7 snack time must-haves to add to your grocery list

Think beyond the chip bag with these delicious, nutritious snacks.

By Leslie Fink M.S., R.D., a nutritionist and recipe editor at WeightWatchers®

Potato chips? Salt heaven. Baby carrots? Cute. Hors d'oeuvres-caliber snacks? Even better—and here’s why: a nutritionally-sound, balanced between-meal snack may help prevent that 4 p.m. slump. The right ones—think high fiber, high protein—provide extra oomph to get through the morning or afternoon, plus help us make healthier choices when we’re deciding what to eat for lunch or dinner. Plus, when you put textured, sensory-rich snacks on your plate, it’s easier to practice mindful eating—increasing satisfaction and decreasing overeating. (A win-win all around if you’re trying to lose weight).

Add these to your cart, then try our easy snack recipes to stay fuller, longer.

1. Avocados

Quick ideas

• Pair store-bought guacamole with a handful of celery sticks or a bag of WW Tortilla Chips.

• Make a snack-size quesadilla with one medium-size tortilla, low-fat shredded cheese, salsa, and guacamole.

• Mash avocado on a slice of whole-grain bread and top it with sliced tomatoes and flaky sea salt.

• Thinly slice half an avocado, pile it onto a rice cake, and season it with salt, crushed red pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, and sesame seeds.
  
  

2. Beans, Peas, Chickpeas & Lentils

Quick ideas

• Stir your favorite beans into canned or homemade vegetable soup.

• Roll up a small tortilla spread with canned fat-free refried beans or bean dip, salsa, and hot sauce.
• Sprinkle steamed edamame with sea salt and crushed red pepper or togarashi seasoning.
• Spread mashed canned chickpeas onto whole-grain toast and top with sliced cucumber, salt, and black pepper.

3. Corn & Popcorn

Quick ideas

• Coat air-popped popcorn with cooking spray and toss with your favorite seasoning blend or grated Parmesan.
• Wrap an ear of corn in its husk in a wet paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. Shuck and sprinkle with seasoned salt.

• Stir together corn, guacamole, and salsa verde. Scoop up with baked tortilla chips or veggie sticks.
  
  

4. Eggs

Quick ideas

• Sprinkle a hard-boiled egg with your favorite seasoning blend.
• Cut hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks and mash them with some mustard, chopped pickle, spices, salt, and black pepper and spoon back into whites for quick deviled eggs.

• Cut hard-boiled eggs in half and wrap with thinly sliced deli turkey or ham. Dip in mustard.
• Dice a hard-boiled egg, toss with plain nonfat Greek yogurt and some Dijon mustard, season, and eat in lettuce cups or piled onto whole-grain crackers.
• Make an omelet using leftover cooked veggies as a filling.
• Use the WW by Dash Egg Bite Maker to create your own egg bites.
• Scramble an egg and wrap up in a small tortilla topped with salsa.
  
  

5. Fruit

Quick ideas

• Spread a thick cored apple slice with creamy nut butter.
• Freeze washed seedless grapes and then eat frozen.
• Freeze bananas drizzled with melted chocolate.
• Top plain nonfat cottage cheese or yogurt with chopped fresh fruit and some low-fat granola or mini chocolate chips.

6. Non-Starchy Vegetables

Quick ideas

• Dip steamed asparagus spears into mustard vinaigrette or Dijonnaise.
• Top thickly sliced carrot or cucumber rounds with hummus or guacamole and hot sauce.
• Air-fry whole sweet mini peppers or shishitos. Season with a squeeze of lemon and flaky salt.
• Make salsa with your favorite finely chopped veggies, red onion, lime juice, salt, and cumin. Scoop up with chips or endive leaves.
• Wrap a pickle spear in deli turkey and dip in mustard.

7. Oats & Oatmeal

Quick ideas

• Make overnight oats in smaller snack-size jars.
• Use toasted oats as an easy topping for roasted or sautéed fruit.
• Combine toasted oats, nuts, and chopped fresh fruit with nonfat milk for an easy muesli.
• Make oatmeal savory by topping with a fried egg, some grated Parmesan, and black pepper.

Leslie Fink, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist, has worked on the WW editorial team for more than 21 years. She plays a key role in food, recipe, and program content, as well as product partnerships and experiences.