Simple & Healthy Snack Ideas For Under $1

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Simple & Healthy Snack Ideas For Under $1

My boys are snack eaters! If I would let them they would survive completely on munchies and skip meals altogether. It seems that they prefer to eat more frequently in smaller quantities and as long as they are eating healthy things I’m just fine with that. It keeps them going through the day and actually helps me offer them a wider variety of foods to eat.

Heathy Snacks for Under $1

As a result of this I’m always looking for yummy, healthy, and inexpensive snack options for them. We’ve come up with many things over the past few years that they love and I thought I would share them with you today in case your family needs a little snack inspiration! (Your prices may vary from mine but most options should still be affordable.)

I’ve also included a *bonus snack* at the end of each snack ideas. These may cost a little more but be better for those that need a little bit more hearty snack to get them through the day.

Bananas

We pay $1.99 per 3 pounds for bananas at Costco which usually averages to be about 9 bananas or $0.22 each. Bananas are a nice filling snack and my boys think it’s fun to peel them and eat them like a monkey. We shop every 2 weeks for perishable groceries at the moment so I try and pick up 2 bunches to get us through the weeks. If they turn brown before we use them I just toss them in the freezer to use for Banana Bread Mini Muffins which are another BIG favorite snack in our house!

*Bonus Snack Idea* Banana Pudding is an excellent, filling snack for those looking for more protein.

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Hard Boiled Eggs

We have two with egg allergies so we can’t enjoy this snack as a family but those that can love this high protein snack and I love it because since we have chickens, eggs are free! Fresh eggs can be hard to peel so just add a little bit of baking soda to the water you are boiling them in and rinse them with cold water after boiling.

*Bonus Snack Idea* Egg Sandwiches are a good snack that you can also prepare ahead of time.

Yogurt or Coconut Yogurt

Neither of my boys can have dairy of any kind so we’ve found the coconut products useful for making alternatives. Yogurt from the grocery store can get expensive but Homemade Yogurt is easy and you can replace the regular milk with coconut milk (just use a non-milk based starter or use a little coconut yogurt from the store as a starter) and you have a great non-dairy alternative that is much cheaper. I like my yogurt with a little buttered granola sprinkled on top.

*Bonus Snack Idea* Yogurt Fruit Dip can be served with whatever fruit you have on hand for a larger snack.

Bell Peppers

If you watch for a sale, bell peppers (especially the yellow, red, and orange) can be a great inexpensive snack. We love the crunch and sweet flavor. Cutting them into little sticks makes them easy to grab. If you need a little higher protein snack you could make a simple hummus out of 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, 4 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. (Add more water or salt as needed to fit your texture and taste preferences.) Blend all the ingredients together in the blender or food processor until smooth and serve as a dip.

*Bonus Snack Idea* The snack above is pretty filling but you could also use your bell peppers to make Jalapeno Pepper Jelly to serve with crackers. Another good option!

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Popcorn

Hands down, this is the FAVORITE snack at our house. We have this nice Popcorn Popper from Nordicware (Yep, I know, I have a microwave, cue the judgmental comments.) and then I simply toss the popped corn with a little olive oil and real salt (the kind with trace minerals in it). If you prefer not to use a microwave you can always do the Kettle Corn version on the stovetop (with or without sugar).

*Bonus Idea* Popcorn is a hard snack to make heartier but by adding various spices or homemade popcorn seasonings you might feel like you are getting a little “more” of a snack.

In Season Fruits or Veggies

This one is a little harder to pin down to a certain item because prices changes with the seasons so while apples may be an affordable snack in the fall…in the spring you might want to pull out the jars of homemade applesauce instead. Some of our favorites are cucumbers, apples, pears, grapes, whole peas, and mandarin oranges. If you can manage a great deal on a bulk amount of fruit or veggies you can always dry them for a snack that lasts longer. Smoothies are great with slightly over-ripe fruits and vegetables too, and you can prep them in advance by sticking the ingredients together in a freezer bag and freezing until needed. Then just thaw slightly and blend!

