Movie nights are a great time to bond with friends and family. And there is no better way to bond than over our favorite comfort foods.
However, if not unchecked, a few hours of snacking can lead to bouts of indulgence.
Whether it’s a home or movie theater, watching a movie is often paired with the act of snacking.
And why not?
Everyone wants to have their favorite treats while watching a new film or tv show.
So we’ve put together a list of healthy, but indulgent snack ideas that you and yours will love. These skip out on the abundance of high fructose corn syrup, saturated fat and fake butter present in so many snack foods.
We’ve added options that should suit a good majority of palettes and dietary restrictions.
However, we wanted to give you the best of the best: Ooey gooey goodness to compare with old classics like buttery popcorn, Milk Duds, Raisinets, etc.
Got any favorites? Feel free to share in the comments.
Vegan Tortilla Chips & Dip
Image Source: She Likes Food
Vegan chips and dip are a no-fuss way to get your snack on.
This chip recipe combines the flavors of ranch with dill weed; an herb known for its cucumber-y taste. These are also gluten free.
For dipping, you can pair it with any of these vegan dip recipes; such as Spicy Vegan Artichoke Dip or Healthy Buffalo Chickpea Dip.
Who said healthy had to be bland?
Fried Chickpeas
Image Source: Inquiring Chef
Fried chickpeas are a great alternative to popcorn.
The best thing about them is they have that same almost-burnt taste depending on how long you cook them.
And they’re easy to make!
Simply toss the chickpeas in a spice mixture consisting of olive oil, smoked paprika and chili powder, curry and cumin, or some combination of all of these (or any favorite spices you think might complement them), and add them to a pan coated with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Cook them until they have browned lightly.
Some variations of this recipe add the spices as the final step, so we recommend that you experiment and learn what works best for you.
Vegan Energy Balls
Image Source: Loving It Vegan
This everything dessert will have you reaching for more.
Energy balls are no-bake densely packed snacks that are full of health.
According to nutritionists, they provide a good combination of protein, carbs and fats.
They come in several varieties, including those focused on carrot cake, peanut butter, chocolate (or dark chocolate if you prefer - it contains more cocoa than its relative and has the potential to improve blood pressure and cholesterol), trail mix, coconut, etc.
Vegan S’mores
Image Source: Catherine Lovering
While we usually think of s’mores as a campfire tradition, they also pair well with movie time too.
This is one particular recipe that you do not have to spend pre-planning, as you can buy the ingredients from your local specialty store.
However, if you want to try your hand at making them from scratch, try this recipe.
As it turns out, vegan graham crackers are particularly difficult to find because so many of them contain honey. Also, since marshmallows are typically made with gelatin, a byproduct of animal part, finding alternatives can be equally as hard.
But of course, you can choose to swap ingredients as you wish.
Maybe you want to try vegan marshmallows on regular or homemade graham crackers, or vise versa.
The choice is yours.
Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Image Source: Serious Eats
Craving takeout?
These sweet potato quesadillas will fix that.
They’re prepared in much the same way as a regular quesadilla. With the exception of the cheese, the familiar taste of cilantro, jalapenos (optional) and scallions are still there.
Pumpkin Pie Truffles
Image Source: Vegan Richa
These pumpkin pie truffles are a great replacement for Dunkin Donut minis.
The best thing is they’re no bake!
You simply cook pumpkin puree and maple syrup in a pan for a few minutes, and then form a ball combining this and the other ingredients until it looks similar to the image above.
Vegan Chocolate-Covered Digestive Biscuit
Image Source: Serious Eats
You can keep the temptation for those Keebler elves cookies at bay with this healthy alternative.
The vegan chocolate in this recipe comes in many varieties; none of which include the addition of milk.
Kale Chips
This is one option you can just grab off of the shelf and have out of the bag. No prep required.
Of course, you can also make it from scratch.
Here are a few of the best kale chip brands.
Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Image Source: Nora Cooks
Of course, there is nothing better than the taste of nacho cheese. Every bite is filled with cheesy goodness.
This alternative uses nutritional yeast, but amps up flavor with a spice profile that includes smoked paprika (which tastes like bacon), chili powder, onion powder and the optional Sriracha.
Crispy Parmesan Garlic Edamame
Image Source: Homemade Hooplah
The last snack on our list are these baked tasty parmesan and garlic-flavored edamame.
Turning these legumes into tasty little bites is an easy way to continue to stay dedicated to your health goals.
Give this simple recipe a try.
There are also several brands on the market, such as Sensible Foods’ Roasted Edamame.
Movie nights are a great time to be with loved ones. However, it can also aid in unintentional slips from our normal dietary habits if we’re not careful. The best thing we can do to avoid this is to pre-plan our meals in advance.
Because we all get cravings, it’s not bad to give in once in a while, but in the healthiest way possible.
Making sweets from scratch that are packed full of nutritional benefits can help you juggle your sweet tooth with health.
Drizzle all of the chocolate and dip as many times as you want (Just no double dipping, please).
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