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Snacks are great!

However, due to the sometimes rushed and mindless nature of snacking, the types of snacks that we tend to consume are not very health-seeking or Calorie conscious.

How to pick a fat-loss-friendly snack

You want to choose foods that are:

• High in fibre and/or
• Protein

These will both keep you full and satisfied between your main meals. And there are many ‘at home’ snacks you could make to fit this.

But in the real world we need a grab-and-go option

Sometimes we’re just too rushed, busy, or in an inconvenient spot.

Often the only options are whatever is in the pantry, office cupboards, or the convenience store.

To help you up your snacking game, we’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up some of our favourite (and the healthiest) vegan packaged snack options that are all portion-controlled and rich in fibre and/or protein!

1. Air Popped Pop Corn

Did you know popcorn is a whole grain? But we’re not talking about the kind you find at the movies that is buttered and salted!

One bag of Macro Air Popped Corn contains 35% of the 48g whole grain Daily Target Intake. Air-popped popcorn is a fantastic voluminous snack and if you have kids, it makes for the perfect addition to the school lunchbox too!

2. Dry Roasted Edamame

Soy beans are a complete protein, low in saturated fat, and high in fibre. One serve of Natures Protein Roasted Edamame has a whopping 23g of protein. Not to mention it’s delicious and a perfect snack for when you don’t have much time.

Soy is chock-full of benefits. It reduces the risk of certain cancers like prostate and breast cancer, lowers your risk of coronary heart disease, plus reduces hot flashes and osteoporosis in menopausal women.

3. Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes

A sweet treat, that’s also a Calorie conscious and a wholegrain? Sounds like a win to me!

These Table Of Plenty Mini Rice Snacks Dark Chocolate Cakes are a great option if you’re craving something sweet between meals.

4. Roasted Seaweed

Seaweed is relatively low in Calories and is high in fibre. It’s got a great savoury flavour and an awesome alternative to snacking on crisps. Not to mention the Ceres Organics Seaweed Nori has 100% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of Iodine.

If you’re looking for a different kind of savoury snack and you’re a fan of sushi or poke bowls, then this one is worth trying!

5. CLIF Builders Bar

I don’t recommend most vegan protein bars. They rarely have adequate protein (most are under 15g) to be considered a “protein bar”, more often than not the bulk of calories come from fats, or their taste isn’t up to scratch.

One exception is the CLIF Builders Bar. With 20g of soy protein, they’re one of the few vegan bars that contain a satisfactory amount of protein as well as being a complete protein. Plus they’re a decent source of iron with 4mg per serve.

The only caveat is that they are on the more processed side of the scale, so should be consumed as part of a balanced diet that hits your fruit, vegetable, and wholegrain needs.

6. Roasted Fava beans

Another delicious, crunchy legume snack! Fava beans (also known as broad beans) are a good source of iron, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium.

Compared to crisps, these Lightly Salted Fava Beans provide around 6 times the protein, with half the fat and sodium per serve!

7. Edgell Snack Time

The Edgell Snack Time is a range of flavoured snack sized legumes that don’t require draining or rinsing. They’re convenient, and come in a variety of flavours. Plus it’s a great way to get more legumes and fibre in your diet which is good for your gut.

If you have a Calorie-conscious goal, select one of their low-oil flavours like Chickpeas With Zesty Vinaigrette, Black Beans & Corn With Lime & Herbs, and Chick Peas With Lemon & Pepper.

8. Switch Nutrition Protein Snack Bars

It can be hard to find plant-based snacks that are equally delicious as they are nutritious.

This whole-food protein bar contains 18-20g of protein and is organic, gluten-free, loaded with prebiotic fibre, and made with natural ingredients, your taste buds and tummy will be thanking you for this one.