25+ Healthy Snack Ideas (that aren’t too messy!)

In our house, we pack a LOT of snacks, particularly in the summer when we’re headed out on the boat.

I mentioned this past summer that I’m always on the lookout for reasonably healthy and non-messy snack ideas and asked for suggestions and WOW did people deliver!

Of course, everyone has their own definition of non-messy (one mom said, “We love taking popsicles on our boat!” and the odds of my husband EVER allowing someone to bring popsicles on our boat are absolutely zero), so depending on your situation and activity, some of these may be better fits for you.

These are perfect snacks for taking in the car, on a hike, skiing, or anywhere else you don’t want to be hungry or making a big mess!

25+ Healthy Snack Ideas That Aren’t Too Messy

Edamame
If you ever want something salty, but don’t want to chow down on chips, edamame is a great option. I love the individual bags so you don’t have to cook up enough for an army. All you have to do is pop them in the microwave, add some sea salt and viola!

Mini Sandwiches
Why is everything in mini size more appealing? Lots of people suggested taking ham/turkey and cheese and putting in on Hawaiian rolls or croissants or cutting up a regular sandwich into fourths. My kids also love a good meat and cheese roll up.

Dried seaweed
To my surprise, my girls LOVE dried seaweed and especially when we visit our local Asian market, this is one of their go-to picks!

Cheese
When I was a kid, there were very few cheese options besides grated or off the block and now there are tons of varieties to choose from. Including cheese sticks, Babybell cheese, cheese cubes and Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Bagel Chips + Hummus
If you love a good dip and are looking for something other than queso, grab some bagel chips or tortilla chips and go to town with some hummus.

Pickles
I’m here to say that not all pickles are created equal. The regular store bought ones are just fine, but have you tried Grillo’s pickle chips? The flavor is the perfect amount of vinegar and the crunch is spot on.

Meat
You probably know by now that my all-time favorite beef sticks are the Paleovalley ones – use the code EVERYDAYREADING. Other easy meat option are beef jerky, Chomps, Dukes beef sticks, salami sticks and mini meatballs.

Peanut butter crackers
This is a great choice because you can buy them either pre-assembled or create your own with the exact peanut butter to cracker ratio that you desire.

Fruit Leather
Fruit snacks tend to be a staple in every house with little kids. A more substantial replacement for those with a bigger appetite would be dried mangos, fruit bars, freeze dried fruit, apple chips and fruit leather.

G2G Protein Bars
I love being able to eat a snack that will actually fill me up enough to make it to the next meal and G2G Bars do just that. These are my personal #1 snack. I have one of these protein bars nearly every single day as part of my lunch or an afternoon snack and even after two years, I never get tired of them. My girls love them too, and if I’m in too much of a hurry to have my normal breakfast at home, I’ll eat one of these on the go. They taste like cookie dough and the very best flavor is Peanut Butter Coconut Chocolate (I strongly prefer any of the peanut butter flavors to the almond flavors, which I feel like don’t have as good of a texture). My code is READ for 15% off. fig bars, Z bars, larabars

Skout Bars. The box these come in fits perfectly in my minivan center console and I ALWAYS have one in there. These are the perfect on-the-go snack and my two youngest girls especially love them. They’re the perfect size for a child to actually eat the whole thing (instead of a bar that’s way too big for them to actually finish), they are made with real ingredients you’ll recognize and they come in a million great flavors (and they’re always launching small batches of new, interesting flavors). It’s an almost 100% guarantee that no matter what purse I have with me, there will be a couple of these Skout Bars in them. Use the code EVERYDAYREADING for 20% off.

Olives
After these have been drained, they make a great snack and especially fun for kids who like to put an olive on each finger.

Bars and Bites
Bars and bites are super convenient and there are tons of different options that don’t get crumbly, sticky and make a huge mess. Made Good Granola bites, Fig Bars, Z Bars and Larabars to name a few. If you are looking for a homemade option, these Copycat Perfect bars are incredibly yummy.

Hippeas
These remind me a bit of Cheeto puffs. Hippeas are a chickpea puff with vegan white cheddar flavoring, giving you the crunch and satisfaction of a puff chip.

Brami Lupini Beans
I’ve never heard of these and now I want to try them. With 50% more protein than both chickpeas and eggs, this feels like a total win.

Naan bread
My girls go crazy for naan bread. It’s so soft, filling and can pretty much go with anything. Make it even more appealing with those mini naan dippers and some hummus to dip them in!

Roasted Chickpeas
Another crunchy snack that are great to eat by the handful or to add a to a salad for an extra salty crunch.

Pretzels or Veggie Straws
These are indeed a non messy snack and so so easy to throw into a baggie.

Gogurts
Whoever invented this simple packaging for yogurt is genius. No spoon required, just a tear of the wrapper to enjoy these. My kids also love gogurts frozen, making it more of frozen yogurt treat.

Fruit and Veggies
This of course had to make the list. I find that we eat a lot more of both fruits and vegetables if I already have them washed and cut up in the fridge. We made a family goal last year to make it a year of veggies and it was wonderful! You can read all about that here. Another fun way to mix it up is to freeze grapes. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go. They are so delicious and refreshing!

Applesauce Pouches
My older girls won’t even touch most applesauce pouches these days, but ones with different flavors of fruits added to them is a win for every single member of the family. They are so delicious and my girls pack them year round in their lunches and then I always have them for road trips.

Nuts
Why is a handful of salted cashews so delicious?! Costco and Sam’s Club both have good sized bags for an affordable price. And there are so many different kinds from almonds, to walnuts, to pecans and one of my favorites, pistachios.

Savory mix
A savory mix is great to set out for snacking. Think Gardetto garlic chips or a classic Chex mix!

Trail Mix
Trail mix is the perfect salty and sweet snack. Grab a bag at the grocery store or customize it by making your own!

Popcorn
There is nothing quite like movie theater popcorn, but that’s not readily available. A couple of great alternatives for those who love popcorn-ish snacks are Skinny Pop, Pirates Booty and Lesser Evil Organic Popcorn (this one os my favorite)!

Hard boiled eggs
I know people are either a definite yes on hard boiled eggs and the other party is an absolute no. If you love eggs and don’t mind the minimal prep these require, this is a fantastic healthy snack option!

Meat on Club Crackers
This idea was mentioned a lot with a variety of meat suggestions. You could use deli meat, tuna or canned chicken mixed with mayo, imitation crab or thin salami slices.

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