OK, confession: I’ve never actually done the Whole 30 diet. I could probably get my head around skipping out on dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, and added sugar (yes, that includes honey and maple syrup), but the idea of living without peanut butter terrifies me. Everyone has their limits. That being said, there are definitely ways to survive the Whole 30 diet as a college student, and I applaud those people brave enough to undertake it to improve their health.
Technically, the Whole 30 diet doesn’t encourage snacking, but hey, sometimes a girl gets hungry. If you’re one of those superstars, then these Whole 30-approved snacks from Whole Foods are guaranteed to make your day just a little bit better.
1. RX Bars
Ooh baby. The package says that there’s no BS in these bars, and it couldn’t be more right; the main ingredients are egg whites, nuts, and dates. Check out the blueberry bar, which packs an impressive 12 grams of protein.
#SpoonTip: If you don’t have enough time to make a trip to Whole Foods, you can always whip up some RX Bars at home.
2. Almond Butter
Peanut butter may be ruled out on the Whole 30 diet, but fortunately almond butter is A-OK. Fuel up for your run with a scoop of Justin’s Almond Butter. Bonus points if you dip a few slices of apple straight into the jar.
3. Salsa
Salsa is basically salad’s younger cousin; they’re both made of veg, but salsa is trendier. Buy a jar of Green Mountain Gringo salsa and enjoy it with some carrots. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can always make your own salsa.
4. Coconut Date Rolls
These little gems from Del Real are guaranteed to satisfy any craving for a sweet treat. With only three ingredients (coconut, dates, and tree nuts), the ingredient list won’t look like something out of your physics textbook. Leave the hard words for the library.
5. Olives
Olives are more polarizing than the infamous “gold or blue dress debate,” but if you’re one of those people that love ’em, then you’re in luck. Olives are a Whole 30-approved snack. Buy yourself a tub from Whole Foods for an easy afternoon nibble.
6. Turkey Cranberry Sage Strips
This snack strip by Epic Provisions is like Thanksgiving in snack-form. It’s packed with turkey, cranberries, and savory spices, which makes it the perfect post-gym snack. Whole 30 has even given Epic Provisions a public shout-out to let the company know that it’s, well, epic.
7. Cinnamon Apple Chips
Okay, okay, so technically speaking, any form of chip isn’t allowed on the Whole 30 diet either. This is because the creators of the diet are worried that you’ll fall back into the habit of eating an entire bag of chips while watching Netflix (we’ve all been here before). However, if you think you can control your cravings, then these cinnamon apple chips by Bare are otherwise a Whole 30-approved snack.
8. Baba Ghannouge
Baba Ghannouge may be a tongue-twister, but the ingredients are simple: eggplant, tahini, and lemon juice. It’s like hummus, minus the chickpeas. Haig’s sells a version of this smoky eggplant dip that you can pick up at most Whole Foods stores.
9. Lara Bar
This is the type of snack that makes me want to drive to the mountains at 5am and hike up to see the sunrise (OK, realistically more like 8am — a girl needs her sleep). I like the Apple Pie flavor best, but you could also opt for Carrot Cake or Gingerbread. Just make sure to double check that there are no peanuts.
10. Lightly Salted Coconut Chips
Once again, this is a bit of a “no-no” since chips aren’t allowed on the Whole 30 diet, but I love these coconut chips so much that they had to be included anyways. If you’re following the diet pretty loosely (@students that can’t give up tequila, this means you), then these coconut chips by Dang are still a Whole 30-approved snack.
11. Shrimp
If you’re a seafood lover, there’s no better Whole 30-approved snack to keep around than a package of pre-cooked shrimp. Sadly, most dipping sauces for shrimp are loaded with sugar, but you can always make your own sugarless cocktail sauce.
12. Coconut Chewy Banana Bites
You would never know just by looking at these coconut banana bites that they only contain two ingredients. The packaging makes it easy to throw these in your backpack and snack on them when you’re hungry in class.
13. Curry Cauliflower Soup
OK, so it might seem a bit strange to have soup as a snack, but honestly, why not? It’s exactly what I want to have on the weekend to refuel after a chilly winter run. Souperb’s curry cauliflower soup is the perfect way to warm up this January.
14. Cashews
When I was 11, I owned a ghastly pair of Lululemon leggings that had purple guitars up the sides and flared out at the bottom. Moral of the story: Sometimes simple is best. You can’t go wrong with a handful of cashews, especially if you buy the kind that’s roasted and salted.
15. Chia Squeeze
These addicting portable chia seed pouches by Mamma Chia are the perfect snack to have between classes. They’re naturally sweetened with fruit juice (which is Whole 30-approved), and there are six flavors to choose from. I’ll take one of each, please.
16. Guacamole
On those days when you can’t be bothered to make your own guac at home, Whole Foods will come to the rescue. Their signature guacamole contains avocado, pico de gallo, and salt. You can even upgrade your guac with fun extras like pomegranates or red onion.
17. Prosciutto
If you’re looking for a straight-up protein punch, then grabbing some prosciutto from Whole Foods is your best option. There are many ways to enjoy prosciutto, but wrapping it around melon is always a crowd-pleaser.
18. Chili Lime Pumpkin Seeds
You might think of seeds as toppings to throw on your smoothie bowl, but they also make a great snack to have in your car. Check out Harvest Roast’s chili lime pumpkin seeds for a zingy flavor that will leave you satisfied.
19. That’s It. Bar
It doesn’t get any easier than these paleo bars, which come in 16 flavors. The visual packaging makes it easy to understand what you’re eating (i.e. the pictured bar only contains apple and blueberries), and most of the bars are Whole 30-approved.
Whether you’re finishing your Whole 30 journey or you’re just starting it, remember that you rock. Seriously, I’m so in awe of you. Hang in there. Now that you’re armed with snacks, you can get through anything.