10 Healthy Snacks for Your Whole 30 Challenge {Paleo approved too!}
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Looking for healthy snacks that are filling, nutritious, kid-approved and paleo-friendly? These quick and easy snack options can be whipped up in no time and will satisfy any craving without ruining your whole day!
So I’m 14 days into my Whole 30 Challenge, almost halfway there! Whoo-hoo!
I’ve been doing so well too, no intentional cheats but I did have a few unintentional cheats (yes it does happen!)
When we went out to dinner on Saturday I thought I was going the safe route by ordering the salad but when they delivered it there were blue cheese crumbles all over it. Somehow I overlooked that while ordering. I was able to pick most of the crumbles out, but since blue cheese is pretty crumbly it was hard to get them all. I also had a small piece of bread during communion at church, I wasn’t going to give up the sacrament of communion.
Other than that it’s been pretty good. I still have some cravings, and it’s funny because some days I don’t even notice them and other days it takes every ounce of strength to overcome them. But I really do feel healthier and more energized then I have in a long time.
I will say the hardest part of the Whole 30 Challenge is finding alternative snack options since back in the day (as in a few weeks ago) I would just munch on a few crackers or cheese if I was hungry during the day.
Part of the challenge of the Whole30 is to not snack if you can help it, instead of filling yourself up with wholesome and nutritious food during your meals to keep you satisfied. But since I work out almost every day and am constantly on the move chasing after the little ones and cleaning the house, I get really hungry.
Instead of falling back into my old habits, I am discovering much better and healthier snack options that are quick, easy to pack on the go, fulfilling, nutritious and kid-approved… which is a must!
While I’m not sure if all of these snacks are technically Whole30 approved, they are Paleo friendly and are minimally processed but it’s always best to read labels and be vigilant about what foods you are putting into your body.
Fruit & Nut Bars
I discovered Lara bars about a year ago and fell in love with them.
Basically, they are a mixture of fruits and nuts with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or other seasonings.
That’s it. No added sugar, artificial ingredients, or any other questionable add-ins. My favorites are Coconut Cream Pie, Cashew Cookie, Chocolate Coconut Chew, and Banana Bread.
You do need to read the labels carefully though because some do have peanuts, which is not allowed on the Whole30, and I ate one Larabar uber Roasted Nut Bar not realizing it had brown rice syrup. Oops!
Also, they are kind of expensive so it might be worth it to make your own.
Real Sliced Freeze-Dried Fruit Snacks
Sometimes you just want to open a little snack pouch and crunch something!
These Real Sliced Freeze-Dried Fruit Snacks really fit the bill with just apples, cinnamon, and citric acid listed on the ingredients list. (Note: I get my box from Costco which is much cheaper than the price listed on Amazon).
Mixed nuts
When you want something crunchy and salty, mixed nuts are the way to go. You do need to carefully read the ingredients to make sure they were not cooked in canola or soybean oil which unfortunately most nuts are.
Also make sure to steer clear of peanuts, which are not actually nuts anyway.
The best place I have found natural nuts at an affordable price is Aldi’s.
Smoothie
Since I have had to beef up my morning breakfast to include more protein, I usually only drink a smoothie when I need a mid-morning boost.
In the book It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways, which outlines the Whole30 Challenge, they actually advise not to drink smoothies but rather just to eat the fruit instead. So this is sort of a personal preference.
I make a pretty healthy smoothie anyway (cup of frozen berries, cup or more of spinach or kale, 2 tbsp of collagen, banana, and a cup of almond milk) so I’m fine drinking it. Plus it tastes delicious and makes me feel like I’m indulging but it really just depends on your personal preference.
Turkey Roll-Up
This might sound gross to others, but I love turkey wrapped around a pickle spear with a drop of mustard. It’s tangy, salty, and crunchy.
It’s has a little protein too. Just pay attention to the quality of turkey making sure there aren’t a lot of preservatives. The same is true for the brand of pickles, make sure there isn’t any sugar in the juice.
Apples with cinnamon and almond butter
Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and a spoonful of Almond Butter to dip them in are so wonderful. It’s simple, easy and a filling snack. Just make sure the almond butter doesn’t have any added sugar.
Ants on a log
Celery, almond butter, and raisins, just like when you were a kid!
It’s still a great snack even with almond butter replacing the peanut butter. Not to sound like a broken record, but make sure your raisins are just that, only raisins and not coated in sugar.
Fresh fruit and vegetables aplenty
I keep plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables on hand to snack on and to throw in salads too. They provide the crunch or sweet flavor when you have a craving.
And when you get the hankering to dip them in something, try dipping them in…
Guacamole
Avocados, tomatoes, and other spices make this a delicious dip or snack all in itself.
If I can’t find cheap avocados at Aldi’s, then I buy a pre-made Guacamole, like Wholly Guacamole, it just has avocados and spices in it.
Applesauce with cinnamon
A small cup of unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon is perfect when I’m craving something sweet and creamy.
It helps fight off my sweet tooth, but I usually also have to eat a few nuts with it for added protein.
These new snacks will continue to stay in the rotation once my Whole30 is complete.
If you are thinking about starting a Whole30 Challenge yourself, check out my Whole 30 recipes board where I am pinning Whole30 and Paleo resources to help get you motivated.
What are your favorite snacks to have on hand to provide a healthy energy boost throughout the day?