*Bonus Snack Idea* Adding a great dip with fruit always makes it feel like a more filling snack. This Peanut Butter Fruit Dip is a good place to start and you can add any nut butter to the recipe if you can’t do peanut butter.

Green Dip

A mashed avocados is all you need to make “green dip”. Of course you can add a little garlic and salsa to make it more of a guacamole but my boys prefer it plain. One avocado costs around $1 and that’s all I need to make a snack. We like to pair it with these bean chips instead of regular tortilla chips for the added protein and fiber. Salsa is another great dip (in the summer when you have fresh garden tomatoes) as is a refried bean based dip.

*Bonus Snack Idea* Out of all the dips mentioned above, refried bean dip would be the heartiest (and cheapest) snack idea. Top it with some melted cheese, guacamole, diced tomatoes, and sour cream for even more or go straight for the 7 Layer Dip.

Gelatin

Another one of our favorites! A little juice, water, and gelatin make a simple snack (see Homemade Gelatin). You can add fruits for different tastes and textures or add a bit more gelatin and make homemade fruit snacks. We buy this kind of gelatin to make our snacks with. It’s very high in protein. You can even make your own gummy bears with a mold like this.

*Bonus Snack Idea* If you like the idea of using gelatin to add sneaky protein in snacks, try adding it into smoothies. It will give your smoothie a creamier, thicker taste and be a bonus protein that you wouldn’t get from fruit or veggies alone.

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Raisins

Sometimes it’s hard to convince the boys that raisins are a good snack but they will enjoy them on occasion. A pound of raisins from my coop, Azure Standard is currently $3.45 (even cheaper in larger quantities) and one pound goes a long way. When I have raisins to use up and the boys are being picky, I toss them with a cereal (like a corn pop or flake), dried shredded coconut, maple syrup, and a little coconut oil. Then I roast it all for a few minutes in the oven, just long enough to let the oil and syrup dry to the pieces.

*Bonus Snack Idea* If your family can tolerate nuts, making a trail mix with the raisins might be the way to go. Here’s an OLD post idea on how to make snack mix with anything to get you inspired.

Bread and Jam

Sometimes it’s not necessary to go past the basics! If you are able to have bread, a nice slice of Homemade Bread topped with some Homemade Jam is a sweet and simple snack. My husband loves this snack in particular, especially if the bread is still warm from the oven.

*Bonus Snack Idea* Skip the jam and go for heartier toppings on the bread if you need a bigger snack fix. Mashed avocado, melted cheese and garlic, even onions and a bit of leftover roast warmed up is a great snack!

Most snacks take some degree of prep work (even if it’s just washing) so to make things easier on yourself follow these tips….

  • At the beginning of the week (or before a shopping day) plan out the snacks that will be available to your family for that week or until the next shopping day. Just like you would do a menu plan for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners…snacks are important to plan out too. (Get a free printable meal planner that includes snacks here.)
  • If you plan your snacks before your shopping day, make sure to add any needed items to your grocery list so you don’t forget.
  • Once you have your snacks planned, think about any prep work you can do on the snacks that will make them easier to grab-and-go. For example, if you need to bake muffins you will need to add that to your baking day plan or find a time. You can also wash and dice some produce in advance. Most items will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for a week.
  • If your kids are older, let them know where they can find the available snacks. Make a special shelf in the fridge or pantry just for the snacks. Even my 3 year old can find his snack shelf quickly in the pantry when he’s looking for something to munch on. This helps to eliminate the, “Well, what can I have?” questions.

Some other yummy snack ideas to consider:

What do you serve for cheap, healthy snacks at your home?

merissabio

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17 Comments

  1. These are all good ideas. Something we like are pickles. I make several types, as well as relishes , which goes well with crackers. My grandson likes to add hot sauce to popcorn. My hubby likes cookies,but they aren’t always healthy! We also like cheese and crackers.

