Cheap and healthy snack ideas for when you need to eat well on a budget! These ideas can be all organic and are very easy on the budget!
We eat an all organic diet for under $200 a month. You've probably heard me say that a thousand times, but it's still true, so I still say it! :-)
I get emails all the time about this topic, and one of the most common questions is "how do you deal with snacks?".
So I'm going to address that today with this list of healthy and cheap snack ideas, with price break-down!
Healthy and Cheap Snacks
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In the past I've shared my top 10 tips for cleaning eating on a budget. Number 3 is to stop snacking.
Difficult to follow? Maybe, but it worked for us and has worked for many others too! That being said, you may not be in a place where you feel like you want or need to give up snacking. Can you still save money? Yes!
While snacking doesn't happen all that often for us we do keep organic bananas and organic peanut butter on hand for our son, and occasionally ourselves... other than that, we stick to our 3 planned meals for the day.
Not only did cutting out snacks help us cut down our overall food budget, but it also helped us both lose 100 pounds in 12 weeks (and keep it off!).
However, that's not to say you can't incorporate snacks in a reasonable, healthy way and still maintain a lower food budget than you are currently working with!
Not only do I have some actual examples of great, cheap, budget friendly snacks, but I'm also including some general tips for success.
Tip #1: Keep it Simple
Don't get too crazy with intricate recipes are vast number of ingredients. Keep your snacks simple.
Fruit, veggies, maybe a dip or two, chips, crackers... that kind of thing. Also, remember that cheap is the key, so don't try to have a constant supply of a recipe that calls for expensive ingredients!
Tip #2: Portion Control
For any good food budget to work you have to have portion control. In order to stick to your budget, you also need to determine and stick to your chose snack portion sizes.
One really easy way to do this is to pre-portion every snack into individual bags, but if you're not inclined to do that for whatever reason, then simply remove your portion from the snack container to your dish and put the snack away completely. This will reduce the chances of eating too much!
If you have a bag of chips planned to last 10 servings, but eat half a bag in one sitting, then you've blown your budget! So do your best to keep snacks in proportion and make sure your family does the same.
Tip #3: Don't Snack Everyday
Lastly, you may find that some meals on your menu plan keep your family fuller for longer. On days when those are planned, don't plant a snack as well.
Even if it's only 5-8 times a month it will still help reduce your overall budget!
Cheap Clean Eating Snack Ideas:
Here are some really great ways to keep snacks in your daily routine without breaking the bank. Some are straight from the store, some are homemade, but they are all easy and cheap!
- Hard boiled eggs
- Celery and peanut butter
- Apples
- Bananas
- Plain celery
- Carrots - Add some homemade ranch!
- Peanut butter by the tablespoon
- Celery and hummus
- Peanut butter and banana (a family favorite around here!)
- Homemade guacamole and cucumbers/lettuce wedges - This is a great alternative to chips if you're trying to cut down on carbs!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies - Obviously not an everyday snack, but as a treat these are delicious and inexpensive. Even with specialty ingredients, these cookies are only $0.17 a piece!
- Yogurt - Homemade is most cost effective than store bought.
- Apple and peanut butter
- Homemade blueberry muffins
- Homemade granola bars
- Watermelon - cheap when in season!
- Sliced tomato with salt - add cucumbers and a little ranch for a summertime salad.
- Popcorn - Popped from whole kernels on the stove is best.
- Homemade snow cones - Make the syrup yourself for organic/dye free options!
- Homemade crackers - Sourdough crackers or butter crackers are both great options
- Chips and salsa - Be careful on portions with this one. It can get expensive fast!
- Apples and Cheese
- 1/2 cup oatmeal with fruit or nuts of your choice
- Homemade pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
- Cantaloupe - When in season
- Homemade Strawberry Zucchini Fruit Leather
Interested in just how we eat so well for so little? Click here to find out exactly how we eat an all organic diet for $188 a month!
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