When hungry between meals, we all crave a little snack. However, most store-bought snack foods are filled with sugar, sodium, and bad fats. It is better to prepare your own healthy options at home and bring a few along . They might just help you out in a pinch. Here are a couple healthy options you can easily make or have on hand for those moments of hunger.

Cottage Cheese with Fruit

Keep a container of low-fat cottage cheese in your refrigerator so you can scoop out a portion whenever you want. Add fresh or canned fruit or vegetables to have a healthy snack filled with minerals, vitamins, and protein. Some of the best fruits to use for this snack include pineapple, strawberries, grapes, or peaches.

Popcorn with Parmesan Cheese

Buy an air popper to make popcorn in only a few minutes, anytime of the day or night. Instead of using salt and cooking oils on your popcorn snack, sprinkle it with delicious Parmesan cheese. This snack is high in fiber, and it also contains calcium that is vital for your bones or teeth.

Egg Burrito with Vegetables

Eggs are inexpensive and very quick to cook. When you want a fast snack, scramble an egg and add chopped vegetables such as tomatoes or bell pepper. Place the scrambled egg and vegetables on a warm flour tortilla. You can also sprinkle your favorite grated cheese on top of the egg and vegetables.

Chopped Vegetables and Homemade Dip

Keep an assortment of chopped vegetables in your refrigerator for a fast snack. Make a homemade dip with these ingredients:

• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Parsley flakes
• Dill weed
• Dried minced onion
• Salt

Mix these ingredients in a bowl so you have a delicious dip for your chopped vegetable snack. This is also a great option for bringing to a party or event.

Almond Butter with Apple Slices

Apple slices are an excellent snack, and you can add protein to this food. Keep a bag of shelled almonds in your pantry so you can make fresh almond butter with a food processor. With a few drops of olive oil and only a few minutes, you’ll create a great protein snack and spice up those boring apple slices. You can even buy it or peanut butter if you don’t have time to whip up your own.

Granola with Lemon

Use a slow cooker to make tasty and nutritious granola. Set the slow cooker at a high temperature and pour in these ingredients:

• Chia seeds
• Steel-cut oats
• Walnut pieces
• Cooking oil
• Molasses
• Honey

Cook this granola mixture for 90 minutes, making sure to stir it occasionally. Add extra virgin olive oil to the granola in the last 10 minutes to give it additional flavor. Pour servings of granola into plastic containers that have lids to keep in the freezer. You can heat these granola bowls in a microwave in a few minutes.

You can eat nutritious snacks as often as you want to throughout the day, but remember to count the calories as part of your daily intake to avoid gaining weight.