Six budget-friendly vegan snacks recipes

Discover how you can save money on healthy snacking with these quick and easy recipes recommended by our in-house dietitian

The market for vegan snacks has boomed and today there are so many commercial products available, from Fridge Raiders to Graze boxes, fancy nuts with posh seasonings to cereal bars with hundreds of flavours. But these products can often be pricey, and despite clever marketing, are often quite unhealthy, packed with added sugar and salt. The good news is we can easily create vegan snacks on a budget using just a few handy ingredients.  

1. Crunchy baked chickpeas

Chickpeas are a fabulous source of quality protein, so swapping a bag of seasoned nuts for some crunchy chickpeas makes a worthy saving, with a tin of chickpeas costing around 54p. The good news is that opting for this cheaper alternative doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice nutritional value, because just like nuts, chickpeas are also a great source of iron and zinc.  Check out this recipe from Sustainable Kitchen, featuring a savoury and sweet version of crunchy baked chickpeas to tickle your taste buds.

2. Butter bean hummus

Butter beans are a must-have in your kitchen cupboard, perfect for adding to any soup, stew or salad dish. They are so versatile and pair well with most sauces; whether that be a creamy butternut squash blend, or a spicy tomato dip, these butter bean beauties are sure to work a treat.  Check out this butter bean hummus recipe, which makes a more delicious and creamier alternative to a pricey shop-bought hummus.

3. Vegetable crisps

It’s difficult to walk down the snack aisle nowadays and not see a bag of root vegetable crisps, which usually sit with other hand-cooked goods with premium price tags. It’s astonishing to think that you can actually make your own from your household food waste. Check out this recipe to learn how to make your own vegetable crisps, using the scraps from family meals – reducing food waste and creating a free snack in the process. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 2 parsnips
• 4 bulbs of fresh beetroot
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 potato 
• 15 ml rapeseed oil

Method

1. When peeling your vegetables, save the skins in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’re feeding a family, one mealtime could create enough crisps; if not keep adding to this throughout the week. 
2. Once you have a full container, wash the skins in a colander, drain and place on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with a little rapeseed oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. 
3. Place in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 10 minutes until crisp (recipe works just as well in an air fryer).  
4. Once cooked transfer onto a paper towel or muslin cloth to absorb some of the oil, and leave to cool for 5 minutes before devouring.  

4. Lentil pancakes

Red split lentils are a must-have staple on a vegan diet: easily accessible, cheap, and recipe possibilities are endless.  Although red lentils don’t usually require soaking, this recipe puts a different spin on a savoury pancake, using soaked red lentils to make a pancake batter. These easy pancakes are a perfect high-protein, gluten-free snack, complete with a herby-licious dip. 

Serves 4 (makes eight 12 x 12 cm pancakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup/150 g red lentils (soaked in cold water overnight)
• 360 ml cold water
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (use 1 tsp dried ginger if preferred)
• 2 cloves of garlic (use 1 tsp garlic powder if preferred)
• 1 bunch of coriander
• 15 ml rapeseed oil
• 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves
• ½ cucumber
• 1 large pot of soya yoghurt

Method

1. To make the batter, rinse and drain the lentils, then add to the blender with 250 ml of the cold water, along with the ginger and garlic.
2. Once smooth, add the coriander leaves and the remaining 110 ml of water and blend again.
3. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium high heat, and brush the oil evenly to the edges of the pan. Using a ladleful at a time, carefully place the batter mixture into the pan, searing the pancakes each side for 4–5 minutes.
4. Chop the mint leaves, grate the cucumber and mix with the soya yoghurt. 
5. Serve the pancakes with the yoghurt dip and enjoy. 

5. Raspberry nice cream 

Are you a lover of ice cream who wishes that your favourite treat could be a little bit healthier? Well, look no further. This nice cream is an alternative that provides a creamy texture and is very refreshing – perfect for those summer days that will soon be upon us! One serving contributes one to two portions of your five-a-day and can be eaten as a snack or dessert. It can be made in less than 15 minutes (excluding freezing time) and makes use of ingredients that you may already have on hand.

Serves 2

Ingredients 

• 1 cup/2 handfuls of frozen raspberries
• 2 frozen bananas (chopped into slices) *
• Approx. 2 tbsp soya milk

Method

1. Add the frozen bananas and the frozen raspberries into the blender/food processor and add the milk gradually until you get a smooth ice cream-like consistency.
2. Serve and enjoy!

*Please note that this recipe works best with bananas that have been frozen for 1 to 2 days.

6. No-bake peanut butter cocoa balls

This recipe is perfect for the peanut butter lovers amongst us! Peanut butter is packed with plant protein and healthy fats. With ingredients that aren’t usually too costly and many of us may already have in our pantry, these peanut butter balls can be made in less than 15 minutes, perfect for satisfying those hunger pangs you may have in the middle of the day.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 3 tbsp oats
• 2 tsp dark cocoa powder
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Method

1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients together until combined.
2. Separate into 6 equal amounts and roll into small balls.
3. Place on a plate and chill until ready to eat!

For more budget-friendly and nutritious recipes, check out our campaign recipe hub and follow #LiveVeganforLess on socials.