Fast paced lifestyles have left less room for proper wholesome meals during the day, but it is gravely essential to acquire basic nutrients to stay healthy. Therefore, healthy knick knacks that help curb hunger temporarily while being healthy and nutritious are the safest bet. Dinner time differs considerably in duration after lunch, making it unhealthy to skip a pre dinner snack. Most often than not, we find ourselves picking up unhealthy food items like a bag of chips or biscuits or even drinks with high sugar content.
Here is a list of 10 pre dinner snack items that are not only healthy but also require minimum effort and time.
1. Cottage cheese and apples
Apple pieces are sliced horizontally and layers of cottage cheese is put over them. You can choose from Granny Smith’s or Fuji as per your liking. Even if you don’t have apples in the house you can use cinnamon spiced apple rings and enjoy this tasty yet healthy treat right before dinner.
2. Tortilla chips with fresh mango and tomato salsa
This starter or appetizer is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants. It is crunchy and low fat for the calorie conscious, too. Homemade corn or flour tortilla chips can be eaten with freshly prepared salsa for a flavorful Mexican experience.
3. Parmesan pita crisps
Homemade pita bread, which is a flat bread, is perfect as a pre-dinner treat. Throw in some Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs onto the bread and broil it so the cheese melts and a crispy, wholesome snack is here to rescue you from pre-dinner hunger pangs.
4. One-minute antipasto salad
As the same suggests, it literally is a one-minute snack. All you need to do is take skim milk string cheese and wrap around it some prosciutto or a very thin slice of ham and add a couple of peppers and olives for added flavor. Voila, flavorful treat with oodles of calcium.
5. Crudites with three dips
Raw vegetables are the healthiest food options and crudites with three dips is a great add on to the list of your starters on the dinner table. Add pesto yogurt dip, fresh herb dip and Italian style tomato dip with a variety of raw veggies and don’t be surprised if it ends up becoming a favorite for dinner time. It is especially great for cheeses and yogurt are good sources of calcium.
6. Edamame
One of the simplest go top re-dinner snacks is this vegetable having high value of soy protein. Froenz shelled soy beans only need to be thawed by turning them under hot water and a pinch of salt and lemon to it makes for a great snack rich in fiber and protein.
7. Cheese melt
Help yourself to small servings of cheese melt when dinner seems to be taking a lot of time and food seems to be all that you can think of right now. Take some thin, cocktail sized, whole grain rye bread and spread some spicy mustard, cheddar cheese and leave to broil till it melts. To top it off add some tomato and caraway seeds as garnish.
8. Artichoke dip with crackers
Artichoke shares the same texture as that of the Guacamole dip and serves as a great appetizer right ahead of dinner when served with whole grain crackers. If you like, the dip is also a great vegetable dip or can even be mixed with mashed potatoes as a side dish for a garlicky twist on the dinner table.
9. Sundried tomato and basil crostini
Rich in Mediterranean flavor, sundried tomato and basil crostini is bliss served faster than you can say the word Mediterranean. Small pieces of crostini are decorated with sundried tomatoes that are marinated with Italian herbs and are ready to eat.
10. Pistachios and pineapple
Craving something sweet before dinner? Dig in a small plate full of nutrients with pineapple and pistachios. Put small servings onto a plate and curb the taste buds.