Quick and Clean: 40 Non-Processed Snacks (That Meet Your Need for Speed)

(Psst: The FTC wants me to remind you that this website contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from a link you click on, I might receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you'll pay for that item nor does it decrease the awesomeness of the item. ~ Daisy)

In a society that is geared towards instant gratification, the problem with non-processed food is that it isn’t “quick”. One of the major reasons that people give for eating processed foods over whole foods is that “I needed something quick.”  Don’t let your need for speed sidetrack your healthy eating habits.

If you are a prepper, it’s important in a disaster situation to have quick nutrition available

In a grid-down situation, foods that don’t require cooking can be especially vital.  Some people make the mistake of relying on long-term storage foods that require lengthy cooking times, forgetting that cooking fuel might need to be rationed in order to last throughout the event.  Alternatively, relying on highly processed foods will not provide you with the extra energy you need for the demands that may be placed on you physically in such a situation.

One strategy that you can employ for some instant food gratification is to make a habit of a weekly food-prep session. Spend some time each weekend washing, cutting, and cooking food for the week ahead.  This will give you cut-up veggies, prepared protein sources and washed fruit that you can eat right from the refrigerator. This session can also include some home-baked goodies for lunch boxes and some complete meals that just need to be reheated at serving time.

Be sure to have some foods on hand that can be prepared quickly

Some of the suggestions below are just snacks but when combined with another selection can take the place of a meal:

  1. Nuts
  2. Trail mix:  Mix dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and a handful of real dark chocolate chips
  3. Fresh fruit: Whatever deliciousness is in season – our selection this week is apples, oranges, and strawberries
  4. Dried Fruit: Raisins, dried berries, dried apple slices
  5. Salad: If your veggies are pre-washed you can put this together very quickly. As well, salad can be preassembled. Simply add protein and dressing at serving time.
  6. Veggies:  carrots, radishes, sugar snap peas, celery, peppers, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes
  7. Steamed veggies:  Top them with cheese or chopped hard-boiled eggs
  8. Eggs: Nature’s fastest protein – boil, scramble, poach or fry – eggs make a great topper for other “fast foods”
  9. Yogurt Parfait: Top your homemade yogurt with fruit and granola
  10. Leftovers
  11. Cheese: Opt for a healthy version without additives and artificial colors
  12. Smoothies: Throw fruits, veggies, yogurt and your milk of choice into the blender. Add a little pure vanilla and some honey. We like to freeze fruit for this purpose to make a rich thick shake.
  13. Homemade granola cookies: Recipe HERE (you can make them into granola bar shapes if you want to)
  14. No-bake haystack cookies:  Recipe HERE
  15. Hummus: Serve the dip with veggie sticks, homemade crackers, or tortillas
  16. Applesauce:  Try topping it with homemade granola and vanilla yogurt for a  quick no-cook “apple crisp”
  17. Chocolate Milk: Directions HERE
  18. Apples with natural peanut butter
  19. Frozen Yogurt Berries: Toss well-washed berries in homemade vanilla yogurt. Place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours for a cold, healthy treat
  20. Popcorn
  21. Edamame
  22. Pancakes or Waffles:  Top with fruit for a nutrition boost
  23. Couscous: This speedy grain only requires the addition of boiling water or broth.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, covered, and you have an instant hearty side dish.  Add some steamed veggies and lean protein to turn it into a one dish meal
  24. Cottage cheese:  Top homemade cottage cheese with fresh fruit
  25. Home-canned food:  Meals like chili, soup, and spaghetti sauce can be pressure canned at home for a delicious healthy “fast food meal”
  26. Fruit Salad: Top it with nuts and a honey-sweetened yogurt for a protein boost
  27. Dill Pickles:  Home-canned, of course
  28. Ants-on-a-log:  Celery sticks stuffed with natural peanut butter then topped with raisins
  29. Quick Greek Salad: Chopped cucumber, peppers and cherry tomatoes with feta cheese and vinaigrette
  30. Homemade Fruitsicles:  Puree fruit that is overripe, then freeze it in popsicle forms – strawberry-banana is a favorite combo here
  31. Guacamole
  32. Savory snack mix:  Popcorn and nuts sprinkled with parmesan cheese and spices
  33. Tzatziki:  This yummy Greek garlic and yogurt dip is a satisfying snack with homemade crackers or veggies
  34. Medjool dates and almonds
  35. Frozen grapes
  36. Homemade gazpacho:  Puree tomatoes, peppers, onions, jalapenos, and other seasonal veggies.  Keep in the fridge and serve cold.
  37. Quick Banana Nut Cookies: Mash 2 overripe bananas well.  Stir in 1 cup of steel-cut oats and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
  38. Latte: Make a delicious latte with a homemade creamer
  39. Mexican Black Bean Salad: 1 cup black beans, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers, some fresh cilantro, and lemon juice
  40. Green Apple Salad:  Chopped green apple, red grapes, and walnuts sprinkled with a dressing made from honey, lemon juice and cinnamon

Note: Once upon a time, tuna was on my healthy snacks list.  Post-Fukushima, we don’t eat it anymore.  Pacific tuna caught off the coast of California is tainted with radiation from the disaster.  So-called experts say that the small amount of radiation is safe, but this is a theory that I’m not willing to test on my own family.

Your healthy snacks are only as good as their ingredients

Food that you produce yourself is always the best option, because then you can be absolutely assured of both the seeds and the farming process. Supplement with items from local farms (find a location near you)or the organic section of your grocery store.  When you eat in-season, it is far easier to choose the most nutritious foods and save money.  Carefully wash your produce to get rid of any airborne residue that might remain on the food.

Build your pantry stockpile with long-term storage foods. Select healthy basics such as nuts, honey, whole grains, and dried fruits.

When you always have quick options available it is far easier to make choices that fuel your body.

What quick and healthy snacks do you feed your family?

Daisy Luther

Daisy Luther

Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, 2)  The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived, and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. She is widely republished across alternative media and  Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.

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  • Another good quick snack is Ezekiel brand sprouted grains cereal. Has lots of protein and I throw in some organic cinnamon, honey and finally top off with almond milk.

  • Another fruit dressing: cream cheese, honey or sugar, lime juice(1/4 c) 2 tbsp milk,(more or less if you like it thin or thicker) blend and top fresh fruit.

    I don’t like to wash my veggies until ready for use because they stay fresh longer that way.

    Love the ideas. Thanks once again Daisy. Sending love your way.

    • Thank you, Lauren! And I just checked out your site (link is in Lauren’s name) – it’s amazing! I’m hoping to start up a hive when I relocate! I’ve bookmarked you for future reference!

      ~ Daisy

  • I just left a comment on your post about your move. 😉 So happy to here that you’ll be visiting my site – I hope you fin it helpful once you’re settled into the new place!

    • Thank you, Lauren! I’ve checked it out – you have amazing information! 🙂 I can’t WAIT to get started!

      Daisy

  • I like your ideas! Just want to point out that Nature’s perfect protein is probably not an egg. – I think Nature would object to that vehemently. Actually, all fruits and veggies contain protein which is more easily digested than any animal protein.

  • Many of the foods you list, while healthy still require processing. I think maybe the only foods that aren’t processed in some way are the fruits, vegetables, eggs and maybe beans. Nice list though of healthy alternatives to snacks.

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