The best healthy snacks, according to Bon Apptit Editors

As people who cook, eat and write about food for a living, we know a thing or two about the best healthy snacks, like the term nebula. healthy may be. Because of all the aforementioned work-related food, they were constantly on the lookout for little treats between meals that also felt filling and nutrient-dense. Still, we want something more exciting than an apple or hard-boiled egg, and something that feels a little less awkward than scooping peanut butter or hummus straight from the container (although we’ve been known to partake in those snacking habits, too ).

The most important factor in using a healthy snack is that it simply has to taste good. Beyond that, it’s hard to apply a single rubric, because sometimes you want a stick of meat, and other times you want a really good nut. We generally try to look for things that don’t have a ton of added sugar or artificial sweeteners and don’t contain a lot of stabilizers and protein powders.

We also look for snacks that contain protein from sources like nuts, beans and meat, as well as healthy fats and good-for-you carbs. Since the point here isn’t weight loss, it’s mixing some nutritious stuff into our diets in between making triple chocolate brownies and BA’s best lasagna.

Could you make your own healthy snacks, like these Baked Chickpeas? Yes. But sometimes you just want a quick bite that doesn’t require any effort. All of the snacks on this list are store bought, and since the healthy snack market is constantly growing, try all the newest ones and update this list monthly. Read on for our all-time favorites as well as the best healthy snacks we tried this spring, or scroll down to see our all time favourites

Spring favorites

Unreal chocolate covered pretzels

Okay, yes, it’s just chocolate covered pretzels. But they are really, really good chocolate covered pretzels. Like, eat the whole bag in one sitting without realizing it’s good. What makes Unreals Chocolate Covered Pretzels better than any other version of this snack I’ve ever tried? They’re made with grain-free mini pretzels, perfectly crunchy and lightly salted, and covered in real, fair-trade chocolate instead of some kind of chocolate-flavored caramel coating. They come in milk chocolate and dark chocolate varieties, and both are great, although lately I’ve been keeping a bag of dark chocolate in my purse for snack emergencies. Carina Finn

Ashapops

These lily-of-the-valley seeds are vegan, gluten-free, corn-free, and non-GMO, but it’s their fluffy yet crunchy texture between popcorn and cheese puffs that keeps me coming back for the next handful. To make this super snack, the seeds of the Euryale Ferox Indian water lily plant are roasted and then seasoned with flavorings such as Himalayan pink salt, turmeric garlic, and chili powder. The nostalgia-inducing flavor of the vegan cheese reminds me of the Pirates Booty aged white cheddar sandwiches I used to find in my lunchbox. And while the price may be steep ($32.99 for a 6-pack of pink Himalayan salt), the mother-son duo behind the brand roasts the seeds in small batches and doesn’t skimp on ingredients of quality Kate Kassin

Sonoma Pizza Fries

You know when you get the perfect pizza, the one that’s mostly crispy, slightly charred cheese with a layer of sauce still clinging to it? Opening a bag of Sonoma Pizza Crisps is like eating that bite over and over again. These crispy triangle-shaped snacks are almost straight cheeses with natural flavors that make it taste almost alarmingly like real pizza. My favorite is the pepperoni flavor, but the tomato basil is a close second. If Italian food with red sauce is your love language, you’ll want to stock up on these. CF

RIND snacks

After lunch, I immediately looked for something sweet, and lately I’ve been looking for RIND Nut Snacks. RIND leaves on the skin of the fruit to keep the fiber, vitamins and antioxidants intact and to create less food waste. I love the added chewiness and the fact that organic fruit is the only ingredient. My favorite is the tropical blend, which has pineapple, sweet and sour orange and tangy kiwi. If I close my eyes and eat a bagel, I can almost convince myself I’m on a beach vacation. KK

All time favourites

West-Bourne

There’s a lot to love about West-Bourne’s sustainability-focused pantry products, but snacks are where the brand really shines. Omakase’s berry butter takes toast or yogurt to a place of luxury, and West-Bournes’ fully compostable plant-based snack mixes like the Togarashi Crunch are salty, sweet and full of umami. We’re also looking forward to trying the Casa Bosques Pistachio Dukkah chocolate bar, which the brand just launched in collaboration with artisanal chocolatier Casa Bosques.

Hu Kitchen

No nightly routine is complete without a few squares of dark chocolate, and Hu’s Fair Trade Organic Dark Chocolate Bars are among the best you can get. We love the dark chocolate variety pack, which offers a sampling of flavors like almond butter and puffed quinoa and crunchy mint. The cashew butter filled chocolate bar is one of our favorites for a quick midday pick-me-up. And don’t miss the chunks, aka almonds and cashews dipped in dark chocolate, and gems, gummy blob-shaped pieces of chocolate that are, well, gems.

snow days

Frozen pizza rolls are a comfort food. They also live in that wonderful gray area between a lunch thing and a snack thing. Snow Days has managed to retain all the salty, gooey deliciousness of the pizza rolls of your youth in a more nutritious package. The rolls are made with well-sourced ingredients such as grass-fed mozzarella cheese and organic tomato sauce, and the crust is made from cassava, making them ideal for those who need to follow a grain-free or gluten-free diet. gluten

They flats

Ellas Flats holds a prominent place in our cookie hall of fame. The small, family-owned brand makes savory chips only from seeds, from sunflower to pumpkin to flax and spices like caraway and cumin. Ellas Flats are sturdy enough to dip into hummus or work as a bread substitute for avocado toast, but light enough to eat on their own for a protein- and fiber-packed snack. We also love the Everything or Spicy varieties crumbled in a salad or the Sesame or Hemp varieties in a yogurt bowl for extra crunch.

hit

If you had told us a few years ago that everyone would be walking around eating beef patties, you might not have believed it. But the desire for high-protein, low-sugar, keto, and paleo-friendly foods has led to an influx of packaged snacks in this category. Chomps offers our current favorite meat sticks in beef, turkey and venison. These sticks contain no sugar or fillers, and they also come in a half-sized option that can fit in your pocket. This is a satisfyingly salty snack that’s great for when you need something to fill you up.

Cheerie Lane

This isn’t microwave popcorn covered in fake butter and so salty you can smell it for days of your youth. Cheerie Lanes popcorn pods contain minimal packaging and are in an adorable corn shape. The pods appear in the kitchen quickly and evenly and come in flavors like classic butter as well as rosemary garlic and tomato basil. For serious popcorn lovers, Cheerie Lane also offers a Popcorn of the Month Club featuring exciting new flavors.

only

If you miss the fruit snacks of your elementary school days, you’ll love Solelys Fruit Gummies, which contain nothing but whole organic fruit and vitamin C. Single-serving packets of Mango and Guava or Mango and orange are perfect to throw in your bag for when that mid-afternoon sweet craving hits. If dried fruit is more your style, we love fruit jerky brands that pack a whole mango, banana or pineapple in a single stick, as well as their dried fruit pouches (both also come drizzled with 100% cacao if that’s right). plus your style).