiches in a container with some vegan yogurt, berries, and pepitas.
Notes
Feel free to rely on premade ingredients. They are there to make life easier. You might not be into cooking and if buying a pack of flavored roasted chickpeas reduces the number of barriers to building a balanced meal, then take advantage of that!
Plan these boxes around cravings. If you know you’re a snacker, plan it ahead so it is ready when a craving starts.
You don’t have to eat everything in your snack box all at once. You can eat small parts of it when you start to feel hungry and if there are things you don’t get to, save them for your snack box the next day.
Mix and match. Make these your own by prioritizing the things you love and adjusting seasonings and flavors based on preference.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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Thanks for the recipes.
You’re so welcome!