Healthy Snacks Straight from Your Pantry!

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As part of trying to stay home and be safe, we are making fewer trips to the grocery store and may be finding less of a variety of foods than we are used to seeing when we get there.  This can feel overwhelming as we are also preparing more meals at home—including snacks—both for ourselves and for children who would normally be at school during the day.  Here are some grocery shopping tips for making healthy snacks from your pantry a breeze, and some snack ideas to keep you satisfied until your next trip to the store!

Shopping tips:

  • Check the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator to see what you already have
  • Make a list of the items you need
  • Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables: fresh, frozen, and canned
  • Use fresh food first, then use frozen and canned foods next

The pantry/refrigerator/freezer items below are foods that are still regularly available in supermarkets and grocery stores. Again, buying a mix of fresh, frozen, and canned will allow you to still have a mix of healthy foods for snacks until you are able to go to the store again.


Pantry Items
Proteins
Grains
Fruits/Vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seed butters
Canned chickpeas
Whole grain crackers
Whole grain cereal
Popcorn kernels/microwave popcorn
Pretzels
Baked tortilla chips
Rice cakes
Dried fruit
Applesauce
Canned fruit (no sugar added)
Jarred salsa
Bananas
Cherry or Grape tomatoes


Keeps Well in the Refrigerator/Freezer
Proteins/Dairy
Fruit
Vegetables
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Cheese sticks
Apples
Pears (refrigerate once ripe)
Oranges
Grapefruit
Grapes
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Frozen spinach
Frozen edamame

Let’s make some snacks!

Make some snacks with these foods from your pantry:

  • Cottage cheese and frozen spinach
    Dilly Spinach Dip.  Serve with raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or cherry/grape tomatoes; whole wheat crackers, or pretzels.


  • Yogurt, fresh/frozen/canned fruit, whole grain cereal, nuts
    Yogurt Parfait. Feel free to change this recipe a bit by using your favorite fruit, cereal, and nuts.

  • Dried fruit, nuts/seeds, whole grain cereal, popcorn, pretzels
    Trail Mix.  Mix one cup of whole grain cereal and one cup of popcorn or pretzels with ¼ cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, cut dried apricots) and ¼ cup nuts or seeds.

  • Popcorn kernels
    Homemade Popcorn.  Use in Trail Mix (above)

  • Fresh/dried/canned fruit, cheese, and crackers
    Make a cheese plate! Serve cut up fresh fruit or dried fruit with string cheese and whole grain crackers.

  • Fruit and nut or seed butter
    Serve fresh cut apples, pears, or bananas with a tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter.

  • Jarred salsa
    Serve with baked tortilla chips or fresh cut vegetables.



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