Easy low-carb snacks: 20 quick, cheap & simple ideas

These 20 easy low-carb snacks for weight loss are quick, straightforward and affordable. We’ve included vegan, vegetarian and no-cook options, so there’s truly something for everyone.

You’ve planned a whole week of meals, done a major food shop and packed your kitchen with veggies, healthy fats and protein. It’s official; you’re ready to ditch processed carbs and embark on a new low-carb way of eating.

But wait. Snacks. What about low-carb snacks? Don’t panic. While a packet of crisps from your snack cupboard or a handful of sweets from the office stash won’t suit your new low-carb lifestyle, there are so many tasty and healthy low-carb snack ideas to try.

These easy low-carb snacks for weight loss will keep you feeling fuller for way longer than your average carb-loaded bag of crisps or granola bar. And if that’s not enough, low-carb snacks pack a much greater nutritional punch and prevent those dreaded hunger-inducing blood sugar crashes. Winner!

To snack... or not to snack?

We know you’re keen to start rustling up some easy low-carb snacks, but consider this first: do you actually need to snack?

A low-carb diet is more satiating than a diet high in refined and processed carbs. Eating fewer carbs (but more protein and fat) provides a longer, slower, steadier release of energy. This way of eating should fill you up so much that you no longer feel the need to snack between meals.

If you’re still feeling hungry between meals after a few days of low-carb life, try adding more protein and fat to your plate and make sure you’re eating until you’re comfortably full at meal-times. Try upping your water intake, too – hunger and thirst signals often get twisted!

And when you do reach for a snack, take a second to listen to your body and figure out if you’re genuinely hungry, or rather, snacking out of habit or boredom.

Easy low-carb snacks for weight loss

Of course, there are times when, for whatever reason, you need (or just want) to enjoy a snack. In that case, keep calm and snack on with these no-prep low-carb snacks for weight loss. We’ve split up our go-to low-carb snack ideas into a vegan and non-vegan section to show that there really is something for everyone!

Vegan low carb snacks

1. Nuts & seeds

Is there a more convenient low-carb snack than nuts or seeds? Packed with good fats, fibre and plant-based protein, they deserve a firm place on your low-carb radar.

While most nuts and seeds are fairly low in carbs, some are more so than others. Here are the best types to add to your easy low-carb snack stash!

Approx net carbs per 28g serving:

• Pine nuts: 1.1g
• Almonds: 1.1g
• Hazelnuts: 1.3g
• Brazils: 1.5g
• Macadamia: 1.7g
• Pecans: 2.5g
• Walnuts: 2.8g
• Sunflower seeds: 5g
• Pumpkin seeds: 4.2g

2. Nut butter

Nut butters are high in fat, moderate in protein and fairly low on the carb scale. Sounds like the perfect low-carb snack, right? In some ways, yes—but do be mindful of the nut butter you choose. Many are crammed with added sugar, which increases their carb content. Instead, opt for 100% nut butter with no added sugar, oil or sweetener.

You could just enjoy nut butter straight from the jar (we won’t judge)—or why not cut up some celery or cucumber sticks and get dipping?

Approx net carbs per 1 tablespoon:

• Almond butter: 1.4g
•  Peanut butter: 2.8g
•  Cashew butter: 4g

3. Olives

Olives are like marmite, but if you’re looking for quick low-carb snacks, you’d best learn to love them. Olives are a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, iron, copper and calcium; yet a serving of 5 olives add up to just 0.55g net carbs. 

Time to raid the olive aisle? We think so.

4. Avocado

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a fruit (yes, fruit!) better suited to a low-carb diet than the humble avo. Low in carbs, bursting with healthy fats and high in essential micronutrients, half an avo contains just 2g net carbs.

Just add salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon to half an avo for a quick and healthy low-carb snack!

5. Edamame

While most keto and low-carb dieters avoid legumes, edamame (a green soybean) is an exception. It’s relatively low in net carbs, but highly satiating due to its high protein content. 100g of edamame contains 5.3g net carbs, but packs in 14g+ of vegan protein.

Boil them up and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a bit of garlic or chilli powder for a quick but filling low-carb snack.

6. Pickles

Pickles are low in pretty much everything except sodium, which makes them a great low-carb snack in moderation. Half a cup of dill pickles provides around 1g net carbs.

Do check the label, as some brands are sweetened and therefore higher in carbs. Opt for unsweetened pickles, or even better, pickle some veggies yourself!

7. Baked tofu

For vegans following a low-carb diet, tofu is an incredible protein source. It’s practically carb-free, with a cup of unflavoured firm tofu yielding just 1g net carbs. Tofu is a vegan low-carb meal staple, but a few small cubes also make for a filling low-carb snack.

How to bake tofu: Remove all the excess liquid from the tofu. Cut into cubes and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and your choice of spices. Place the cubs on a baking tray in a single layer and bake at 180°C for around half an hour.

8. Veggie sticks

Slice up your favourite veggies into sticks, pop them in the fridge and say hello to a healthy low-carb snack on demand!  Pay attention to the vegetables you choose; some are much higher in carbs than others (root vegetables, we’re looking at you). These make for the best options:

Approx net carbs per 100g:

• Cucumber sticks: 2g
• Green pepper sticks: 3g
• Red pepper sticks: 4g
• Yellow pepper sticks: 5g

9. Soy or coconut yoghurt bowl

If you fancy a low-carb yoghurt snack as a vegan, your best choices are plain, unsweetened coconut or soy yoghurt. Per 100g serving, you’re looking at around 2.3g net carbs for coconut or 2.1g net carbs for soy.

