Inside Scoop: Check out these 10 grain free snack swaps that you can totally buy on Amazon.
We’re not really ones to say that we eat a certain way, because we really do just try to listen to our bodies and fuel them with healthy foods, of course, with wiggle room to enjoy life. But that doesn’t mean we don’t follow some dietary principals that meet our own individual needs.
For example, if you have digestive issues, or leaky gut, the removal, or reduction of grains in your diet for a temporary period may be beneficial for the first stage of gut healing. Many people who also suffer from IBS have some kind of a gluten sensitivity and see improvement when they remove gluten or grains from their diet.
This is why you see so many people taking more of a Paleolithic eating approach, and while we’re not necessarily one to conform to labels or promote a certain type of diet, if you have digestive issues that result in stomach pain, bloat, cramps, gas or IBS, you may find solace in taking a break from gluten or grains for a temporary period of time.
But, remember that everyone is unique and different, and while some people may need to remove grains entirely, others may find relief with simply soaking or sprouting their grains or legumes before consumption. Either way, it’s not always easy making these small changes.
Going through life without a crunchy cracker or a slice of bread can be a really hard thing, but, lucky for you, we like to hunt for the best of the best healthy brands that live up to our nutritional standards, and since we’ve been eating gluten and grain free snacks for awhile, we wanted to showcase our favourite grain free snack swaps for when you get those carb cravings kicking in.
So, whether you’re debating grain reduction, or you’re already on a Paleo diet but eat chips and raw nuts every day because you’re at a loss of what to actually eat (and dreaming of all the bread, bagels, cookies and baked good….mmmm) here’s our Top 10 Grain Free Snack Swaps that you can totally buy on Amazon.
OUR TOP 10+ FAVOURITE GRAIN FREE SNACK SWAPS FOUND ON AMAZON
SWAP GRANOLA FOR THESE ‘WHOLEME GRAIN FREE CLUSTERS’
Oats are a tough one to cut out, and you might not need to! Oats are incredibly high in protein and fibre and wonderful for your getting your poop on. But, if oats make you feel bloated or you have digestive upset after consuming them, you might want to take a little break.
But… granola!! It’s so delicious. Yes, granola is awesome, but nuts/ seeds and coconut make great granola replacement. Here’s an awesome healthy ‘Grain-Free Clusters’ brand that makes cutting out granola and oats much easier.
REGULAR BEEF JERKY FOR THESE ‘SOGO SNACKS’ BEEF STICKS
(No GMO, grass-fed, no artificial flavours, no sugar, nitrate & MSG free)
We don’t really have beef jerky on a regular basis, or hardly at all for that matter, but sometimes when you’re travelling or on the road, something incredibly high in protein is nice to keep you feeling full and give you some fuel. Conventional jerky and beef sticks contain so many additives, msg, nitrates and sugar that it’s hard to distinguish what you’re actually biting into. These ‘Sogo Snacks’ beef sticks are the perfect grain free snack alternative when you’re travelling, hiking, biking or exercising.
SWAP QUINOA/ WHEAT OR RICE CRACKERS FOR THESE ‘PALEO THIN CRACKERS’
Crackers and hummus has been one of the hardest snacks to cut out over here! Love a good crunch as an afternoon snack, and veggies and hummus can sometimes be a bit boring, especially after having a large salad for lunch. These ‘Paleo Thin Crackers’ are the perfect grain free snack alternative to grain containing crackers (and most of them do).
SWAP WHOLE GRAIN/ SPROUTED OR GLUTEN-FREE WRAPS FOR THESE ‘PALEO WRAPS’
Another hard one to give up is something to wrap your food in! We love a good Boston Bibb lettuce leaf, or nori wrap, but these delicious ‘Paleo Wraps’ provide a little more sustenance and give the feeling you’re actually eating a real wrap!
Most conventional protein bars are loaded with artificial sweeteners and/or have high amounts of sugar. They’re like a glorified chocolate bar, and while they are a great grab for a quick gym snack, we think these pumpkin seeds are WAY better! Skuta also has a Chili Maple Jango flavour that is naturally sweetened and taste way better than a conventional protein bar.