Where was this when I needed it last week? Just kidding. 😀 I love it. I was doing an elimination diet last week (similar to Whole 30, but just for a week). I did eat many of these foods (and yes, the smoothies felt like milk shakes after a few days of not having any milk). I wish I would have thought of that turkey pickle roll-up though. Sounds really good to me!
I also pretend I’m drinking a milkshake too! It helps that berry smoothies are naturally sweet. The turkey pickle roll ups aren’t for everyone, but if you like pickles (I love them!) it’s a nice snack with a little bit of protein.
Oh man, I love Lara bars and just the sound of coconut cream pie is delicious! Nuts are such a good snack and you can make homemade applesauce easy in the crockpot. I have to eat every 3 hours or I get low blood sugar and get cranky, so I have to bring snacks all the time!
The coconut cream pie is the best! I have been meaning to try making applesauce in the crock-pot, I keep hearing about how easy it is! 🙂 It’s on my to-do list.
If you have a pressure cooker (mine is an Instant Pot, which is electric), it just takes minutes to make applesauce.
Smoothies are always a hit at our house – my 3 girls (7, 6, & 3) like to help me make them, and homemade applesauce is one of our favorites. 🙂
Thanks for sharing these great ideas! I’m visiting from the Live Called Link-up 🙂 Have a blessed day!
~Lisha
My kids (1 and 2) love smoothies too! In fact when I don’t make one my son begs for it! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by
LOVE LOVE LOVE these ideas!!! Thank you! And thanks for linking to the Weekend re-Treat Link Party! xo, S.
Thanks Shannon, glad you stopped by! 🙂
Thanks for sharing these! I have several friends that are doing paleo diets and they’ll love the info. 🙂
– Brooke –
YUM! thanks for the inspiration! I’m always looking for more snacking ideas ;o) stumbled!! Emily
Hi Victoria-
How were your results after whole 30? Do you feel better? I just started today and I need to snack as well. Even though they had mentioned to try not snack. Thanks
Hi Ashley once you get over the initial hump, about 10 or so days in for me, you start to feel really great. I had energy, the cravings where gone and I just felt better. I actually need to do another Whole 30 and try to make a life style change because I have fallen back into some old sugar addicting habits 🙂 Good luck as you start your journey and happy snacking 🙂
I dehydrated watermelon for a sweet snack. Loved it!!
Thanks so much for this awesome list! I’m new to the Whole 30 thing and needed some help thinking of snacks. Love the turkey/pickle idea! I was wondering what you use to eat the guacamole? I LOVE guac, but obviously eat it with tortilla chips. I don’t think those are “allowed”!
Hi Whitney, I dip carrot sticks, celery and other sliced veggies I have in the fridge in the guacamole.
I also use guacamole as a dressing for lettuce wraps. Lettuce, meat and guac in between. Acts like a mayo or mustard.
Try Plantain chips! I swear they taste like tortilla chips. I as pleasantly surprised and now I am obsessed.
Starting my Whole30 tomorrow. Went shopping, got things prepped. Made mayo (tastes better than regular, much lighter) Eggs Benidict deviled eggs, Cauliflower hummus ( tastes like regular!) and have a chicken roasting in the crockpot for tomorrows lunch. Will have to try the guac dip!
Gross!!! I think not. I fell in love with turkey wrapped pickles when I gave up eating bread several years ago and still love them today. Just to let you know olives wrapped in turkey aren’t bad either! B-)
Great list! We’re about to go on our second Whole30 as a family. I LOVE RX bars too though they are even more expensive than the Lara bars and I have to order them!
I was reading your snack tips and was wondering what kind of almond milk you are using for your Whole30 smoothies. The ones I have found have carrageenan which is not Whole30 approved. I would love to have almond milk back in our lives. We cut it out for 30 days due to unapproved ingredients.
Also, we like the Larabars as well, but you have to be very cautious on the ingredients if you are trying to follow the whole30 completely. They sneak chocolate, peanuts and other unapproved ingredients in (depending on the flovor).
Hi Denise, I buy the Silk brand of unsweetened original almond milk. There is no carrageenan or sugar added. It’s one of the only brands that doesn’t use carrageenan. And yes, I agree with you you do have to read the labels on the Lara bars because many do sneak in little cheats.
I love Silk Almond Milk but the ingredients it shows that it has Cane Sugar – isn’t that an automatic no – no. No added sugars allowed. They do offer a recipe for making your own almond milk on the whole30 website.
Hi Suzanne I use the unsweetened variety that doesn’t have any sugar, sweeteners or unnecessary additives or flavors.
“SO” makes a compliant unsweetened coconut milk also…just watch the labels b/c they have different varieties.
But it does have Lecithin I think, which I thought was a non-compliant ingredient?
Thanks for sharing! My goal in May was to put a snack list together to have handy at work, which I never did. Your list gave me the inspiration I need! The only thing I really added to it was cucumbers and salsa! Cucumber slices give the crunch like a chip and totally satisfies my need for tortilla chips! Haven’t tried it with quac, but we are fairly flexible with our diet and just do Gluten Free and Dairy free, while striving to be Paleo. 🙂
We love cucumbers too! They are the perfect veggie to dip in salsas and guacamole.
Thank you so much! I’ve been looking for good healthy snacks for my DD and myself!