Often times snacks are something you grab on an unplanned basis when you are in a hurry. That is why they are often just easy processed foods that aren’t healthy for you. The idea behind deciding to meal plan and meal prep snacks is to help make sure you have healthy choices on hand that are easy to grab when you are hungry. That way you ready when you don’t have time to think about what you want and make it. Today, I will share several ideas for healthy convenience foods. Instead of grabbing fast food and individually packaged products just to save time, try these meal prep snack ideas. Meal prepping is also a great way to plan portion sizes in advance.
How To Meal Prep Snacks:
It is so easy to meal prep snacks! You just need two things:
1. Reusable containers with lids in small sizes.
2. A very small time investment once a week.
Reusable individual containers are necessary to store the snacks in convenient pre-portioned amounts so you will have them ready for grab and go. You can use any containers you want really, but I suggest reusable containers to cut down on waste. The hard exteriors of these reusable containers will also help protect the fragile snacks inside. You can use small mason jars, glass pyrex containers with lids, bento boxes, stainless steel containers, or even reuse plastic to go containers. Here is my affiliate link to an excellent choice on Amazon.
As far as a time investment, you can choose one day a week to meal prep snacks for the rest of the week. You can complete this whole process in under 20 minutes and you get faster the more you do it! You will just choose a few snacks to prep and you can use my meal prep snack ideas list to make that easy. Then you just prepare, portion, and package them into containers for the week.
How many delicious snacks you prep depends on how many people you are preparing them for and how many snacks a day you each have. So for example, the average single person may want to prep 5 snacks a week to help them get through their busy work days.
Benefits Of Snack Meal Prep
Eco-Friendly. By choosing to use reusable containers to pack your own healthy convenience foods, you will save on all of the packaging waste that are prevalent in most store bought on-the-go convenience foods.
Healthier. Packing fresher and organic snack foods is also a great benefit for a healthier lifestyle.
Portion Control. Having snacks portioned out helps to keep you from mindlessly consuming out of a large back with no idea how much you have really had.
Saves Money. Choosing eco-friendly and healthy snacks may also save you money, since individually packaged items can be more expensive than buying larger quantities.
Once a week, get out your stack of reusable containers and pack them with healthy goodies. This could be a great family activity to get the children learning about and involved in food preparation. Additionally, it can be wonderful bonding time. I hope you enjoy these Healthy Meal prep snacks!
List of Snack Ideas For Meal Prep
Here are a few meal prep snack ideas for on-the-go healthy convenience foods that both children and adults can enjoy. They can all stand alone or be combined for more snacking fun. They are a healthier and greener alternative to fast food snacks and they will leave your body feeling better. Your favorite snacks don’t have to be complicated. Easy snacks taste just as good!
1. Whole fruit (no packaging required, so it’s easy to grab and go)
2. Sliced fruit (especially great for toddlers)
3. Vegetables (carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery, bell pepper slices, cucumber slices, or your favorite veggies.)
4. Vegetables with dip (peanut butter, cream cheese, or hummus)
5. Thick slices of cold cuts cut up into bite size pieces
6. Cheese cut up into bite size pieces
7. Multigrain crackers
8. Multigrain bread
9. Oatmeal cookies
10. Boiled eggs
11. Deviled eggs (Put the two halves back together so they don’t make a mess when storing)
12. Egg salad
13. Yogurt
14. Granola
15. Trail mix
16. Cereal
17. Popcorn
18. Healthy chips (such as soy chips, root chips, etc)
19. Banana bread (for those with a sweet tooth)
20. Dried fruit
21. Nuts
22. Cucumber sandwiches
23. Fruit Rollups
24. Caprese Salad
25. Vegan Four Bean Salad
26. Fruit and Cheese toothpick kabobs
27. Whole grain pretzels
28. Chocolate peanut butter balls
29. Pasta salad
30. Tuna salad
31. Potato salad
32. Mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
33. Muffins
34. Zucchini bread
35. Beef Jerky
36. Chia pudding
37. Quinoa salad
38. Pita triangles or chips
39. Olives
40. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
41. Energy balls
42. Cottage cheese and peach slices
43. Granola bars
44. Greek yogurt drizzled with honey
45. String cheese
Printable List of Easy Meal Prep Snack Ideas
I hope these healthy meal prep snacks inspire you to plan your snacks out for healthier choices and better portions. It will be whole foods for you and no more trips to the vending machine! I have also made a handy dandy printable for you below. Just drag the image to your desktop, click on it, then select file, and print. Or use this printable PDF. Or pin it to Pinterest so you can never lose it!
Conclusion
Meal prepping snacks can be a game-changer for maintaining a healthy lifestyle while saving time and reducing stress. By preparing snacks in advance, you ensure that nutritious, portion-controlled options are always within reach, helping to curb unhealthy cravings and supporting balanced eating habits. Whether you’re packing for a busy workday or looking for quick bites at home, having prepped snacks like fruits, nuts, or homemade granola bars readily available encourages mindful eating and keeps you energized throughout the day. With a little planning, meal prep snacks make it easy to stay on track with your health goals.
I hope you enjoyed these ideas for the perfect grab and go snack options. What is your favorite on-the-go healthy convenience food? Which of these meal prep snack ideas do you plan to try first?
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Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
What great options for a quick snack. I do meal-prep Sundays, but I have to admit that my focus has been on lunches and dinners. Adding snacks to my to-do list is such a great idea—and would stop my husband in his tracks on the way to the potato chips! You have such great high protein snack ideas here: thanks for the inspiration!
Scarlet says
Thanks for your kind words Michelle. They really made me feel good:) So glad you got a helpful meal prep idea!
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing so many great savory snacks. Also storing them in the small containers is a great way to help with portion size.
Kidzonia says
Thank you for sharing these fantastic healthy meal prep snack ideas! At Kidzonia, we emphasize the importance of nutrition in our students’ learning and development, and these snacks will be a great addition to our school’s healthy eating initiatives. We’re excited to share these ideas with our families to promote nutritious habits both at home and in school!