In an effort to be healthier and save money I make my own snacks sometimes. Kale chips are a favorite, just wash, dry add some oil, salt and some chilli flakes and put in the oven. I make a huge batch and then put them in a plastic container to snack on. I also make pasta salad, just pasta, mayonnaise, black pepper, sweetcorn, peppers and a little olive oil. Alternatively add some salad dressing or tomato puree. It's a nice quick snack and healthier if you use wholewheat pasta. I do make big batches to make it worthwhile and I feel I have been healthy!
Kale chips... that could be something interesting to try. I usually make my own snacks just because I don't like to eat traditional snacks because of the sugar and crap they put in alot of it. I like to make my own trail mix with a variety of nuts, raisins, and seeds. That's what I usually eat for a snack. If not that then some fruit.
I alaways prefer to make my own snacks. It is really healthy and you feel light and energetic after eating homemade foods. I mix anything and everything to make a dish that is edible. I have never been a great cook, but I manage to suffice my tummy with my cooking. Also, cooking at home is very cheap and you feel very proud about all the things that you are able to prepare. The best dish that I could make till now is fruit salad, which my entire family loved.
Junk food can be a big MONEY waster. High prices, low quality. It's not an accident that they call 'em "junk foods." The alternative to corporate frankenfoods is not "no snacks" and "no fun". You can make your own snacks for pennies on the dollar compared to the corporation price. But wait, there's more! Not only do the snacks cost less MONEY, they taste better and are more nutritious.
I love kale chips. Making them is easy and they're much better for you than regular potato chips. I like making trail mix and granola for snacks at home. It's an activity I don't mind doing and it saves some money. I also like choosing what's in it and knowing what ingredients are actually in there.
I usually just buy it, honestly, since it's not that expensive anyway, but I do sometimes feel like I'm being too unhealthy and would cut back on buying mass produced items that tend to have lots of oil or chemicals. Whenever I do, I just make my own buttered corn and I use the nonfat variety of butter and I don't use much of it. Lightly pan fried baby carrots are also a favorite of mine and I sometimes even dip them in honey for added sweetness.
I honestly should make more of my own snacks. I have found some recipes that seems easy enough but I either never have all the recipes on hand or I never have the time. I heard that it is a LOT cheaper to make your own trail mix or to make your own chips (with kale, potato chips, sweet potato, whatever). I'm definitely on the lookout for more recipes though so if there are any that you guys really like please feel free to share
I think its absolutely worth it to make snacks at home compared to buying them pre-made at the store. I love making hummus at home. It's pretty simple, you use chick peas, toasted sesame seeds, a little olive oil and garlic. You can also add other spice if you like, but I usually keep it pretty plain. Buying hummus at the store can get very expensive. Other then the sesames seeds all the ingredients to make it at home are very inexpensive. I also make homemade granola and granola bars. I think that making them homemade they taste so much fresher then store bought ones!
Apart from home-made snacks being healthier and way tastier than store bought ones - although I don't have much of a comparison for the latter as I haven't tried many - as I've always made my own - due to the fact that I'm - not out of choice but for health reasons - restricted to eating only totally natural foods - they are not only relatively easy and great fun to make - but generally very, very inexpensive too That said - although I don't make them that often - as snacking is not something we do that much of in my house - when I do make them - apart from hummus and tzatziki which I always have a plentiful supply of as its something we eat regularly both as a snack and as part of a meal - some of the most popular are Dried fruits Various types of sweet and savory cookies and crackers. Roasted chickpeas with either a spicy or sweet coating Olive oil potato chips Chocolate dipped fruits and nuts and a selection of Crispy potato skin fries in a wide range of flavors The latter of which - are not only a totally delicious snack that resembles a cross between a french fry and a potato chip - but also one that costs virtually nothing to make - as its made with the leftover potato peels that would usually be discarded after peeling potatoes.
A friend of mine likes to fry her own tortilla chips, which is kind of fun. You don't really need a huge pan of oil, just about less than an inch in a wide pan, you can fry a few small batches one at a time, and keep them warm on a baking sheet lined with paper towel in the oven. Our local grocery stores sell large bags of uncooked corn tortillas for only $1.99, which can make quite a lot of chips. When you consider bagged tortilla chips can run you over $3 a bag, it saves some money too. I like to make my own salsa as well, with canned crushed tomatoes, fresh cilantro, fresh red onion, fresh jalapeno, and fresh lime juice, along with some sea salt. I just rough chop everything and throw it in a blender. Depending on how smooth or chunky you like it will determine how long to blend it for. It's best if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours first before eating it, to allow the flavors to blend together. Roasted peppers are another favorite. Lately I've been popping them in my small toaster oven, which works perfectly for broiling them quickly. Then I just peel them, and toss with some fresh garlic and oil, salt and pepper. They're great in sandwiches.
I don't know how to cook, so making my own snacks isn't something that I usually do, unless it's really simple to do. I usually just buy cheap burgers or bread in the bakery if I want a snack.
