The Best Peanut-Free Snacks
The best peanut-free snacks
Snack foods should be quick and easy to whip together, but for people with peanut allergies, it can be difficult to find filling foods that fit the bill—especially since so many quintessential snack foods such as granola bars and PB&J contain nuts. Luckily, plenty of tasty peanut-free snacks do exist, so you can get your salty (or sweet!) fix in between meals. Whether it's chewy lemon bars, crunchy zucchini chips, or savory shrimp toast, these peanut-free options will make snack time a breeze (and a delicious one, at that!). Here, nutritious, filling ways to get your snack on, sans peanuts.
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Honeyed Frozen Yogurt With Berry Swirl
Try this recipe: Honeyed Frozen Yogurt With Berry Swirl
Indulge in fruity, creamy goodness with this frozen yogurt recipe. The berry jam topping consists of only three ingredients, while the frozen yogurt only has four—so you can satisfy your sweet tooth without all the extra preservatives and sugars in your typical ice cream pint.
Ingredients: Mixed berries, white balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract, honey, half-and-half, yogurt
Calories: 186
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Lemon Bars
Lemon zest is a great way to add flavor to cookies, cakes, and your other favorite dishes. This Cooking Light video shows you how to remove the outer rind of a lemon, which is filled with tasty, aromatic oils, while avoiding the bitter, white pith underneath.
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Herby Edamame Dip With Buckwheat Crackers
Try this recipe: Herby Edamame Dip With Buckwheat Crackers
If you’re craving chips and dip but don’t want to compromise your healthy diet, reach of some buckwheat crackers with edamame dip instead. Both buckwheat groats and edamame are packed with protein, making them an ideal option to help ward off hunger. Buckwheat groats also filled with nutrients like zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium.
Ingredients: Buckwheat groats, brown rice protein powder, mustard seeds, edamame, Greek yogurt, mint leaves, cilantro, olive oil, black pepper
Calories: 266
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Ginger-Infused Japanese Rice Pudding
Try this recipe: Ginger-Infused Japanese Rice Pudding
For a rice pudding with a kick, we sweetened and spiced this version with ginger and brown sugar. You’ll get plenty of bone-building calcium plus 7 grams of protein packed into each serving.
Ingredients: Water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ginger, milk, soy milk, short-grain rice, heavy cream, strawberries
Calories: 267
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Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups With Herbs and Cheese
Here’s a grilled veggie side dish that’s so fun to prepare, the whole family will get involved. Simply grill the zucchini slices and have the kids stack fresh ingredients in the center and roll them up. Easy! Watch the video to learn how.
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Chicken-and-Mango Summer Rolls
Try this recipe: Chicken-and-Mango Summer Rolls
This snack packs fresh veggies and fruit into easy-to-eat rice paper rolls, so you can enjoy big flavors without a huge mess. The recipe calls for broccoli slaw, but if you can't find it at the supermarket, opt for cabbage slaw mix for a similar texture and taste.
Ingredients: Avocado oil, fresh lime juice, honey, sambal oelek, broccoli slaw, kosher salt, round rice paper sheets, avocado wedges, mango wedges, boneless skinless rotisserie chicken breast, cilantro sprigs
Calories: 353
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Zucchini Oven Chips
Try this recipe: Zucchini Oven Chips
Breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese turn fresh zucchini into a savory treat. These oven-baked chips are the perfect low-calorie substitute for French fries.
Ingredients: Dry breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, fat-free milk, zucchini, cooking spray
Calories: 61
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Cauliflower Nuggets
Try this recipe: Cauliflower Nuggets
Indulge in some comfort food goodness with these cauliflower "nugget" bites. They only require a few simple pantry ingredients to make, and are ready to eat in just 35 minutes. Serve 'em to your kids and their friends after school, or as a cocktail hour treat while entertaining friends.
Ingredients: Olive oil, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, eggs, cauliflower
Calories: 151
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Mango and Maca Smoothie
Try this recipe: Mango and Maca Smoothie
This smoothie calls for hemp or almond milk, so it’s ideal for anyone who likes dairy-free smoothies. Cashew milk would also work well, but if you want to go totally nut-free, use coconut milk. With 253 grams of calcium and 3 grams each of fiber and protein, this snack is packed with good-for-you nutrients.
Ingredients: Unsweetened hemp milk or almond milk, lemon juice, fresh mangoes, dried mango, almond butter, flaxseeds, maca powder, vanilla extract, pitted dates, Himalayan salt
Calories: 265
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Sriracha-Lime Grilled Watermelon
Try this recipe: Sriracha-Lime Grilled Watermelon
Give this juicy summer fruit an unexpected upgrade with a spicy kick. You can fire up the grill and prepare your snack the night before, or forgo the grilling and sprinkle the seasonings on raw watermelon for an equally-delicious dish. No watermelon on hand? This recipe also works well with jicama.
Ingredients: Watermelon, extra-virgin olive oil, sriracha, kosher salt, coconut sugar, lime zest, lime wedges
Calories: 45
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Chia Chai Pudding
Try this recipe: Chia Chai Pudding
Feel fuller for longer with this easy make-ahead pudding that boasts 11 grams of protein. Simply make a batch the night before and take it with you to school or the office for a sweet, spice-filled pudding. And if you stick to a completely nut-free diet, substitute almond milk for coconut milk.
Ingredients: Almond milk, chai tea bags, honey, unsweetened coconut flakes, plain whole-milk yogurt, chia seeds, mixed berries
Calories: 405
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Crispy Tamari Kale Chips
Try this recipe: Crispy Tamari Kale Chips
These aren't your average kale chips: tamari, sherry vinegar, and Parmesan cheese deliver tons of flavor. And the best part is that they're incredibly easy to whip up—just toss the kale leaves in the seasoning mix and bake for a crunchy, satisfying snack.
Ingredients: Kale, tamari, olive oil, sherry vinegar, Parmesan cheese
Calories: 84
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Broiled Ricotta-Tomato Toasts
Try this recipe: Broiled Ricotta-Tomato Toasts
Instead of reaching for a frozen pizza, whip up this healthier take with cherry tomato and part-skim ricotta. But you won't miss out on flavor: Putting the toasts under the broiler brings out a flavor sensation in the tomatoes called umami.
Ingredients: Crusty bread, part-skim ricotta, cheese, cherry tomato halves, extra-virgin olive oil, ground back pepper
Calories: 115
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Shrimp Stack
Try this recipe: Shrimp Stack
This snack has it all: protein from the shrimp and Greek yogurt, healthy fats from avocado, and fiber from the flatbread. What it doesn't have: tons of calories.
Ingredients: Greek yogurt, lime juice, jalapeño sauce, avocado, rye flatbread, shrimp, parsley and cracked black pepper.
Calories: 129
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Cherry-Ginger Scones
Try this recipe: Cherry-Ginger Scones
Have a sweet tooth? These scones are the answer, but they're also diet-friendly. They have a subtle sweetness thanks to the cherries, while oats deliver fiber so you stay full until dinner.
Ingredients: Whole-wheat pastry flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, dried cherries, crystallized ginger, buttermilk, egg whites
Calories: 348
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Spiced Tortillas With Tropical Fruit Salad
Try this recipe: Spiced Tortillas with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Give chips and salsa an upgrade with this fruity tropical salsa recipe. Pineapple and strawberries deliver tons of good-for-you nutrients, while seasonings like cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg pack in the flavor.
Ingredients: Corn tortillas, pineapple, strawberries, shredded coconut, lime juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg
Calories: 258