Snack Healthy: Mini-Meal Chart

The days of three square meals may be a thing of the past. Busy daily schedules, limited time for cooking and the ever increasing popularity of smoothies, juices, protein bars, power bowls and the like are packing many nutrients into quick, on-the-go options. Bigger than snacks, these “mini meals” nourish us throughout the day and have the potential to work together to satisfy our nutrient needs.

Plum Tabbouleh

Watch the recording of our latest webinar, Snack Healthy, to hear Kit Broihier and Allison Stowell explore the rising popularity of mini meals.

Simple Snack/Mini-Meal Combo Chart

Choose one from the Carbohydrate column plus one from the Protein/Fat column to create an easy snack or mini-meal that suits your taste. Keep portions in mind—a snack is not a full meal (for more information on portion sizes, see the USDA ChooseMyPlate website). Keep in mind that including a fruit or vegetable at snack time is a great way to meet daily produce and fiber goals.

Carbohydrate

Whole piece of fruit (pear, orange, banana, apple)
Raw vegetable sticks
Whole grain cereal (no more than 1 c.)
Whole grain tortilla/small wrap
Whole grain crackers (5-7)
Plain popcorn
Whole grain English muffin (1/2)
Natural or baked tortilla/corn chips (1 oz.)
100% whole grain bread (1 slice)
Dried fruit (1/4 c.)
1 c. melon/pineapple cubes; 1 c. grapes
Salsa
Fresh veggies (sugar snap peas, cucumber, broccoli florets, etc)

Protein and/or Fat

Granola bar (with minimum of 6 g. protein)
Cheese stick (mozzarella/Jack, etc)
Sliced roast beef/turkey/ham
Nuts (1 oz.)
Natural nutbutters
Guacamole (3 T.)
Hummus (3 T.)
Low-fat/non-fat plain Greek yogurt
Hard-boiled egg
Sliced/cubed cheese
Pumpkin/sunflower seeds
Dry-roasted soybeans/soynuts
Avocado (1/4 medium or 3 T.)
Edamame
Low-fat/non-fat cottage cheese (1/2 c.)

Recipe to Make as Mini-Meals

Here are some great recipes for mini-meals to help you keep some easy and interesting variety in your eating plan. You can also view and save them on Pinterest.