    1. For hard boiled eggs I have a Dash egg cooker; see them and other brands online. Puncture each egg with the little sticker pin on the bottom of the measuring cup, fill little measuring cup with water about 1\2 cup depending on if you are making soft or hard boiled eggs. Turn button on, 9 or so minutes later it will beep, eggs done, shells come off in one piece if done soon after cooked! Clean little cooking plate that heats up with white vinegar when warm. Egg cooker is very small, doesn’t take up much space, once a week we make a dozen eggs! Almost all stores sell them! After seeing mine, all of my friends have one! Easy! Only about $20!

  2. Hi Merissa,

    I have the same issue, but we don’t have kids, it’s my bf who LOVES to snack! When we had two incomes years ago, it wasn’t even a second thought to spend $2.50 on a mediocre bag of chips that we downed in one sitting. The idea of how much money we wasted…anyway, now that we are living a frugal lifestyle, I’m always looking for ideas and tips. I make tortilla chips with homemade salsa as a good snack. Also, when I have the time, I make a deviled egg too. It doesn’t take much, just a little mayo, mustard and some sweet vinegar. I serve that with some toasted bread. I make biscotti at home too, not too sweet and I make it with dried fruit. Homemade pretzels with mustard. We snack a lot on homemade yogurt with pure maple syrup. I don’t know that these are all under $1, but they sure are cheaper than a bag of air and some potato chips.

  3. Oh, forgot to add, when the meat is on sale, I buy enough to make a week’s worth of jerky in the dehydrator. Having all the ingredients on hand makes that an inexpensive snack as well.

  4. Thx for the snack ideas. I’m fixing em for my grandkids. I enjoy your
    blog. Thx again! Kenneth Thompson, Denver, Colorado

  5. Another addition to popcorn after cooking is Brewsters yeast. It tastes good with lots of flavor and about 40% of its weight is protein.
    I’m enjoying your site. Thanks!
    Barbara

  6. I love boiled eggs as a very inexpensive snack. Apart from just salt, I season eggs with pepper, chili salt from Asian supermarkets, dried basil, tarragon and thyme (not all together) to add some flavor. Thanks for sharing.

  7. $1.99 a pound for bananas? Holy moly! I live in NH and have lived in MD as well and bananas average $0.60/lb. They can go as low as $0.30/lb on sale.

  8. French toast sticks…. Throw a bunch in the freezer! These are awesome. Just make up a huge batch of French toast. After they’re done cooking, cut each slice into 4 pieces, freeze in small ziploc bags.

    Also cheese! Buy a lot of strip cheese on sale, and throw it in the freezer. Take out a handful regularly.

    And, the popcorn…. We fry ours in a skillet in bacon grease or lard. Omigosh…. Unbelievable! Plus, get some vitamin d that way. Some people also sprinkle cod liver oil on it. I’ve tasted it,…, it’s a good way to sneak it into your kids diet. 🙂 some also sprinkle nutritional yeast in it…..haven’t tried this one.

    And, don’t forget the zucchini or pumpkin bread that we make during season and throw extra loaves into the freezer. Cheap because it came from our garden. Yummy winter treat.

  9. Our favorite is tamari popcorn. I put the tamari in an olive oil sprayer to evenly spray it on the popcorn. Insanely yummy. Also, homemade naan is a cheap favorite…by itself, with hummus, or with yogurt (tzatziki) sauce. Homemade granola too.

  10. My youngest won’t eat any fruit, I bought some 100% organic fruit strips at Aldi, he still won’t eat them. He only drinks milk & water, won’t touch juice or pop. But he loves fruit snacks. I had no idea making fruit snacks at home was so easy! Thank you for the recipe! Fingers crossed I can get him to eat them!!

      1. I do too. He’s 11, just super picky like his dad. Won’t hurt to try making our own. Thanks so much for the recipe!!

  11. Beer Bread … 3 cups self-rising flour, half cup sugar, 1 12oz can of room temperature Coors Light (or your favorite).
    Pour into greased bread pan, bake in oven 350 for 50 minutes. Yummy.