Easy Snacks That Take 5 Minutes (or Less) to Make

October 28, 2022 (updated May 11, 2023) — Written by

Sick of rifling through your fridge to find SOMETHING quick and healthy to eat? Out of easy snack ideas? I got you—because I know we’ve all been there, these are my go-tos when I feel like there’s nothing in my fridge.

A woman looks off to the side while drinking a Vejo blended drink.

This post is partially sponsored by Vejo, a portable blender company that uses organic, freeze-dried ingredients that are picked at their peak of ripeness to create on-the-go, nutrient dense smoothies. As always, TNK only works with brands who we trust are making the world a better place.

By: Lisa Fennessy

IN THIS POST:

We’ve all been there. It’s 1pm, there’s “nothing to eat” (read: everything would take too long to make) and I have two options: drive to Flower Child, order a double GF mac and cheese with a side of salmon and crush it, OR find something to eat at home bc everyone at Flower Child knows my name by now and I don’t know if I have it in me to go 7 days a week like this anymore. I mean, 6 days a week is respectable but 7 is just…embarrassing. 

I know you feel the same and I’ve got your back. Here’s some easy snack (and full meal) ideas I can whip up in a sec…even when I feel like I don’t have anything in my fridge. 


Easy snacks I reach for when I don’t know what to eat

A woman pours a Vejo blended drink into a glass.

Vejo blends

I’ve already raved about this portable blender, but it’s truly a GAME CHANGER. This is a blender and pod system that you can use at home or on the go. It’s great for travel, shift work, freelancers, busy moms or just basically anyone who wants to maximize their nutrition consumption. 

How it works is you add 12 oz of water to the blender, top with Vejo blend pod, press start and in 30 seconds *voilà!* you have myself a nutritious, organic green (or red or orange…) drink. 

The pods come pre-made and they consist of freeze-dried organic fruits and veggies. THAT’S IT. There is literally no compromise here…no, “It’s good, but…” NO! It’s 100% fantastic and Nicolle and I are both hooked. These flavors are my top picks considering taste and ingredients: 

Logging in at about 100 calories each, these blends are not a meal on their own, but add some string cheese and some nuts and you’ve got yourself a hearty snack. Or, add to one of the other meals I reach for below and you’ve got a full meal.

Put it this way, with Vejo on hand, you always have an organic snack in the bag. Like, ALWAYS! 


Cottage cheese + mix-ins

Maybe I’m the last person to know this, but did you know if you order your groceries online, you can duplicate your order the next time you go back in? 🤯 So the good news is I just earned back 90 minutes of my life every week meal planning and filling my online cart. The bad news is we eat the same five meals for dinner every week, lol. (Sorry guys!) 

Anyway, in my weekly order is always a tub of cottage cheese. Why is cottage cheese so good? Probably because it’s filling, satisfying, tasty, a complete protein and…it’s cheese. I mean how much better can it get, lol?!

So to balance out all the cheese, I love adding all the veg and taste via whatever I have in the fridge. Here are a couple of my favorite combos: 

  • Cucumber, herbs, walnuts with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. 
  • Tomatoes, olives and pumpkin seeds with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Cooked beets, sesame seeds and bee pollen with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

But the fun doesn’t stop there, I mean you could explore nut butters, krout, pumpkin puree…giving you permission to go crazy here. There are no rules! 


An egg on anything

Fries. Toast. Broccoli. Leftover pesto noodles. An egg makes practically anything a full meal and it takes like 3 minutes to make. Can’t overstate how often I pull this trick. Plus I just love eggs. They are cheap, fast, easy and a complete protein. 

And even if I don’t have anything in the fridge to top with an egg, I hard boil two eggs, then chop them both up together in a bowl and top with salt, pepper and a little butter and it’s mmmmmmm. My dad used to make this for me as an afterschool snack when it was little and it still slaps. 

Oh, and if you haven’t tried this over-easy egg cooking hack yet, it’s a must! 


Canned fish

This sounds very 1970s, but trust me, I’m about to make canned fish sound like a gourmet meal. My go-to is the Wild Planet canned salmon. They have two. The Pink Salmon and the Wild Sockeye. The Wild Sockeye is better IMO as it’s skinless, boneless, richer in color and more tasty. The downside is, at almost $8 a can, it AIN’T CHEAP. One time I came home and my husband had opened up 3 cans to make a batch and I almost died, lol. But if you can grab it at Costco, it’s less. 

I love stretching a can by also adding a cup (or a can) of cooked chickpeas. It doubles the portion for pennies (especially if you buy dried chickpeas and cook your own). Then I add in ALL THE THINGS, i.e. mayo, salt, pepper and any combination of cucumber, pickles, olives, nuts, seeds, tomato, peppers, artichoke, carrot, raisins…hell, even a handful of crushed chips and ALL THE GREEN HERBS. This is so good straight or on a hardy gluten free cracker. I love the Trader Joe’s ones. 


What do you make when you feel like there is nothing in the fridge?

xo, lisa in cursive


TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

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