I gotta start this bad boy off with a mega disclaimer. I am not a nutritionist. I have no formal training in this field, and I only speak from personal experience! I also know that every body is different, and something I love might not be right for you!
Another important thing to be aware of is that I know that many "healthy" snacks aren't 100% perfect! They might be doing 9/10 things right, and you might see one ingredient, or source, or whatever that doesn't sit well with you, which is fine. What's important for me is that they're doing better than the norm. And a big part of wellness is also balance so you treat yourself with what feels best for you!!
With that, let's dive in with my #1 go to:
1. Halotop
My GAWSH I love this brand. They have super low calories per serving, very low sugar, extra protein, and a wealth of flavours both dairy and non-dairy! Even the ones with dairy are so low on the heavy cream, you can literally feel how physically light they are when you pick up the pint. Many flavours are also gluten-free, and from what I can tell, they use mainly organic ingredients and natural flavouring! They also sweeten with organic stevia (a plant) instead of sugar so the flavour definitely does not suffer ;). My boyfriend says I have been sucked into the pretty packaging. Yes, they do have adorable packaging, and while they are on the pricey side, and there are other brands with comparable nutrition facts they remain to be my favourite, and have, in my opinion, the best flavour selection. And come, on who doesn't love that shiny gold lid?!
2. SmartSweets
I discovered these through a recommendation from a friend and man they are good! Smart Sweets makes the bears pictured here, as well as sour gummy bears, sour blast buddies (like healthy sourpatch kids), and sweet fish! According to their website, they're free of gluten, artificial ingredients, GMOs, nuts, dairy, soy, and added sugar. There is only 3g of sugar per bag!! There is also 3g of protein amazingly enough, and they're high in fibre. In the link above I linked to a bulk order on amazon because the individual bags were priced sooo high, so if you want to buy them individual, just go to GMC, or order directly from their website. One criticism I will say is that these are also on the pricey side. They're $3-$4 per 50g bag which is not a lot. But, for the quality, I'll pay it.
3. Homemade Popsicles
This is something I've been doing for many MANY summers and it never loses it's appeal because honestly the options are ENDLESS! Last summer I even made them with booze for a summer party and it was a huge hit. But if you're going the healthy treat route, one of my favourite ways to do this is to just blend some fruit and protein powder together with a bit of water and electrolyte powder and freeze. Yup, I make a smoothie...and turn it into a popsicle. A protein popsicle. The best part about this is you have total control over the ingredients so you literally don't have to make any sacrifices, and you don't generate trash everytime you eat one because they come out of your own little moulds. But it does take some effort so if that is too much for you...
Yes you can buy healthy popsicles and freezies! I love the SuperFruit freezies in particular because they are certified organic, very low calorie, vegan, GF, non-GMO, and according to their website, free from the top 8 allergens - peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat!
They also don't add any extra sugar so any sugar that's in there is just from the organic fruit concentrate that they used to make them!
5. Paqui Chips
I could not make this list without adding chips because I am a definite...salty-tooth? I love chips, and these guys are sooo good. Their nacho cheese flavour tastes just like a very specific famous and popular orange triangle-shaped chip to me but with even more flavour if possible! But unlike their chemically counterpart, Paqui uses "nothing artificial. Ever." They're also certified gluten-free and non GMO, and free from MSG, trans-fats, and soy! You can check the exact nutrition details on their website if you're curious to find out more.
6. Isalean Bar
Ok so these are technically a full (small) meal nutritionally, but I super frequently have one with me when I'm out and eat half as a snack. Cause honest to goodness the dairy-free peanut butter bar tastes like a peanut butter cup, except it's a nutritionally balanced, healthy, bar. These also only use the highest quality ingredients and are gluten free!
7. Harvest Thins Another delicious salty options for those of you less tempted by sweets is these harvest thins! They're a little protein cracker that's thai chili flavour and while I wouldn't say they're spicy, they've got some zip! They're also vegan, gluten free, and again, use only the highest quality ingredients with no pesticides, heavy metals, etc!
8. And if none of these options float your boat, you could always go the extremely simple route, and dip fruit in yogurt. It makes it seem more like a treat...maybe?
These are some of my very favourite healthy snacks, and I'm of course always looking for more, so comment your favourites below and send them to me on Instagram! I love to hear from you guys. Tara