When it comes to reaching for a salty snack, most people mindlessly grab store-bought popcorn or chips. But with a little forethought, it’s easy to make a healthier choice. Prioritize your health this new year by choosing healthy snacks over inflammatory processed foods - either store-bought or homemade!

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Here are some ideas to get you started. If making healthy snacks at home, we suggest using olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. Want to know why, check out 4 Excellent Oils to Embrace – and 7 to Kick to the Curb.  

Kale chips

Kale chips are a wonderful nutrient-dense replacement for store-bought chips, especially because you can dress them up with your own seasonings – there are endless seasoning choices! The great thing about kale chips is that they are super simple to make – just preheat your oven to 300ºF, add seasoned kale to a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes – tossing the kale about midway through. You can also do this with other veggies! Here is a recipe to go off of: Sea Salt and Garlic Kale Chips.

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Seasoning ideas:

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• Healthy oil + apple cider vinegar + garlic + onion + paprika + cayenne + salt
• Healthy oil + tahini + lemon juice + black pepper + salt
• Healthy oil + lime + chili + salt
• Healthy oil + miso + lemon or yuzu juice + truffle

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If you are buying kale chips here are some great brands available at several grocery chains: Brad’s Raw Foods, Alive & Radiant Foods, and Lydia’s Foods.

Seaweed snacks

Seaweed snacks are loaded with nutrients from Vitamin A, C, E and K to calcium, iodine and folate. To make your own: preheat the oven to 300ºF, brush some seaweed sheets with a mix of seasonings, add the coated seaweed sheets to a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes. Here is a great recipe to go off of: Toasted Seaweed Chips.

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Seasoning ideas:

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• Healthy oil + salt + sesame seeds
• Healthy oil + miso + salt
• Healthy oil + chili + black pepper + salt

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Though you might want to look out for sodium levels in store-bought seaweed snacks, here are some great brands: SeaSnax, and gimMe avocado oil seaweed snacks.

Nut and seed mixes

Another simple, yet nutrient-dense snack to reach for is seasoned nuts and seeds, either roasted or raw. To make raw mixes at home, season your nuts and seeds of choice, and enjoy. For roasted mixes: line a baking sheet with parchment paper, toss nuts and seeds with a little olive oil and your choice of seasoning(s), add to your baking sheet, and roast at 350º F for 15 minutes. Here is a recipe to go off of: Savory Roasted Almonds and Pepitas.

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Seasoning ideas:

• Healthy oil + paprika + cayenne + salt
• Healthy oil + curry powder + salt
• Healthy oil + liquid aminos + sesame seeds

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When shopping for savory nut and seed mixes, look for dry roasted or raw. Avoid added unhealthy vegetable oils.

Veggies and Dip

You’ve been misled if you think veggies and dip is a dull snack. It goes beyond your conventional carrots and hummus – there is a whole world of fun healthy dips. For a lower-carb take, pair your favorite vegetables with a creamy whipped feta cheese dip, a healthy take on french onion dip, or explore some other healthy dip ideas below.

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Here are some home-made dip ideas:

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1. Babaganoush
2. Creamy feta dip
3. Spicy red pepper and feta dip
4. Almond pulp hummus
5. French onion dip
6. Vegan sun-dried tomato pesto
7. Tzatziki sauce

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Healthy store-brand dips include: Bitchin’ Sauce, Cava, and Primal Kitchen.

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Opting for these healthy options over processed salty snacks, allows you to prioritize your own health, de-stress your immune system and even save money. What’s arguably even better is that if you choose to make these at home – most of them take less than 30 minutes and store well. Happy healthy snacking!