SWAP REGULAR PRETZELS WITH THESE GRAIN-FREE PRETZELS
These first ever grain-free pretzels are not only free of most allergens including gluten, corn, egg, soy and dairy, but they are also free of all the nasty ingredients including corn starches, syrups and artificial flavours and sweeteners. They are sweetened with a touch of honey and as a bonus are also non-GMO and contain plant-based ingredients including cassava flour and chickpeas. They’re the perfect crunchy and delicious snack when those salty cravings kick in.
SWAP REGULAR CHIPS FOR THESE ‘BARNANA PLANTAIN CHIPS’
Regular chips are usually loaded with highly processed vegetable oils, and if they are flavoured, they will contain sugar, artificial flavours among other ingredients that don’t do you any favours. These ‘Barnana Plaintain Chips’ are a pretty awesome grain free snack substitution for regular chips if you ask us. These ones are cooked in coconut oil (which is a stable oil to cook with at high heat), contain natural flavours and have a very simple ingredient list.
SWAP CONVENTIONAL LOAF OF BREAD FOR THIS ‘BASE CULTURE’ PALEO BREAD
Again with the bread substitutions. But, of course!
When you minimize your grain or gluten consumption, bread is something you are inevitably going to miss! You don’t have to give up a slice of bread with PB & Banana, or a quick veggie sandwich for lunch with this delicious and nutritious ‘Base Culture’ paleo bread.
SWAP REGULAR CORN NACHO CHIPS WITH ‘SIETE GRAIN-FREE TORTILLA CHIPS’
Sometimes nachos are in order! Also, a simple cup of nacho chips with guacamole and salsa is an incredibly delicious snack to have, so these ‘Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips’ are the perfect grain free snack substitution for your nacho fix.
SWAP BANANA BREAD RECIPES FOR THIS ‘SIMPLE MILLS’ PRE-MADE HEALTHY BANANA MUFFIN & BREAD MIX
OR THIS CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX OR PANCAKE & WAFFLE MIX
Forget about all the grain free snack swaps, let’s get baking with these ‘Simple Mills’ pre-packaged baking mixtures. A fresh loaf of banana bread? The perfect waffle or a chocolate cake? All… grain-free? We will take one of each please!
Even if you eat gluten or grains on a regular basis and have absolutely no issue with them, it doesn’t mean that you can’t switch it up with some of these delicious brands. Most of them contain simple, healthy ingredients and put focus into their nutrition label. So grain-free, gluten-free or just looking for some neat snack ideas, this grain free snack swap list has got it going on.
We also like to remind people that being healthy doesn’t mean cooking from scratch 100% all the time. We live busy lives, and sometimes that means buying processed and pre-packaged food, that’s totally okay, we do it all the time. So, aside from this delicious and nutrition healthy swap snack list, we have put together an amazing Nutritionist Approved Healthy Brands list, which you can download here:
*This post contains affiliate links, and most are connected to amazon.com website not amazon.ca. If you are Canadian and are looking for some Paleo swaps, feel free to email us hello@naughtynutrition.co so we can make some other amazing suggestions. We also only promote brands and products that align with our core values.
I have a question about the “snacks” . I have been doing LCHF I know these foods are grain free but what about the carbs? Since starting I have stopped eating grains & sugar and I have cravings again for bread, buns, bagels & nachoes so badly !!
Thanks for your question, it’s a very good one. It would also depend on how many grams of carbohydrates you are taking in per day, you would most likely have to look at each individual brand’s carb weight per portion size. For example, the Paleo Thin crackers have 7grams of carbs per 14 crackers, so that’s not too bad – they have 0g of sugar – they are made with nuts, seeds and cassava flour.
Also, are you on your first week of the LCHF diet? Do you have a system set in place to manage your macros? These cravings should eventually subside if you are balancing your macros properly, if they don’t subside possibly speak to the person who you are doing the LCHF diet through you may need to play around with the balance (ie. increase fat, increase carbs, etc.)