Healthy Gluten Free Snack Ideas
If you or your kids are anything like me, then snacks are a very important part of your day. Personally, I actually prefer to eat multiple small meals and snacks throughout the day vs. eating three large meals. Your doctor will tell you that is a healthier method as well.
As I’m sure many of you have experienced, eating a gluten free diet, especially when choosing snacks, can sometimes be difficult for adults, but explaining to your 10-year-old daughter why she can’t have the same cookies and milk that her brother is having for an after school snack can be really rough! In this post, I will share some of my favorite gluten free snack ideas that are both tasty and healthy and the best part is the whole family can enjoy them together!
First, I usually begin my mornings with a Greek yogurt. I literally mean my alarm goes off and I get up and walk to the fridge (sometimes half asleep) to get my yogurt. Greek yogurt has the same great benefits as regular yogurt, but what I love about it is that it offers almost double the protein and a lower sugar content. I have not come across a yogurt (regular or Greek or any other kind for that matter) that is not naturally wheat free or gluten free, unless of course it has granola or cookie crumbles in it that contain wheat/gluten. Yogurt is the perfect way to wake up, or the perfect pick-me-up snack during the day. I also like to enjoy an Udi’s Lemon Streusel muffin or an Udi’s Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Nutella before I leave the house in the morning.
During the day, I may have any given variety of the following GF snacks: GF pretzels (the best GF pretzels I have come across are made by Glutino - I actually prefer them to non-gluten free ones) dipped in peanut-butter; ants on a log (celery pieces with peanut-butter spread in the crease and raisins on the top); GF granola; Chex Mix (yes, Chex rice and corn cereals are gluten free); nuts; fruits/veggies; or meat, cheese, and pickle roll-ups (I use ham, cream cheese, and mini whole sweet pickles – you just spread the cheese on the meat, insert the pickle and roll them up). These favorites of mine are quick and easy to prepare and can be enjoyed at work or school.
When I get home from a long, hard day at work, I am usually ready to eat dinner, but I often have to wait on my husband to get home from working out at the gym before I am able to do so; therefore, I usually need one more snack before the day is over. If your family is one that eats dinner together as well, your kids will most likely need an after school snack too considering both parents probably don’t get home from work until about 6:00 pm and don’t have dinner ready until at least 6:30 pm. Waiting from 12:00 pm until 6:30 pm to eat is a long time for a child.
Some good after work/school snacks that will tide you over until dinner are a half of a peanut-butter and honey sandwich (Udi’s makes the BEST gluten free bread); gluten free crackers (I, personally, think Glutino makes the best GF crackers) and cheese slices; fruit; or a no-bake chewy granola bar (made with GF granola).
And there you have it – some of my favorite GF snack ideas! Feel free to share any of your favorite GF snack ideas on here as well!
Happy snacking!
A quick and easy microwave snack: spread gluten-free corn chips on a microwaveable plate (I use Green Mountain Gringo chips, which are also non-GMO). Then a top that with either salsa or Italian tomato sauce, depending on my mood, then layer cheese on top (mozarella and parmesan for Italian, Monterey Jack for Tex-Mex). If I’m feeling fancy I layer on some black olives. Pop it into the microwave partly covered and heat it just enough to melt the cheese and voila, nachos or corn-chip pizza! Delicious and very low in sugar.
those muffins are awsome
Great ideas – very inspiring. I highly recommend another granola bar – it’s not no-bake, but is quicker and easier, or at least another choice to have. http://threemanycooks.com/recipes/nibbles-and-apps/back-to-school-granola-bars/ To make mine GF, I used flaxseed meal instead of wheat germ or the recommended ground (GF) oats.
I love your bread, but tried your sesame seed bagels. For the price, they were the worst thing I ever tasted. They sound like rubber when you cut them, and feel like rubber when you eat them. I would like to continue to buy gluten-free bagels, but just can’t buy those anymore. Any suggestions on something in your line that might taste a little better?
do you know of a gluten free cracker that is like goldfish crackers???
I love these Lemon Streusel muffins, I put lemon curd on them and it is Wow…great!! I like all Udi products, I buy the granola as well as other products…they are better than anything made with gluten.
Try the excellent granola bar recipe on ThreeManyCooks dot com – it’s not no-bake, but it’s quick and easy, and flaxseed meal makes a great GF alternative to the wheatgerm – http://threemanycooks.com/recipes/nibbles-and-apps/back-to-school-granola-bars/
Love your tips. I found nutella to be way too sweet. Maranatha dark chocolate almond spread is less sweet. Delicious on GF double chocolate muffins. My husband and I split one.
We drive truck together so healthy eating can be a challenge. Products like this are extremely helpful. As a senior citizen, from scratch baker!, excellent taste, texture and quality.
Great snack ideas. I wanted to say, just in case someone reading this might be new to GF eating…the Chex mix that you can buy at the store is not GF but, several brands of the chex cereal are gf and I use them to make my own chex mix. I haven’t tried the muffins yet but would like to!