By Kelley Herring | Healing Gourmet
If you’ve recently transitioned to a Paleo diet, you may feel that finding suitable snack foods is one of the biggest challenges about this way of eating.
And while conventional snacks like chips, crackers, and trail mix are certainly “off the menu,” it would seem that many widely-available foods (like nut mixes or dried fruit) would fit the Paleo template. Unfortunately, many of these contain unwanted ingredients like added sugars, vegetable oil, and soy.
But today I’m going to share with you a dozen healthy Paleo snacks that you can make ahead and take along. Not only will these great snacks satisfy cravings between meals – but they’ll also provide your body with a powerful source of age-defying, muscle-building nutrients, and are kid-friendly to boot.
Power Up Your Nutrition with Superfood Paleo Snacks
1. Meatballs & Sliders: Packed with protein and freezer-friendly, meatballs and sliders made with ground grass-fed beef, bison, or turkey are a great way to satisfy a craving fast and keep you full until meal time. You can make them plain, add your toppings of choice later, or even include some ethnic seasonings for more interest. For Thai-style, add coconut aminos, lemongrass, and ginger. For a Mediterranean twist, try thyme, oregano, and basil.
2. Paleo Muffins: Great for breakfast, after a workout, or as an afternoon snack with a smear of grass-fed butter, paleo muffins made with coconut flour and almond flour are a great way to scratch the itch for bread… without derailing your diet on grains. Add organic pumpkin, chia, and blueberries for more nutrients and great flavor.
3. Rumaki: Looking for a great way to sneak more superfood liver into your diet? The mock-Polynesian recipe of rumaki – chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon is a great way. Opt for coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
4. Boiled or Deviled Eggs: Keeping your fridge stocked with soft or hard-boiled eggs is a great way to have quick nutrient-rich Paleo snacks on hand. For a more culinary-inspired treat, mix the yolks with mashed avocado or Paleo mayo for tasty and satiating Paleo Deviled Eggs.
5. Wild Shrimp Cocktail: Three ounces of shrimp provides 18 grams of thermogenic protein plus 48% of the daily value for the antioxidant micronutrient selenium. Dip in a homemade cocktail sauce spiked with cayenne or smoked paprika for a light snack that will fill you up.
6. Baked Egg Cups: Not just for breakfast, muffin-tin egg cups make a great protein-packed snack any time of day. Simply add 8 organic pastured eggs to a large bowl and whisk in your cooked meat and toppings of choice. Pour the mixture into a well-greased muffin tin (liners may work even better) and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 F. Some of my favorite mix-ins include: spicy bison chorizo or pork sausage, salsa, grilled veggies, and raw cheddar cheese.
7. Pastured Chicken Drumsticks: Filling, portable, and protein-rich, marinate drumsticks in your favorite seasonings and grill or bake for a delicious between-meal snack.
8. Multi-Mineral Snack Mix: Make your own shelf-stable Paleo trail mix in batches and keep it on hand for a quick grab-and-go snack. Add selenium-rich Brazil nuts, zinc-rich pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews (all soaked and dehydrated, preferably), and some organic mulberries, goji berries, or raisins.
9. Jerky & Pemmican: Loved by athletes for a power-packed source of fuel, grass-fed beef and bison jerky and pemmican make great Paleo snacks that are mess-free and easy to take along.
10. Pork Rinds: Pastured pork rinds are a great way to get a carb-free crunch fix while providing your body with zero glycemic impact and cell-building protein. In fact, a 1-ounce serving of pork rinds contains zero carbohydrates, 17 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat. That’s nine times the protein and less fat than you’ll find in a serving of carb-rich potato chips.
11. Canned Sardines, Mackerel & Salmon: Power-packed sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, enjoying a serving of canned wild fish as a snack is a great way to optimize your intake of these vital fats. Enjoy them straight out of the can or mix them with Paleo mayo and spread on grain-free crackers for a tasty, healthy treat.
12. Superfood Smoothies: Made with organic, non-denatured whey protein, organic berries, and greens (try kale, spinach, and parsley), a protein-packed smoothie is a great way to get more nutrition into your day and can be especially helpful for picky eaters.
Sticking With It: How Paleo Snacks Keep You on Track
Having plenty of healthy snacks on hand doesn’t just make for more convenience. It can also help you stay on track and avoid temptations that can derail your healthy progress while ensuring that you get the most nutrient bang per bite.
What are some of your favorite Paleo snacks? We want to hear from you!
Kelley Herring
Cook healthier meals in a fraction of the time with Kelley’s newest program Instant Pot Keto. Inside you’ll discover 100+ ketogenic recipes made with the magic of the Instant Pot, all designed to provide superior nutrition and metabolic balance. Get your copy of Instant Pot Keto today!
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REFERENCES
1. USDA Nutrient Data Lab, National Nutrient Database
2. EatWild: The Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Products
