10 Easy Healthy Snacks for Runners

I am a grazer. I often have several small meals or snacks throughout the day versus three large meals. I am very picky about the snacks I do choose and want them to be filling, wholesome, healthy, and contain real food.

These are some of my favorite snacks that are easy to make and will fill you up without causing a sugar-crash like many pre-packaged snacks.

1. Nuts

I primarily eat walnuts and almonds. I buy a big bag of walnuts from Costco, put them in a jar on our counter, and freeze the rest. I prefer unsalted, dry roasted almonds over raw almonds, but that’s only because I am a big fan of crunchy foods. Sometimes I have one over the other and other times I mix the two together with a ratio of 2 almonds to 1 walnut. Both contain healthy fats and a decent amount of protein.

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[Source]

2. Greek Yogurt

I don’t eat a lot of meat, so I need to find other sources of protein, and Greek yogurt is a great source of protein. I try to avoid the ones which have high amounts of sugar in them or added cornstarch. Often I will eat plain yogurt with honey and try to use less than 1 tablespoon, which has 17 grams of sugar, drizzled on top.

I really like Fage yogurt, and the flavored varieties are really good with an authentic fruit flavor.

3. Green Smoothies

I absolutely cannot go a day without a green smoothie. I love how easy it is to get at least a couple servings of vegetables in each drink. Don’t be scared by the ingredients, the orange juice covers up the flavor of the greens.

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[Green Balance Juice]

 

4. Pumped-up Muffins

I’m a sucker for carbs, so anyway I can sneak some veggies or extra protein in them, I’m game.

Check out these two recipes: Protein Banana Muffins or Spinach Banana Muffins

5. Homemade Trail Mix

To be honest I love the store-bought trail mixes but they can get pricey and be full of added chocolate pieces or added preservatives. It is really easy to combine 2-3 types of nuts + dried cranberries and/or raisins + Cheerios (or other type of cereal) for a wholesome snack. Be aware trail mixes can be calorie-dense, so be cautious of your serving size.

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6. Cottage cheese with fruit

Sweet and salty plus a healthy dose of protein. Add your own fruit instead of buying the pre-mixed containers at the store, plus it is cheaper to make your own. Mandarin oranges are also a great option.

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7. Homemade granola bars

I swear these are super easy and they taste so much better than the dry granola bars you buy in the store.

Trail Mix Granola Bars

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8. Corn tortilla with low-fat mozzarella cheese

A really simple snack for less than 150 calories. I sprinkle low-fat mozzarella cheese on a corn tortilla, heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds and enjoy. My sister got me hooked on this snack, and I’ve been enjoying it since.

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9. Hard boiled Eggs

Once again an easy way to add some additional protein to my diet. I will often make some hard-boiled eggs on the weekends and have them throughout the week. (Don’t let them sit in the fridge for more than about 3 days though otherwise they get rubbery.)

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10. Avocado

I love mashing a perfectly ripe avocado with a squeeze of lime, plus a dash of salt and pepper. Spread that on a piece of toast and you have an amazing, super healthy snack in less than five minutes.

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Question

What is your favorite healthy quick snack?

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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11 Comments

  1. 3.1.14

    Most of those are on my list, and I eat them often. I love homemade granola bars, I try to always have them around. I eat 2 or 3 every day… 🙂

  2. 3.1.14
    Sarah said:

    i’m a fan of most of those too–except cottage cheese. i also love sliced apples and pb!

  3. 3.1.14

    I’m the opposite from you. I like three big meals rather than snacks. They feel more satisfying to me. When I do snack, I try to go for fruit and cheese, almonds (I like the roasted and salted kind from Blue Diamond), or some chai tea mixed with chocolate almond milk.

  4. 3.1.14
    Tina@GottaRunNow said:

    I eat the snacks on your list often, but the corn tortilla with low-fat mozzarella cheese is new to me. I’ll try it!

  5. 3.2.14

    I love an apple with some almond butter. But I’ve been wanting some new snack options so this was a good reminder to mix in some new things!

  6. 3.2.14

    I’m not a big snacker, but a lot of the time I’ll split my breakfast into two meals: I have a big bowl of oats for breakfast, and then finish off the pot after my workout. I also like snacking on handfuls of nuts and bananas with peanut butter.

  7. 3.3.14
    Krissie J said:

    I need to start snacking more now that I am heading into longer runs for my training plan. I’m definitely bookmarking some of these recipes! Healthy smoothies are my favorite right now, especially around late morning! 🙂

  8. 3.10.14
    Morgan said:

    I also love adding feta cheese and sliced cherry tomoatoes to the smashed avocado on toast…… its a super yummy and easy lunch alongside a small salad.

  9. 3.16.14
    Stacey said:

    Loved the corn tortilla snack idea! Must try it tomorrow.
    • Super easy – super yum snack for me is 4 simple ingredients:sliced avocado, drizzled with soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, cracked pepper. Amazing.
    • My other go to: bite size fresh mozzarella, either fresh or sun dried tomatoes in oil (not tasty to mix the two), optional to add avocado, add a bit of soy sauce and olive oil and gently mix. Fabulous over seasoned couscous, rice, toasted baguette slices, or just by the spoonful.
    • Last staple snack is homemade Barefoot Contessa’s humus with carrots and sugar snap peas! Oh. My. Word.

    • 3.18.14
      Michelle said:

      Oh wow! Those sound amazing. I will definitely have to try them! Thanks for sharing.