9. Tomatoes and Cottage Cheese
Yes, tomatoes are technically fruits in the eyes of botanists, but when it comes to nutrition and culinary uses, you can consider them a vegetable, according to the USDA. And that’s great news, because Paula Rubello, RDN, has a veggie snack recommendation using tomatoes that sounds so good: she serves up cherry tomatoes with cottage cheese and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
In addition to scoring you a serving of veggies, “it also provides a good amount of protein from the cottage cheese, which will help you feel satisfied,” Rubello says. “Plus, tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that has many health benefits.”
If you don’t love tomatoes (or don’t have any at the moment), you can try Rubello’s veggie snack idea by topping cottage cheese with any number of other vegetables, such as diced purple onion, cucumber, or even leftover cooked ones you have in your fridge.
10. Roasted Veggies
You may think of roasted veggies as a side dish or part of a main course, but roasted veggies are delicious on their own, and you can absolutely snack on them if it strikes your fancy. (If you’ve ever stolen 10 pieces of crispy roasted broccoli off the tray before serving it to everyone else at dinner, you know exactly what we’re talking about.)
Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions all make for great vegetable snacks, says registered dietitian-nutritionist Brittany Poulson. “The roasting process brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetables, making them a delicious and healthy option.”