10 zero-waste snacks

Like any good thing, a little planning is always involved. Whether you are running around doing errands, road trippin’, packing lunches or in need of snacks while watching movies, you need to plan your snacks. Zero-waste snacking means eating healthy, and being less trashy! Being a conscious eater serves you on so many levels, not only avoiding excess trash and plastic, but you dodge eating additives and excess sugars. 

Before you start your snack making production, pull out your reusable snack bags, beeswax wraps, jars, cloth bags - anything you can keep your prepared snacks in - and let’s begin! 

Here are my favourite plastic-free snack ideas: 

Trail MIx 

Making your own trail mix gives you the opportunity to choose the best quality of nuts and seeds, and to choose what you prefer instead of having to pick out bits you don’t like from a premade mix. Plus, you control the salt and/or sugar content of your snack. I love mixing salty and sweet. Make sure to keep your raw nuts and seeds in the fridge to stop any of them from going rancid.  

Here are a few combos I like: 

• Cacao nibs, cashews, goji berries, pumpkin seeds 
• Dark fair-trade chocolate, brazil nuts 
• Dried unsulphured apricots, almonds, sunflower seeds, carob chips 

Popcorn 

So many ways to make it, and so many ways to spice it up! I LOVE popcorn. I have an airpoper, but you can make it on the stove top, and simply in the microwave. I don’t ever recommend using the microwave personally, but if you are someone who buys microwave popcorn, here is a simple and healthier way. Put a handful of kernels in reusable cloth produce bag, tie it up and put in the microwave for a couple minutes. Put butter and coconut oil on after popped. 

Things I like to top my popcorn with: 

• Coconut oil, grass-fed organic butter or olive oil 
• Good quality salt, nutritional yeast, or spices 
• I like to toss old bits of dried kale chips in to add some green and use up the leftovers that are harder to eat or incorporate in future meals 

Hummus & veggies 

I find hummus is my go-to snack most times, I just love it and I think it’s easy to make. 

• 1 can of BPA-free chickpeas or 1 ½ cups prepared chickpeas 
• 2-3 garlic cloves 
• 1 heaping tablespoon of tahini (if you don’t have it, no problem) 
• 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon (if you don’t have it, no problem) 
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin organic olive oil 
• Cumin, salt and pepper, maybe chili flakes, tumeric, paprika or parsley 

I add some water or a little more oil if it isn’t creamy enough. Mix and viola! 

Apples and nut butter 

Simple. Sometimes I like to add a touch of maple syrup and cacao powder to my nut butter, mix them into a nice blend, and it makes the perfect treat. 

Energy bites 

Here is a basic recipe, use your creativity and change up the ingredients. 

• 2 cups of oats 
• ¾ cup of almond butter 
• 1 tbsp of cacao nibs 
• 3 tbsp coconut oil 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 8 organic medjool dates 
• 1 tbsp chia seeds 
• 2 tbsp hempseeds 

Blend, roll into balls and refrigerate. 

Roasted chickpeas 

Another simple one! You can make this in the oven, or on the stove top.  

Using 1 can or 1 ½ cups of chickpeas, toss in 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and whatever spice you would like. 

Some of my favourites are cayenne pepper, chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, or smoked paprika. 

Bananas, almonds and chia seeds 

It’s easy as cutting a banana up, topping it up with peanut butter and chia seeds. 

Pesto and cauliflower 

Pesto isn’t just for pasta! What I love about pesto is you can make it a few different ways. 

• 1 ½ cups basil, kale or carrot tops 
• ½ cup pine nuts, walnuts, cashews or pumpkin seeds 
• ¼ cup Olive oil (can add a little more olive oil if it’s too dry) 
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 
• Salt and pepper 

Blend and eat with raw cauliflower. 

Veggie chips 

• 1 medium beetroot 
• 1 medium zucchini 
• 1 large carrot 
• 1 small sweet potato 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt & pepper 
• 2 tbsp of avocado oil

 Preheat the oven to 400F. 

Slice all the veggies with a mandolin if you have it. In a bowl, toss them with the oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated. 

Spread them out on baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Flip, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until crispy and slightly brown. Watch carefully so you don’t burn them! 

Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before eating. 

Date treat 

Craving sugar? Easy solution: 

1 date + 1 cashew = Yum! 

Slice the date, take out the seed and pop in a cashew or even an almond. 

I would love to hear other zero-waste snack ideas. Any recipe recommendations? Any struggles you have? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments below!