3 healthy (and delicious!) afternoon-snack ideas

Pretzels and carrot sticks get old. We’ve got some new healthy snack ideas for you.

Tired of the usual snacks for after school and work? Switch things up without sacrificing health benefits.

Roasted Chickpeas

For a crunchy and (lightly) salted snack, roast some chickpeas. One cup of chickpeas provides fiber, protein and iron, among other important nutrients.

Ingredients:

12-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt (optional)
Garlic salt (optional)
Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them.
3. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil and season to taste with salt, garlic salt and cayenne pepper, if using.
4. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Serves: 4. Calories: 161. Fat: 7.7 grams. Saturated fat: 1 gram. Protein:  4.2 grams. Carbohydrates: 19.3 grams. Fiber: 3.8 grams. Cholesterol: 0 milligrams. Sodium: 434 milligrams.

Source: Allrecipes

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

Skip the marshmallow sweet potato recipe this time. These chips offer you the nutrients of the tasty vegetable while still satisfying your need to snack.

Ingredients:

2 organic sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and position oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. Rinse and dry your sweet potatoes thoroughly and slice them as uniformly thin as possible. If you have a mandoline, use it. Otherwise, use a very sharp knife to get these uniformly thin. Know that chips that are too thick in parts won’t crisp up all the way. Still delicious, just not “chip” crispiness.
3. Toss slices in a touch of olive oil to lightly coat, then sprinkle with salt. Lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake about 2 hours, flipping chips once at halfway point to ensure even cooking. Rotate pan for more even results (optional but recommended).
4. Remove once crisp and golden brown. Some may feel a little tender in the middle but take them out and let them rest 10 minutes or so to crisp up before sampling. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Serves: 3. Calories: 198. Fat: 9.5 grams. Saturated fat: 1.4 grams. Protein: 1.5 grams. Carbohydrates: 27 grams. Fiber: 4 grams. Cholesterol: 0 milligrams. Sodium: 9 milligrams.

Source: Minimalist Baker

Hard-boiled Eggs

Easy to prep on the weekend, this go-to snack is filling and packed with nutritional benefits. Keep some hot sauce handy to spice it up a bit.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

Directions:

1. Place eggs in a pot; add enough water to cover. Place on high heat; just bring to a boil, then cover pot with a lid and move pot to a cool burner. Let the covered pot sit 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl halfway with cold water; transfer the eggs from the pot to the cold water. Replace the water with cold water as needed until eggs are completely cooled.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Serves: 6. Calories: 72. Fat: 5 grams. Saturated fat: 1.5 gram. Protein:  6.3 grams. Carbohydrates: .4 grams. Fiber: 0 grams. Cholesterol: 186 milligrams. Sodium: 70 milligrams.

Source: Allrecipes

Need some new breakfast ideas? We’ve got you covered. Check out three high-protein recipes here.