Our Smart Guide to Healthy Snacks, Including Some of Our Favorite Combinations for Easy Bites

To stay satiated between meals, all you need to do is follow our simple formula: Pair a fruit or vegetable with a protein, then add a dash of exciting flavor. The cleverly calibrated nibbles here are far greater than the sum of their parts, and they most certainly beat a handful of pretzels any afternoon of the week. Here's one brilliant example: Hard-boiled eggs are nature's protein bar, says registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner. Top each half with a mini dollop of pesto, and you've invited antioxidants and healthy fats to the 4 p.m. party.

Winning Snack Combinations

Ready to enhance your snack game? Here are some of our current favorite pairings, all pictured above, guaranteed to inspire your own healthy snack choices.

• Dates + Brazil Nuts + Aged Balsamic
• Celery + Almond Butter + Cumin + Cayenne Pepper + Flaky Sea Salt + Cranberries
• Pear Slices + Labneh + Olive Oil + Everything-Bagel Seasoning Mix
• Green Beans + Hazelnut Dukkah + Lemon Wedges
• Hummus + Chili Crisp + Cucumber Wedges
• Hard-Boiled Eggs + Pesto

Chip Switch: Try Jicama

If you love chips and dip for a snack, try this smart swap instead. A crisp, sweet root vegetable with hints of Asian pear, jicama is loaded with prebiotic fiber, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut—and makes it a healthy option to satisfy crunchy cravings. Top thin slices with one of our riffs on dukkah, a Middle Eastern and Egyptian mix of warm spices, crushed nuts, and seeds that's been around for centuries.

Spice It Up

Another smart snack idea? Add some spice. Here are just two of the infinite ways to dukkah it out. Our Hazelnut Dukkah makes a great garnish for green beans, but you can also use it to coat fish, chicken, or meat before cooking, or dip bread in it after a dunk in olive oil as an appetizer.

Pepita Dukkah

This allergy friendly version swaps out nuts for pepitas; finish with a squeeze of lime for some zesty cool-ranch kick: place 2 tablespoons salted roasted pepitas in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add 3/4 teaspoon chili powder and sprinkle the mixture over the "chips."

Art Direction by James Maikowski; Food Styling by Laura Rege; Prop Styling by Tanya Graff