How to snack as a vegan
I personally prefer to eat like a hamster. Little and often, with snacks up my sleeves for when I get a bit peckish. I know hamsters don’t have sleeves, but you know what I mean. So what do vegans snack on? How can we snack healthily, or enjoy some treats from time to time? Here are some ideas.
Fruit and Nuts
I know this is the obvious and boring one, but there’s no better way to get your nutrients and energy naturally. You can snack on pretty much any fruit you want, but the best fruit to take with you on the go are bananas, because they’re just so full of energy. Maybe invest in one of those bendy-plastic banana case thingies though. Nobody likes banana mush in the bottom of their bag.
Nuts-wise, you can snack on just about any nut you want. Peanuts (protein, B vitamins), almonds (vitamin E, calcium, copper, magnesium), cashews (protein, iron, copper, magnesium), walnuts (omega 3 essential fatty acid, protein, fibre, magnesium, phosphorus), brazils (antioxidant selenium, copper, phosphorus, manganese), macadamia (manganese, thiamine, monounsaturated fat), pecans (fibre, vitamin A, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, zinc), pistachios (vitamin B6, copper, magnesium), hazelnuts (fibre, copper, magnesium, thiamine, vitamin E) pine (monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B6) and the list goes on. You can pick up bags of mixed nuts pretty cheaply at most supermarkets. Or, if you’re feeling fancy (and rich), a lot of health food stores offer a kind of pic-n-mix for nuts. Kinda cool.
Seeds
Seeds are a good one if you’re a big fan of grazing. I personally like to eat all day long, so seeds are a good way to make sure you’re snacking healthily. Good examples of snack seeds: pumpkin seeds (iron, zinc, magnesium, protein, B vitamins), sunflower seeds (folate, vitamin E), hemp seeds (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), chia seeds (iron, folate, calcium, magnesium, soluble fibre, omega-3 fatty acids), sesame seeds (antioxidants, protein, zinc), and flax seeds (soluble fibre, lowers cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acids). You can also put seeds into smoothies, wraps and salads.
Chocolate and Sweets
We have to treat ourselves some time! Chocolate is a universal fave and there’s no reason why vegans can’t get a slice of the action. You will find that most dark chocolates are suitable for vegans, but ALWAYS CHECK THE INGREDIENTS. Fry’s Chocolate Cream bars are ‘accidentally’ vegan-friendly and come in peppermint, orange and plain flavours. You can also get specifically vegan-made chocolate bars which come in milk and white chocolate varieties. My favourite brands are Moo Free and Vego, although specifically vegan-made chocolate can be a little bit pricey. You can find these sort of things in health food stores like Holland & Barrett or online (Amazon, etc). The tesco free-from range suitable for those with dietary requirements and intolerances also stock vegan-friendly choc like chocolate buttons. I’m sure these sorts of things are available in other supermarkets too.
We are pretty blessed in the sweeties department. My personal favourite are Millions, the tiny chewy sweets. Vegan-friendly! They come in all sorts of flavours including: bubblegum, cola, strawberry, orange and so on. Parma Violets, Love Hearts, Skittles, Starburst, and Jelly Tots are also ‘accidentally’ vegan. A specifically vegan brand of sweets available is Goody Good Stuff who recreate childhood favourites such as cola bottles and gummy bears. You can sometimes find these in supermarkets, but online is your best bet.
Biscuits
This technically isn’t a biscuit, but I absolutely love Nakd bars. They are perfect for when you’re on-the-go. I usually eat one on the way to university when I have a super early lecture (I will eat a proper meal afterwards when I have the time). They are simply made from raw fruits and raw nuts being mashed up together. They have no added sugars, syrups and whatnot and are all 100% dairy, gluten and wheat free. Good news all round! They also count as 1 of your 5 a day. My favourite flavours are Cocoa Delight, Carrot Cake, and Bakewell tart. There are many other varieties too!
In the UK, Oreos are technically ‘accidentally’ suitable for vegans. We can also munch on Party Rings, a childhood favourite of mine. Unfortunately, Jammie Dodgers are NO LONGER VEGAN-FRIENDLY, although they used to be. Then they added milk. Milk and milk powder are the bane of a vegan’s life. WHY?! JUST WHY?! Most Bourbons are also suitable for vegans but, as always, check the label. I’ve seen milk in there the odd time. (WHY?!?!?!?). Lotus Biscoff biscuits are vegan-friendly and you can even find a spreadable version of this – delicious! You will be surprised by how many biscuits are accidentally vegan; it’s just about checking the label. The same goes for crisps, too.
So here are just a few of the many snacking options we vegans have. With checking labels and ingredients lists, you can find all sorts of snacks that would surprise you. However, it’s good to have a few ideas ready in mind that you already know are vegan so you can just grab something and go. We vegans don’t have all day to stand around reading labels, you know… we have eating to do!
Images in the article: Author’s personal
Rep image: http://www.keepitsweet.co.uk/retro-sweets/1980s-sweets/millions-bubblegu…