Snacks & Treats
Chef Frances Buckley, MSc
This article is intended to supplement our existing Meal Plan and Recipe Archive content, to help you make nutritious, gut healthy changes to your daily routine.
All ingredients listed can be found in your local Dunnes Stores - remember to check the Wholefoods section as well as the Free From!
Always check the Food List or our app when shopping.
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The concept of snacking goes back to ancient times when our ancestors would gather nuts, fruits, and seeds to sustain themselves between meals. In recent times there has been a growing emphasis on health and wellness, leading to demand for healthy snack offerings. Regardless of their nutrition content, snacks of 100g or more should not be eaten more than two or three times per day.
For Coeliacs snack products can often be a way of providing themselves with something to eat in the event of being some place where they cannot get gluten free food.
The world of snacks and treats is vast and varied, offering something for everyone. Be sure to have a mix of treats – variety is the spice of life, and keeps your gut happier than eating the same thing every day! Here are some popular types:
Sweet Treats
Chocolate: Chocolate comes in various forms, from dark, to milk, to white. It is often enhanced with nuts, fruits, and spices. Dark chocolate is a source of zinc and fibre in the coeliac diet, and is higher in iron than its milk and white alternatives, but be sure to buy chocolate which is listed in the CSI food list.
For a “no cook” chocolate snack, have 2 squares of dark chocolate and a handful of hazelnuts (or nuts of your choice).
Cookies and Biscuits: These come in countless flavours and textures, however gluten free versions often contain oats, so if you are a coeliac who cannot tolerate oats be sure to read the ingredients. If oats are fine for you, why not try to make a tray of flapjacks with less sugar than some of the bought ones?
Gluten free flapjacks
Prep time 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20/25 minutes.
Makes 20.
Ingredients
- 450g gluten free porridge oats
- 150g butter
- 150g soft brown sugar
- 150g agave syrup
- 50g chopped dried apricots
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°c. Grease and line an 20cm roasting tin.
- In a saucepan on low heat, melt the butter with the sugar, apricots, and syrup.
- Stir the oats into melted mixture.
- Spoon into the tin and press down well.
- Bake for 20/25 minutes.
- When cooked, cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing. Cut into 20 squares.
- Cool completely before eating. These will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Optional: For a little extra sweetness, melt some dark chocolate and drizzle onto the cooled flapjacks
Savoury Treats
Homemade potato crisps: Don’t waste potato peelings; wash them and dry in a clean tea towel. Then put them in a bowl with a tablespoon of light olive oil. Sprinkle on some Cajun spices and garlic granules and mix well. Cook these in the air fryer for 6/7 minutes for a tasty crispy snack, or in the oven until cooked through and crispy. You can add other flavours to your taste like curry spices, BBQ seasonings, etc.
Nuts and Seeds: A healthy option and a quick snack that can be paired with low fat yogurt and some fruit.
Crackers: These versatile snacks can be enjoyed plain or paired with cheese, dips, or spreads. Crackers with cheese or hummus is a tasty way to add protein into a snack. If you want to use a dip but would like to avoid crackers, try celery or carrot sticks with low fat cream cheese or hummus.
Red pepper hummus (without tahini)
Prep time 5 minutes.
Makes 6 portions.
Ingredients
- 400g tinned chickpeas in water, drained (keep the liquid)
- 60g jarred roasted red peppers
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ tsp of cumin
- ½ tsp of smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Small handful of fresh coriander (chopped)
Method
- Blend ingredients, except the coriander and the seasoning. When smooth, add some seasoning, taste, and then add more if needed. If it is too thick, add some of the liquid from chickpeas.
- Mix in the chopped coriander and serve.
Healthy Fruit and Vegetable Snacks
Yogurt and Smoothies: Whether you choose dairy or plant-based options, both refreshing and nutritious. They can be tailored to your taste by adding the fruits you like, and why not freeze some in ice pop moulds to have as treats when the weather gets warmer?
Tip: If freezing in a mould, try blitzing or dicing your fruit to give it a smoother texture and more even distribution.
Protein Balls
Convenient and filling, they are perfect for on-the-go snacking.
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Makes 16.
- 220g dates with stones removed
- 50g peanut butter
- 50g dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 6g chia seeds
- 6g dried cranberries
- 60g gluten free oats
Method
- In a food processor, blitz the dates until a paste forms. Add the oats, chocolate, chia seeds, and peanut butter, and then pulse until combined.
- Roll into 16 balls. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- These will keep fresh in an air-tight container a week, or can be kept frozen for long term storage.
Popcorn: A snack that can be enjoyed plain, or if you make it at home, try adding some Engevita nutritional yeast. This adds an almost cheesy flavour, while also adding protein, B12 and fibre.
Snacking is not just about satisfying hunger, it also needs to be planned and interesting.
Quick and Easy Snack Ideas
Creating snacks at home allows control over ingredients. Some popular DIY snack ideas include:
Nutty apple rings: Core an apple and cut into chunky rings. Spread each ring with a small amount of peanut butter for a delicious and quick snack.
Apples, with the skin on, contain soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. They also have a phytochemical which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The peanut butter is a nutritious and tasty source of protein.
Fruit and nut trail mix: Combine dried fruits, such as cranberries, with diced apricot, nuts, shaved coconut, and assorted seeds.
This creates a nutrient dense, protein packed snack that will keep you going throughout the day. It’s easily transportable, making it particularly useful for travel, or when doing outdoor exercise such as hiking.
Mashed Bananas: Bananas are known for their potassium and magnesium, but bananas are also rich in many other nutrients. They are also both filling and energizing. Mash them with some milled seeds for a quick and satisfying snack.
Snacks and treats are an integral part of our daily plan, but remember to try your best to plan them in advance. We all need an extra little bite during the day sometimes, so make sure you can reach for something healthy, nutritious, and filling.
Whether you prefer sweet or savoury bites, if they are not planned you could find yourself snacking on something you are trying to avoid, or something that won’t keep you feeling full until your next meal, which can lead to guilty feelings or being hard on yourself.
