8 Amazing Homemade Snacks Better That Are Better Than Store-Bought

You really can’t go wrong with homemade snacks. They’re often healthier, tastier, and even cheaper in the long run.

Whether you’re an accomplished cook or just dabble in the kitchen, there are several delicious treats you can make at home instead of buying at them at the store. Here are a few popular options, along with tips on how to make each homemade treat taste their best. 

Tortilla Chips 

Yes, it’s easy to grab a bag of tortilla chips, but they can’t compare with fresh, homemade chips. All you need is corn tortillas and then whatever seasoning you like — most folks prefer to keep it simple with just a little salt.

To make, cut the tortillas into triangles (about six per tortilla). You can fry these in oil over the stovetop or, for a healthier snack, drizzle a little oil over them and heat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about six minutes on each side or until crispy. 

Popsicles 

One of the best investments you can make for summer is a good popsicle mold, like the Lebice Popsicle Molds Set ($16.99, Amazon). Then you’ll be able to make frozen treats all summer!

The popsicles pictured here are berry parfait yogurt pops from Well Plated. For these, she used Greek yogurt, berries, and honey. The great thing about popsicles is there’s really no right or wrong way to go. Experiment and invent your own recipe based on what you like to eat!

Sweet Potato Fries 

If you love french fries but need a healthier option, try these homemade sweet potato fries instead. You can get the recipe from May Simpkin Nutrition, but it’s a pretty easy one to wing it on your own.

All you need to do is slice up the potatoes into your preferred fry shape, toss in some oil, and sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. She used paprika, cayenne, and salt, but you can tweak to your taste. By baking in the oven or using an air fryer, you save a lot of calories compared to a restaurant or fast food. 

Trail Mix 

Trail mix can get expensive when you buy it at the store. Plus, you might not like all the ingredients. So choose what you like and make your own instead.

The Mindful Eating Dietician shared this recipe on Instagram that includes cashews, freeze-dried strawberries, almonds, and dark chocolate chips. She says she got all the ingredients from Aldi for an inexpensive, protein-rich snack.

Ice Cream 

Can you really make ice cream without a machine? You sure can! This chocolate ice cream recipe from The Baking Chronicles will tell you how, using just whipping cream, condensed milk, cocoa powder, and icing sugar.

Now you can whip up some ice cream anytime you want without having to take a trip to the store! 

Fruit Roll-Ups 

Make these for yourself or for the kid in your life. They taste so much better than the pre-made kind you’ll find at shops. Plus, you can feel good eating them, knowing you created them from real fruit.

The recipe from Be Healthy Stay Healthy uses frozen fruits, but if you can use any fruit fresh you like, too. You’ll need a blender to get the right consistency and then either a dehydrator or an oven to get that final texture. This is another one that you can really customize to your own taste. 

Granola Bars 

Sure, it’s easy to pick up a box of granola bars, but if you haven’t tried making your own, now is the time. They are so good and taste so much fresher than the ones out of the package you may never go back to store-bought.

Try our recipe for superfood pumpkin and quinoa chocolate bars, which are gluten-free and great for a healthy, on-the-go snack. It includes quinoa flour, peanuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. You can easily make adjustments to this recipe, or look for another one that looks good — there are hundreds of recipes out there to choose from. This could be just what you need to get an extra boost of energy to get through the day. 

Muffins and Biscuits 

Have you embraced the baking trend happening right now? It’s definitely a great time to broaden your baking skills and challenge yourself with something new — and you can find some great inspiration from Love and Olive Oil’s Instagram page. The blogger always includes recipes and tips for replicating her picture-perfect eats.

One of her best tips is to make the most of what you have. For instance, she had some leftover sourdough starter that she didn’t want to go to waste, so she made the muffins shown above. You can get the full recipe right here. 

The next time you’re at the grocery store buying your favorite snack or treat, think about whether you might be able to make it at home instead. It might take a little more time to figure out at first, but the taste will be worth it — and you’ll be proud that you did!