Discover our favourite nutritious snacks to fit into a healthy, balanced diet. They’re the perfect addition to our summer 2021 Healthy Diet Plan, which is packed with recipes to help you eat well all season – and beyond. Sign up to receive a seven-day menu of delicious recipes that deliver an optimum balance of nutrients each day, plus a handy shopping list so you can buy everything you need in one supermarket trip.
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What are the benefits of the Healthy Diet Plan?
All our Healthy Diet Plans are:
- Packed with whole, nourishing ingredients
- Nutritionally balanced
- Calorie-counted to no more than 1,500 kcals per day
- Designed to provide five of your five-a-day or more
- Full of healthy fats, lean proteins and slow-release carbohydrates
- Easy to follow while minimising waste
Find out more about our latest Healthy Diet Plan.
How many calories should I eat each day?
The calories you need on a daily basis vary depending on your age, height, weight, sex and activity levels. There are numerous calculators you can use online to determine your optimum calorie intake but we’ve based our daily menu plans on no more than 1,500 calories. For the average female who is moderately active, this should generate a shortfall, allowing for steady and controlled weight loss. If you find that you need more energy or are happy with your weight, you can supplement the daily menu plans with our suggested healthy snacks.
Suggested snacks
Try eating leftover fruit and veg to minimise waste and save money. Nuts and seeds are also good choices, while homemade kale crisps, nut butters and veg dips will satisfy cravings. Get a sweet fix with Greek yogurt topped with unprocessed honey, dried fruit and desiccated coconut, or try raw cacao if you can’t manage without chocolate.
Our snack & sweet treat recipes
Vanilla & cinnamon rice
Fancy a change from porridge? This healthy rice-based vanilla and cinnamon dish is topped with apricots and walnuts, and will fill you up for the afternoon.
Rosemary, garlic & chilli popcorn
Spice up popcorn with rosemary, chilli and garlic for a quick and easy snack. It’s healthy, vegan and gluten-free.
Chocolate chia pudding
Make a tasty, healthy chocolate pudding in just five minutes. It’s low-calorie and vegan, too, and the chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Aubergine & chickpea bites
Combine chickpeas and aubergine with garlic and cumin for these tasty, healthy vegan canapés. Everyone will love them served with our harissa yogurt.
Pitta pockets
A no-cook quick and simple snack that’s ideal for an energy-boosting refuel when doing exercise or playing sport.
Dukkah-crusted squash wedges
Coat chunky wedges of squash in a crispy, spicy coating of hazelnuts, coriander seeds, sesame seeds and cumin and oven bake until tender.
Cinnamon cashew spread with apple slices
This quick vegan snack needs only five ingredients and is a great way to combine one of your five-a-day with some healthy, satisfying fats.
Avocado with tamari & ginger dressing
Add a splash of flavour to creamy avocado with a ginger, tamari and lemon dressing for a luscious savoury snack.
Spicy roast chickpeas
This moreish vegan nibble is flavoured with smoked paprika, cumin and coriander. It’s healthy and gluten-free, too.
Instant berry banana slush
This low-fat iced treat is bursting with flavour. Sling all your ingredients into a blender and blitz for a refreshing snack in minutes.
Oaty hazelnut cookies
We’ve swapped refined sugar for apple and maple syrup in these healthier cookies, which come out soft and slightly chewy.
Baked almond, banana & blueberry cheesecake
Our clever cheesecake combines ricotta and yogurt for a creamy, rich texture that’s still lower in fat. It’s sweetened naturally with fruits and maple syrup for a more wholesome treat.
Curried turkey lettuce wraps
Use up leftover cooked chicken or turkey in this tasty snack, combining all the flavours of coronation chicken with the crisp crunch of lettuce leaves.
Berry yogurt pots
A portion of fruit with seeds or nuts and bio yogurt makes an easy yet filling morning or afternoon snack. It’s ready in under five minutes and it’s low-calorie, gluten-free and provides one of your five-a-day.
Almond, raisin & popcorn trail mix
Keep this in an airtight container and grab a handful when you’re peckish. This snack takes less than 10 minutes to make and it’s low in calories, providing you stick to the recommended portion size.
Avocado & strawberry ices
Creamy avocado, full of healthy fat, replaces the dairy in these little frozen pots, while balsamic vinegar really brings out the flavour of the strawberries. It takes just five minutes to prep and pop in the freezer, and it’s vegan, low-calorie and gluten-free – plus it provides vitamin C and one of your five-a-day.
Date & walnut cinnamon bites
Discover tasty little mouthfuls that also work as an after-dinner treat if you have friends round. With just three ingredients, this vegan and gluten-free snack is an easy way to eat one of your five-a-day.
Iced grapes with cheddar cubes & celery
Iced grapes are a bit like eating little fruit lollies and, just like on a cheeseboard, the flavour combines really well with strong cheese and celery. We love that this simple snack idea is low-calorie, gluten-free and counts as one of your five-a-day.
Fresh orange lollies
Use whole orange, rather than just the juice, along with fresh pear in our lollies – and if you don’t mind a bit of texture, you can leave the skins on the pears. These are low-fat, low-calorie, gluten-free and rich in vitamin C. They also provide one of your five-a-day.
Basil & olive eggs
Eggs are a great, protein-rich base to make a filling snack. We’ve stuffed them with basil and Kalamata olives to add a flavour hit to this low-calorie, vegetarian snack.
Melon with mint & feta
Combine the flavours of watermelon, feta and mint in a refreshing summer snack. This is also a great low-calorie starter if you have friends round.
Cucumber, apple & spinach juice
Try this refreshing, vibrant green juice at any time of day, packed full of natural ingredients including cucumber, celery and lime. Enjoy it neat or dilute it with coconut water if you prefer.
Dark chocolate walnut butter cups
Keep these bite-sized dairy-free nut butter cups in the freezer. Made with medjool dates, they’re perfect when you crave a sweet treat but want something lighter.
Cinnamon-stewed apple
Combine apples, raisins and cinnamon to make this quick, light and comforting dessert. Serve with yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup, if you like.
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How should I prepare for the Healthy Diet Plan?
If this is a new way of eating for you, we suggest you begin by introducing some of the recipes a day or two before starting the full seven days. This will allow your digestive system time to adapt to the more fibre-rich foods we’ve included. It’s worth also starting to reduce your caffeine and sugar intake in the week leading up to the diet plan, as well as refined foods such as white bread, pasta and rice. Doing so will reduce your risk of experiencing side effects, such as headaches and fatigue, in the early stages of the plan.
What can I drink on the Healthy Diet Plan?
Herbal teas and filtered water are your best options. If you can’t kick the caffeine, one daily cup of coffee, black or green tea isn’t the end of the world. Avoid decaffeinated versions, as most are processed with chemicals. We suggest you steer clear of alcohol for seven days, too.
Please email any questions about the recipes to goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help.
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All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. Any healthy diet plan featured by BBC Good Food is provided as a suggestion of a general balanced diet and should not be relied upon to meet specific dietary requirements. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
