5 Healthy Macro Snacks (with recipes!)
Whether you're watching a big game with friends or binge-watching your favorite reality show, it’s fairly typical that you’ll want some munchies while you watch the play-by-play.
Nutrition experts and health researchers have published studies suggesting that snacking can play a big role in weight maintenance and weight loss. As you might imagine, snacks that are high in calories but low in nutrition can be problematic. So, you’ll want to choose healthy snacks with protein, fiber-rich carbs, and healthy fats.
These healthy macro snacks are some of my favorites. If you want more macro-balanced recipes, check out Macro Diet for Dummies. Oh! And don’t forget to track your beer intake during the game! The way you track alcohol macros can make a big difference in the success of your eating plan.
Mock Deviled Eggs
This one is so easy and surprisingly delicious. You simply boil eggs as you would normally do. I usually place my eggs in a pot of water, bring them to a boil for one minute, then turn off the heat and let them stand for 21 minutes. Then I rinse the eggs in cold water and place in the fridge to cool.
To make these mock deviled eggs, peel each egg and slice in half lengthwise. Then, rather than taking the yolks and mixing them with mayo and spices, you dump the yolks and spoon a big dollop of hummus into each yolk hole. Done! So simple!!
Nutrition: 113 calories, 7g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein for two halves
Kale Chips
You can buy kale chips in the store, but they are so easy to make that you might as well make them at home. Then, you can control the ingredients and the calories that you consume.
To make the chips, you’ll need one pound of curly kale. You can also buy a pre-rinsed bag in the produce department.
Preheat the oven to 300F
Remove kale stems and tear into bite-sized pieces
In a bowl, toss the leaves with one tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt or your favorite seasoning
Spread the leaves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chips are crispy
The recipe makes about four servings
Nutrition per serving: 87 calories, 4g fat, 11g carbs, 4g protein
Keto-Friendly Cucumber Caviar Wheels
For your fancy Super Bowl set, you can break out the caviar and impress your friends. But if your friends aren’t fancy, don’t worry. Caviar is much more accessible now than it has been in the past, and it is delicious!! This recipe combines cool cucumber, creamy creme fraiche, and salty caviar. It’s delicious.
To prepare, simply cut your cucumber into slices. On each slice, place a small dollop of creme fraiche (about a half tablespoon) and top it off with a small bit of caviar.
If you’ve never purchased creme fraiche, you’ll find it in the dairy aisle near sour cream. If you can’t find it, you can also use sour cream or cream cheese, but the texture won’t be the same. To find caviar, most grocery stores sell an inexpensive fish roe in the same section as canned tuna and sardines. The brands you find here aren’t the finest caviar, but they work. If you’d like to try a better variety, go to the seafood department at your market.
Nutrition per serving: 136 calories, 12g fat, 2g carbs, 4g protein
Protein Peanut Butter Cups
Any recipe that combines peanut butter and chocolate is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. This one is simple to make and even provides a boost of protein!
To make 8 servings you’ll need 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 3 tablespoons of vanilla protein powder, and 1/3 cup peanut butter. You will also need a muffin tray with paper liners in each cup.
Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave
Pour half the mixture into eight muffin cups, dividing it equally and making sure that each cup is covered with chocolate on the bottom.
Mix together the peanut butter and protein powder. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
Once chilled, place a dollop of peanut butter into each cup on top of the chocolate
Cover each cup with the remaining chocolate mixture. Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
Nutrition per cup: 241 calories, 17g fat, 23g carbs, 6g protein
Sweet Pepper Nut Poppers
This snack is best served warm. The cheesy goodness peaks when they are fresh out of the oven. Prep them in advance and stick them in the oven 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.
You’ll need a bag of mini sweet peppers, 48 Marcona almonds, and 6 ounces of Manchego cheese shredded. Keep in mind, however, that you can use a cheese of your choice and even swap out the nuts if you’d like.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Slice each pepper in half. Lay the peppers on a baking sheet, cut side up.
Place two almonds and a sprinkle of cheese into each pepper “boat.”
Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the almonds are soft.
The recipe yields about four servings.
Nutrition: 322 calories, 21g fat, 17g carbohydrate, 18g protein.
Lastly, remember that there are many more recipes in Macro Diet for Dummies. If you’re looking for heartier dishes like a filling sweet potato skillet, a spicy Greek salad, chili, or other foods to feed to a crowd, buy a downloadable copy on Amazon and use it in time for the game.