 Top with a small sprinkling of nuts and seeds – or better still, a scoop of Purition Vegan – for a hunger-crunching low-carb snack.

10. Kale chips

Serial crisp snacker? Kale chips make a great low-carb snack alternative. 1 bunch of kale should yield you 3 small servings of kale chips at around 1.5g net carbs per serving. Packed with vitamin A, K and c plus manganese, calcium and potassium, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.

How to make kale chips: Cut your kale into small pieces, remove the stems and place into a mixing bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Add vinegar for a salt and vinegar style crisps, or a sprinkling of nutritional yeast for a cheesy vibe. Bake at 180°C for around 30 minutes, flipping the crisps half-way through. They burn easily, so keep an eye on them.

11. Purition Vegan

Keeping your net carbs low is easy with Purition Vegan – it’s the ideal meal or snack for a low-carb or keto lifestyle. Made with natural whole food ingredients like nuts and seeds, Purition Vegan is low in carbohydrates at 2-4g net carbs per 40g serving.

Per 40g serving, depending on the flavour:

• 2–4g net carbohydrate
• < 1g sugar
• 12g healthy fats from seeds and nuts
• 15g plant protein
  
• 5–8g fibre to aid and slow digestion
• Quick & easy to prepare

Use Purition as a quick low-carb breakfast or lunch and we’re almost certain you won’t feel the need to snack.

But if you do, a 20g serving with coconut yoghurt makes a protein-packed low-carb bite to tide you to your next meal!

Vegetarian low-carb snacks

12. Hard-boiled egg

Cheap, portable, tasty – you can’t go wrong with a classic hard-boiled egg for an easy low-carb snack! A single hard-boiled egg is packed with iron and vitamin B and D, as well as 6-7g protein but only 1g net carbs. 

Simply boil an egg, cut it in half, sprinkle with salt and pepper and tuck in.

13. Cheese

Everyone loves a bit of cheese; and thankfully, it happens to be fairly low on the carb front! In fact, cheese is an ideal food for keto or low-carb eaters, with the perfect ratio of high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate.

Approx net carbs per 30g serving:

Cheese is high in calories though, so it’s best enjoyed in moderation. For a snack, we’d recommend a slice around the size of your thumb.

• Brie: 0.1g
• Whole mozzarella: 0.7g 
• Gouda: 0.7g
• Hard goats cheese: 0.7g
• Cottage cheese: 1.1g
• Cheddar cheese: 1.1g
•  Hard goats cheese: 0.7g

14. Greek yoghurt bowl

Sometimes, you just fancy something rich and creamy—and greek yoghurt is perfect to satisfy that craving. It provides a good dose of protein and fat, whilst being relatively low in carbs at 3.8g net carbs per 100g serving. 

Top your yoghurt bowl with some pumpkin seeds and desiccated coconut for a creamy and quick low-carb snack!

15. Low-carb protein smoothie

If you’re looking to increase your protein intake on a low-carb diet, healthy smoothies should be your go-to low-carb snack. Plus, as you can make them with dairy or dairy-free milk/yoghurt, they’re totally vegetarian or vegan-friendly. 

To make a low-carb smoothie, you’ll need to stay away from high-sugar juices and fruits and focus on the addition of protein and fats.

16. Egg cups

Egg cups might require some prep and cooking work, but they make for a great grab-and-go low-carb snack. They keep in the fridge for a few days and are easily portable, so you can batch cook at the weekend and grab one whenever you need a quick high-protein boost.

How to make it: Whisk 6 large eggs with a glug of milk and 30g cheddar. Add optional cooked veggies or chopped bacon. Pour the mixture into the holes of a muffin tin (this recipe should fill around 8) and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Bake at 180°c for around 15 minutes.

17. Purition Original

Following a low-carb diet can feel restrictive at first, but Purition Original can help to take the stress out of your new way of eating. At only 2 – 4g net carbohydrate, a single glass provides 16g protein from triple-filtered whey and 12g of heart-healthy fats from nuts and seeds. 

Try it as a low-carb breakfast fix when you need to be out the door in a hurry, a low-carb snack (try 20g mixed with yoghurt) that’ll fill you up for hours or simply an everyday lunch to help keep your carb consumption in check.

Meaty low-carb snacks

18. Meat & cold cuts

Got some cold cuts of meat or leftover chicken or turkey from yesterday’s dinner? It might seem weird at first, but a slice or two of cold meat is a great low-carb snack.

Plus, the protein hit is sure to leave you feeling full! Cheap lunch meat like ham can be full of salt, nitrates and carcinogens, so choose carefully. If you can, stick to lean, organic, grass-fed meats whenever possible.

Approx net carbs per 2 slices:

• Prosciutto: 0.1g
•  Pastrami: 0.4g
• Ham: 0.2g

Approx net carbs per 50g:

• Turkey breast: 0.6g
•  Chicken breast: 1g

19. Roll-ups

Bored of plain old slices of cheese or ham? Try a low-carb roll-up—there are loads of variations, but here are some to get you started:

• Wrap a slice of meat around sliced celery, pepper, cucumber or another vegetable
• Wrap a large lettuce leaf around diced chicken or turkey
• Spread cream cheese over a slice of ham and roll it up
• Wrap a slice of ham around a pickle (you’ll either love it or hate it)

20. Can of tuna

Got nothing fresh in the fridge? No worries, just grab yourself a can of tuna and dig in! You might feel like eating tuna straight from the can is slightly odd, but it’s a healthy and affordable source of protein, essential fatty acids, selenium and vitamin D.

Even better, it’s 0g net carbs per can, making it one of the best low-carb snacks available.

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