20+ Snack Recipes for Insulin Resistance

If you deal with insulin resistance, the condition can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent or reverse insulin resistance, including regular exercise, adequate sleep and making adjustments to your diet. These snacks are a great option to incorporate into your day, as they’re lower in sodium, saturated fat, carbs and calories, which can support healthy blood sugar levels. Try options like our Blueberry Cobbler Energy Balls and Almond-Date Bars for a healthy bite to stave off hunger in between meals.

Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Sue Mitchell, Prop stylist: Skylar Myers,

These 3-ingredient sweet treats are a breeze to make—they take just 15 minutes. While cashews contribute a sweet and mild flavor, don’t hesitate to swap them out for an alternative like almonds or peanuts, or try adding dried cranberries or cherries for a delightfully tangy twist.

Blueberry Cobbler Energy Balls

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Dried blueberries, oats and pecans come together in these energy balls to give you a bite-size taste of blueberry cobbler. You can use almond butter for a nuttier taste or sunflower butter for something mellower to bind them together. They’re ready in just 30 minutes and can be stored in your fridge or freezer for a quick grab-and-go snack.

Almond-Date Bars

These no-bake snack bars are packed with nuts, dried fruit and rice cereal. For the best texture, use naturally sticky whole pitted dates. Make these bars ahead of time and pack them in a lunchbox for work or school.

Cottage Cheese Snack Jar

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

This creamy, crunchy snack packs 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in one small mason jar. Adding the crispy chickpeas right before serving will keep them crunchy. If you want to store everything in one jar, opt for 1/4 cup rinsed canned chickpeas instead.

Banana-Blueberry Protein Muffins

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss

These super-moist and tender muffins get a protein boost with the addition of cottage cheese and peanut butter. The banana, which adds natural sweetness, doesn’t overpower the flavor of the blueberries. For a different twist, try raspberries or chopped apples.

Lemon, Mint & White Bean Dip

EatingWell

Paired with veggies, crackers, pitas or pretzels, this quick, healthy dip made with cannellini beans is a great snack. If you don’t have cannellini beans, chickpeas are a good substitute.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Energy Balls

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Joshua Hoggle

Peanuts do double duty in this easy snack recipe: peanut butter makes a creamy center while chopped roasted peanuts add a welcome crunch to the exterior. We prefer to use natural peanut butter, which is a little oilier and looser, to help create the gooey center. Dates add a natural sweetness. Enjoy these bites for a morning or afternoon snack.

Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters

Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek

These bite-size dark chocolate almond clusters blend dark chocolate with nutty almonds for an easy snack. Stick to the three ingredients we list here, or add dried cherries or toasted coconut for a little variety.

3-Ingredient Crispy Potato Peel Chips

These potato peel chips are a cross between a french fry and a potato chip, and they’re the perfect snack to make when you have potatoes to peel! They can be enjoyed as-is or dressed up with seasoning. Simply toss them with seasoning immediately after removing them from the oven.

Tomato-Zucchini Salsa

EatingWell

This easy, veggie-packed dip makes a healthy snack. Capers add a nice brininess. Serve the salsa with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Cheddar-Apple Cracker Bites

This simple snack comes together in just 5 minutes. The sweetness of the Fuji apple balances well with the cheddar, but you can use another variety of apple if you prefer. This recipe calls for three thin apple slices per cracker, but feel free to use just one if you’re looking for a more cheesy bite.

Popcorn Cauliflower

In this vegetarian spin on popcorn chicken, caramelized cauliflower gets a crunchy, savory pretzel-pecan coating for a delicious family-friendly snack. Serve it straight from the oven with your favorite dipping sauce.

Air-Fried Cinnamon Apple Chips With Almond Yogurt Dip

Karen Rankin

On the hunt for a sweet treat? Try these cinnamon-laced apple chips. Apples deliver natural sweetness and a handsome amount of fiber, and the air fryer transforms them into something altogether more delicious, thanks to its signature move—adding fat-free crunch. Cutting almond butter with low-fat Greek yogurt adds protein to the dipping sauce, as well as extra creaminess.

Green Tomato Salsa

Photography: Caitlin bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This super-simple green tomato salsa has lots of savory tomato flavor and just a touch of heat from the jalapeño. Cumin adds a subtle complexity.

Spice-Roasted Chickpeas

Salima Benkhalti

These paprika- and cumin-coated roasted chickpeas are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They are great for snacking on.

Cranberry-Almond Energy Balls

Ali Redmond

These energy balls are the perfect make-ahead snack. Filled with cranberries, almonds, oats and dates, they come together in minutes. Maple syrup and tahini help bind everything together while adding a touch of sweetness and bitterness, respectively.

Super-Seed Snack Bars

Thanks to a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and chia seeds, these healthy snack bars are packed with protein, fiber, minerals and healthy fats. Because these bars travel well, they’re great for taking along on all-day adventures.

Seneca White Corn No-Bake Energy Balls

Nate Lemuel

Kaylena Bray shared this recipe, which was passed down to her by her parents, David and Wendy Bray. They’re both Seneca White Corn educators in New York State who share their knowledge at hands-on workshops hosted by universities, Native community centers and farms across the country. These no-bake energy balls get lots of staying power from a mix of oats and corn flour, peanut butter, coconut, dried fruit and mixed nuts. This recipe is part of our spotlight, There’s a Movement to Revitalize Indigenous Cuisines and Knowledge—Here’s Why That Matters.

Pea Pods with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ana Cadena

You won’t think twice about eating your veggies when they’re served alongside a delectable dipping sauce! Crisp-tender pea pods or sugar snap peas are the perfect vehicle for scooping up the honey-mustard-flavored mixture.

Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

Thinly sliced sweet potatoes fry to a crispy crunch in the air fryer. Using the air fryer means the chips have much less oil than fried chips, which cuts down on calories and fat.

Flourless Blender Zucchini Muffins

The batter for these healthy gluten-free zucchini muffins comes together in a flash in your blender. And these tasty treats are baked in a mini muffin tin, so they’re the perfect easy snack. The chocolate chips are an optional but excellent addition.

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