Special Diets Mediterranean Diet 15 Gut-Healthy Snacks for the Mediterranean Diet By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 16, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss Snacks that align with the Mediterranean diet can help support many facets of your health: your brain, heart, digestive system and more. That’s just one of the reasons the eating pattern was ranked the best in the world by the U.S. News & World Report for six years in a row. These tasty snack recipes highlight foods like nuts, fruit, veggies and whole grains to help you reap the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Plus, they’re packed with delicious pre- and probiotic ingredients like bananas, beans and yogurt that offer microbiome-supporting fiber and bacteria to help protect your body against chronic disease and inflammation. Recipes like our Banana-Blueberry Muffins and Tahini-Yogurt Dip are flavorful, nutrient-packed bites that can help you feel your best. 01 of 15 Tiramisu-Inspired Energy Balls Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle These sweet energy balls draw flavor inspiration from the classic Italian dessert tiramisu. Instant espresso powder adds bitterness, while dates provide sweetness to create balanced flavor. A dusting of cocoa powder at the end mimics the dessert's iconic look. When rolling the balls, keep a small bowl of water nearby to keep your fingers moist—it'll make rolling much easier. And don't skip the chilling, as it helps the mixture stay together. View Recipe 02 of 15 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Shake This creamy high-protein shake will keep you satisfied for hours and tastes like a chocolate-peanut butter banana milkshake. You don't even need to add protein powder, thanks to the naturally occurring protein in the soymilk, Greek yogurt and peanut butter. View Recipe 03 of 15 Banana-Blueberry Muffins Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss These super-moist and tender muffins get a protein boost with the addition of cottage cheese and peanut butter. The banana, which adds natural sweetness, doesn't overpower the flavor of the blueberries. Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh. For a different twist, try raspberries or chopped apple. View Recipe 04 of 15 Easy Black Bean Dip This creamy bean dip is great for a party or picnic. Smoked paprika and ground chipotles add a robust, earthy flavor, but you can also use regular paprika and cayenne if you don't have the other spices on hand. View Recipe 05 of 15 High-Fiber Guacamole Snack Jar Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco A healthy, zesty snack is never far away when you stack red bell pepper strips, pepper Jack cheese and guacamole in a mason jar. Swap the pepper Jack with regular Jack or Cheddar cheese to cut the heat. To bulk up this snack, add pretzels, crackers or tortilla chips alongside. View Recipe 06 of 15 Tahini-Yogurt Dip Serve this creamy yogurt dip with baby carrots, sliced radishes or whole-wheat pita triangles. View Recipe 07 of 15 Cottage Cheese Snack Jar Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This creamy, crunchy snack packs 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in one small mason jar. Adding the chickpeas right before serving will keep them crunchy. If you want to store everything in one jar, opt for 1/4 cup rinsed canned chickpeas instead. View Recipe 08 of 15 Kale Chips Christine Ma Not a fan of kale? These crispy baked kale chips will convert you! For the best result, don't overcrowd the baking pans. View Recipe 09 of 15 Banana-Peanut Granola Bars These healthy, homemade granola bars are reminiscent of peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches. Be sure to look for dried banana, not banana chips. The chips are cooked in oil and, if not stored properly, can have an off taste. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. View Recipe 10 of 15 Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies Kefir is similar to yogurt, full of gut-friendly probiotics. But it has fewer carbs and a more drinkable consistency--perfect for smoothies. View Recipe 11 of 15 Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana Jelly is delicious, but nothing beats the natural sweetness of a nutritious banana. It's the perfect addition to creamy peanut butter and a crisp slice of fiber-rich toast. View Recipe 12 of 15 Coconut-Cashew Breakfast Bites Never skip breakfast again: keep these coconut and date breakfast bites in the fridge or freezer, and you'll always have a grab-and-go option for busy mornings. View Recipe 13 of 15 Peanut Butter and Apple-Cinnamon Topped Toast This peanut butter and apple-cinnamon topped toast is sure to satisfy for breakfast or a snack. View Recipe 14 of 15 Beet Chips Make perfectly crunchy veggie chips at home with this healthy recipe. Use a mandoline to slice the beets extra-thin for the optimum crunch! View Recipe 15 of 15 Almond Butter & Roasted Grape Toast Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh A slice of almond butter toast gets topped with roasted grapes for a sweet, nutty bite. This three-ingredient twist on a classic PB & J makes for a quick and tasty breakfast or snack. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit