Nutrition
Marisa HeinzeApril 26, 2022
5 quick snacks for the evening: healthy alternatives to chips and co.
Everyone knows it: In the evening, while sitting on the couch or chatting with friends, you suddenly have the craving for a snack, whether sweet or savoury. It is easy to reach for a bag of crisps, jellybeans, or a bar of chocolate - but that's not really optimal. Here are five healthy snacks for the evening that are not only quick to make, but also delicious.
5 quick snacks for the evening
(1) Skyr with berries
The Icelandic yoghurt tastes fresh, and the berries add the right fruity and sweet note to this quick snack for the evening. At the same time, it provides long-lasting satiety, contains a lot of protein and is therefore one of our healthy snacks for the evening.
Preparation:
- You will need a pack of Skyr and fresh or frozen berries of your choice, e.g.: strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.
- Put the desired amount of Skyr in a bowl and top it with your berries.
- You can top the whole thing with a little cinnamon, some chocolate sprinkles, or flax seeds, for example.
Tip: If you use frozen berries, pour them straight from the freezer onto the Skyr and mix thoroughly. The Skyr then freezes slightly, and it tastes almost like a yoghurt-berry ice cream.
The advantages:
- Skyr and berries are very low in fat.
- Skyr is very protein-rich with 11 g protein per 100 g and provides you with valuable protein all night long.
- Berries contain very little sugar or carbohydrates.
- Berries contain many vitamins as well as antioxidants that protect against free radicals.
Tip: If you prefer low-fat quark or low-fat Greek yoghurt, you can also use those. They are all healthy snacks for the evening – or even the morning, for that matter.
(2) Roasted chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are the perfect substitute for chips: they are nice and crunchy and spicy. Therefore, they are ideal as a quick snack for the evening and can satisfy a craving for chips or salty treats.
Preparation:
- You need a can of chickpeas, olive oil, spices and an oven.
- First drain the chickpeas and pat them dry with kitchen roll.
- Then mix the chickpeas with a little olive oil, salt, and spices, e.g.: curry, paprika or turmeric, and place them on a baking tray separated.
- Now roast for about 15 minutes at 200 degrees (convection oven) until they are crispy.
Note: The time needed in the oven depends on how dry the chickpeas are. The drier, the shorter the baking time, so keep an eye on them.
The advantages:
- Chickpeas offer plenty of healthy, plant-based protein, with around 7 g of protein per 100 g.
- Pulses are a high-quality source of carbohydrates.
- They contain many important dietary fibres that provide long-lasting satiety.
(3) Homemade popcorn
Do you think popcorn is an unhealthy snack? You're right: the over-sugared and buttery popcorn we know from the cinema is indeed not ideal for our weight or health. Homemade popcorn, on the other hand, can be a healthy alternative and therefore provides a good, quick snack for the evening.
Preparation:
- You will need a deep coated pan or alternatively a large pot with a lid, and popcorn corn to prepare this quick evening snack.
- Add a little olive or rapeseed oil to the pot or pan and then add the popcorn directly.
- Make sure that the kernels are not on top of each other and have enough space.
- Now wait, with the lid closed and over medium heat, until the kernels pop. If the intervals between the popping become longer than 5 seconds, you can take the pan or pot off the cooker.
Finally, the question is: sweet or savoury? Once you have decided, season your ready-made sweet popcorn accordingly with, for example, agave or cinnamon, or your savoury popcorn with a little salt or savoury herbs.
The advantages:
- Popcorn corn has a good macronutrient ratio with 58 g carbohydrates, around 10 g protein and under 4 g fat.
- Popcorn corn contains a lot of fibre, which helps with digestion.
- Popcorn gives you a lot of volume with few kilocalories.
- Popcorn gives you a real cinema feeling, even at home.
(4) Roasted nut and kernel mixture
Whether hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, or almonds - there are many different nuts and kernels that have one thing in common: they are all healthy snacks for the evening, albeit high in calories.
Preparation:
- To prepare this healthy snack for the evening, you need nuts and seeds in individual packages. Make sure they are unprocessed, i.e., not roasted with oil or salted.
- Now put together your own personal nut mix, in the proportions you like. Do you like almonds? Then use a little more of them and less hazelnuts, which you might not like as much.
- Put your nut mixture into a non-stick pan (without additional oil!) and slowly toast the nuts and seeds.
Note: You should always stand by and stir the mixture with a spatula, as nuts and seeds can burn quickly.
When the nuts have reached your desired browning level, remove them from the heat, pour them into a bowl and add your favourite spices, such as salt, pepper, chilli, curry or paprika.
The benefits:
- Nuts contain lots of healthy unsaturated fats.
- Although high in fat, nuts and seeds also contain lots of protein.
- Nuts and seeds contain many other important micronutrients, such as magnesium and potassium.
- They provide quick and long-lasting satiety.
(5) Chocolate Bliss Balls
If you're craving something chocolatey in the evening but don't want to reach for the over-sugared bar from the supermarket, we have the perfect recipe for you. It only takes 10 minutes to prepare for a quick evening snack and you can satisfy your cravings in a healthy way.
Preparation:
- You need 200 g pitted dates, 40 g tender oat flakes, 20 g peanut butter, 20 g baking cocoa and a little salt.
- Put all the ingredients in a stand mixer or blend with a hand blender.
- Then shape the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut with moistened hands and roll in baking cocoa if you like.
Tip: If you can stop yourself from eating all the Bliss Balls at once, store them in the fridge. This way you can enjoy the snack for a few days!
The benefits:
- Dates contain many minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
- Oatmeal contains important B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, and calcium.
- Baking cocoa may not sound healthy, but it is high in iron, zinc and antioxidants.
- Peanut butter is rich in protein but also in magnesium, which helps you relax and get a good night's sleep, making it a particularly healthy snack for the evening.
Conclusion: Quick snacks for the evening
As you can see, you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare a healthy snack for the evening (or any time of day). Instead of the bag of crisps, you can now reach for healthier snacks like roasted chickpeas, savoury popcorn, or homemade roasted nuts.
For a great alternative to chocolate, try the chocolate energy balls, or if you're in the mood for something fruity, make a quick berry skyr.
Which recipe is your favourite healthy snack for the evening? In any case, we wish you bon appétit!