With school back in session, most students have busy schedules with no time to waste. Being on-the-go or working from home makes it hard to remember to pause and refuel.
That is why quick, easy and healthy snacks are a must. Here’s a list of vegan-friendly snacks you can prepare the night before and grab on your way out the door, or in between Zoom classes. All of the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe’s or your nearest grocery store.
Mini banana oat muffins
This is a great option if you want to prepare something overnight and have a meal that will last an entire week.
For this snack, you’ll need:
- 3 cups of rolled oats
- 4 mashed ripe bananas
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- chopped fruit of your choice
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, grease your muffin pan and scoop the mixture in the pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes and let cool for five minutes.
Lastly, top off this treat with additional chopped fruit of your choice. You can place the muffins in the fridge for easy access throughout the week.
Pretzels and peanut butter
Not only is this snack tasty, but it leaves you full and satisfied for hours. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, you can substitute it for your choice of hummus.
All you need is creamy peanut butter and your choice of pretzels. Pour some pretzels in a bowl alongside a scoop of peanut butter and enjoy.
Tropical smoothie bowl
Avoid the lines at Shake Smart and create your own signature smoothie bowl. The options you can have are endless, so be creative and adjust this snack so it tastes right.
All you need is an assorted bag of frozen fruit or frozen acai, almond butter, orange juice, strawberries, bananas and/or other toppings.
Place a generous amount of assorted fruit and orange juice in a blender. Blend until it’s a thick and creamy consistency and pour into a bowl. Next, add your toppings and viola!
Kale chips
One of my personal favorite vegan snacks is kale chips.
All you need is:
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 bunch of kale.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Next, rinse the kale, drain and pat the kale completely dry with a towel, tear the kale into pieces and place it into a bowl. Add your olive oil and hand toss the pieces distributing the oil throughout the dish.
Lastly, spread the pieces on a parchment-covered baking sheet with no overlap and sprinkle sea salt and pepper on the kale.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the leaves are crispy. Store in an airtight container for freshness.
Rice cakes with peanut butter
Rice cakes are a perfect snack if you’re looking for something to quickly assemble in between your zoom classes.
All you need is:
- rice cakes
- peanut butter
- bananas
Spread the peanut butter on the rice cakes and top it with sliced bananas. You can also be creative and add different fruit such as strawberries or blueberries on top of the rice cakes.
These quick and easy vegan snacks will give you the boost you need to get through your busy day.
