We all love snacking from time to time. However, if you try to stick to a healthy diet, most snack foods on shelves do not always provide nutritious options. So, if you're tired of cheesy crackers being your cheat meal of the week, then continue reading. At Bob's Red Mill, we enjoy snacking, which is why we've found a way to make it a bit healthier. Scroll down to discover a few of our favorite healthy and tasty snack replacements. From nuggets to quinoa bites, we have a recipe that will satisfy everyone's cravings.
Why Snacking Is Important
Enjoying a healthy snack loaded with nutrients is the best way to resist food temptations and an essential part of a healthy diet. Not only does snacking help keep you fueled throughout the day, but it can also curb sugar cravings and prevent you from diving into unhealthy foods. From children to adults, everyone needs a snack now and then!
Healthy Cracker Substitutes
Here at Bob's Red Mill, we're constantly trying the latest and greatest recipes to help you bring more healthy meals to the table. Below we've outlined five of our favorite healthy snacks that you can substitute for crackers whenever the craving hits.
Curried Potato Nuggets
Are you craving a healthier version of french fries? Then we have just the snack for you. These curried potato nuggets are the ideal treat to serve up to family and friends when you want to avoid another cracker appetizer. Easy to create, they're made with Potato Flakes—an ingredient full of nutrition and flavor. Our potato flakes are made from genuine russet potatoes and can be used in several different recipes. Use them to make mashed potatoes, as an addition to yeast bread recipes, or as the main ingredient in these curried potato nuggets. They're sure to cut down the time it takes to make potato-based meals without compromising the flavor.
In addition to potato flakes, this recipe also calls for a selection of savory spices. Spices like ginger and curry powder are complimented with garlic to create a flavor closely resembling vegetable curry. Crunchy, flavorful and bite-sized, these curried potato nuggets make for the ideal snack. Enjoy them alone or dunk them into your favorite vegan dip for an even more mouthwatering appetizer.
Highlighted Dip Pairing: Creamy Cannellini Bean Dip
This Creamy Cannellini Bean Dip tops the list as the perfect creamy dip to pair with freshly baked potato nuggets. Made with whole cannellini beans, fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar, it's a winning combo of savory flavors that's almost too good to be true. If you want to take a break from your homemade cracker recipe, using this potato substitute is a great idea. The only thing that requires a significant amount of baking is the cannellini beans. However, if you're in a time crunch, that time can quickly be sped up by using a pressure cooker.
Baked Keto Shrimp
If you are looking to add more seafood to the menu, Then this Baked Keto Shrimp is an excellent option. A keto recipe that's entirely paleo and gluten free, it can be made quickly and is the perfect party snack or dinner side. When making this dish gluten free, organic coconut flour and coconut flakes are used to create a crispy crust for the shrimp. Prepped and cooked in just under 25 minutes, it's a flavorful treat that can be served on any occasion. Serve it with your favorite barbecue sauce, or set out a variety of dips and let your guests choose what to combine it with. No matter when or how you serve the shrimp up, it's sure to be a hit.
Grain Free Grissini Breadsticks
A gluten free alternative to the savory homemade cracker recipe you're used to snacking on, these grain free breadsticks are an excellent way to impress guests with your baking skills. Their unique shape and pleasant flavor will add drama to any appetizer table. And the best part? They're entirely grain free. Because grain free ingredients are used to make these Grissini Bread Sticks, individuals sensitive to grains and gluten can enjoy them symptom free.
Still a bit skeptical? These bread sticks are made with our Grain Free Flatbread Mix that is certified gluten and grain free, and made in a separate facility from our grain-based products. Delicious and quick to prepare, they'll fill your house with a tempting aroma that's nearly irresistible. Long and crispy, they are perfect for dipping, combining with jam, or adding to your favorite salad recipes. So bake a batch today and see what you've been missing!
Highlighted Dip Pairing: Dairy Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Create a restaurant-worthy appetizer by pairing freshly baked grissini bread sticks with this Dairy Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip. A dairy free version of traditional artichoke dip, it's rich, creamy, and full of cheese-inspired flavors. Made with nutritional yeast and dairy free cream cheese, it's also entirely vegan!
Spinach Quinoa Bites
Popeye didn't eat spinach all of the time for nothing. Spinach is excellent for you—primarily when it's worked into a delicious snack like these Spinach and Quinoa Bites. An effortless way to incorporate more protein into your diet, these bite-sized snacks are excellent for dipping into savory sauces. They're made with Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa Grain, which lends a nutty and earthy flavor and a great source of iron and high-quality protein. When combined with two cups of spinach, it's a snack that's overflowing with nutritional value.
If you have leftovers from snacking, these Spinach Quinoa Bites can easily be turned into a delicious vegetarian meal. Press them into a burger patty, enjoy them as a side, or use them as a vegetarian option over meatballs and pasta. No matter who you're cooking for, this bite-sized snack is sure to be a hit.
Highlighted Dip Pairing: Cannellini Herb Dip
Cannellini beans can be used in several ways, one of which is to make this tasty Cannellini Herb Dip. The perfect accompaniment for spinach quinoa bites, it's a dip full of fresh herbs overflowing with flavor. And if you're left with leftovers, it makes for the perfect sandwich spread.
Gluten Free Baked Onion Rings
When eating dinner out, many of the foods we choose aren't exactly healthy. This is why we often save them as a special meal and only eat them now and then. If onion rings are on your list of favorite foods, then you'll surely enjoy the following recipe. A fun alternative to crackers, these crispy and crunchy Gluten Free Baked Onion Rings are delicious. They're coated in chickpea flour instead of traditional flour and act as a healthy and gluten free version of conventional onion rings. Additionally, the other ingredients used are all sourced from whole food ingredients, making the snack just as healthy as tasty.
Enjoy these crispy and crunchy onion rings on their own, use them as a topping in our Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole, or try them as a cracker replacement and pair them with your favorite dip. This healthy version of your favorite restaurant-style onion ring recipe is naturally gluten and dairy free, making it an easy treat to snack on no matter what your dietary restrictions are.
Banana Barley Biscuits
Do you have a sweet tooth that never seems to shut off? If so, then these Banana Barley Biscuits are the ideal replacement for the sweet crackers you've been snacking on. made with just a few ingredients, including our old-fashioned rolled oats. They're just as sweet as they are nutritious. These biscuits are flavored with vanilla extract, bananas and ground cinnamon and will quickly satisfy your sugar cravings in a healthier way. Additionally, because they can be made in under an hour, they're the perfect snack to turn to when you're running short on time.
Not sure what to pair these biscuits with? We recommend choosing sweet dips and sauces, serving them warm with whipped cream, or using them as a topping on butter pecan ice cream. The flavor is so delicious that they'll taste delicious with everything.
Highlighted Dip Pairing: High Protein Apple Dip
A sweet dip that tastes great with any fruit-infused flavors you combine it with, this High Protein Apple Dip is the ideal way to work more nutrients into your diet. High fiber, lactose free, low carb and vegan, it's also an excellent option for individuals who have specific dietary needs.
Use the six cracker substitutes above to help make sticking to a healthy diet a bit easier. From famous onion rings to coconut keto shrimp, these recipes are sure to satisfy your cravings when hunger strikes. We can't wait to see which one you decide to make. So, from everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a healthy and flavor-filled day!
Know of a cracker substitute that we didn't mention? Let us know what foods you dunk into your favorite dips in the comments below. We look forward to hearing from you!
