On-the-go, gluten-free snacks: 5 ideas that are more than just carbs

With long, busy weekdays—for both me and my kids—I’m always looking for snacks to healthfully fuel the time between meals, but it can be hard to find ones that give us an even, lasting energy.

As much as we can all easily chow down on carbs, I know how much my kids need protein to keep them running after school when activities start.

So I couldn’t be more excited to start working with our sponsor, Fiorucci Foods, who came along at the perfect time. I’ve truly been on the hunt for more on-the-go snack options that are gluten-free—as in, not packed with simple carbs—and high in protein for that quality energy we need.

It turns out the Fiorucci Paninos, which are Italian cured meats wrapped around delicious cheeses, have become one of our new favorite snacks to add to lunch or to throw into my bag before picking up the kids.

Top: Fiorucci Paninos | No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Oat Bars at Fit Mitten Kitchen| Quinoa Pizza Bites at Live Well Bake Often | Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas | Blogging Over Thyme

But since variety is the spice of life (or at least the spice of on-the-go snacks for my hungry boys), I’ve put together some more ideas for gluten-free snacks that go beyond simple carbs, to help the whole family power through our busy weekdays.

Well, at least most weekdays.

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas | Blogging Over Thyme

Homemade Roasted Chickpea Snacks

Chickpeas are one of my favorite ingredients for boosting the protein of any quick dinner—whether I throw them into rice or add them to a stew—but it turns out that, done right, they also make a great gluten-free, high-protein snack food. And when I say done right, I mean roasted.

Roasted chickpeas are super easy to make—rinse, dry, toss with oil and seasoning, and bake. Plus, as you’ll see when you check out our recent roundup of roasted chickpea snack recipes, you can make them sweet or savory.

My boys can’t get enough of the Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas found at Blogging Over Thyme (pictured), but if your kids are more likely to try chickpeas if they’re made sweet, try the Crispy Cinnamon Garbanzo Beans recipe that we shared.

Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Bites

Like chickpeas, quinoa is another ingredient that easily and deliciously boosts the protein in my family’s meals, so I always have it on hand in the pantry. If you want to give it a shot, our guide on how to cook quinoa shows you how simple it is to make. Once you do, you can whip up these Quinoa Pizza Bites from Live Well Bake Often as a smart on-the-go snack.

Whether you use leftover quinoa from last night’s dinner or make a new batch just for these savory bites, they come together in a snap and serve up pizza flavor that kids love, all without any simple carbs or added sugar. Plus, pepperoni. Yum.

Gluten-Free Meat and Cheese Skewers

I’ve always been a big fan of finding ways to combine small portions of meat and cheese into one protein-packed bite and Fiorucci has been making it even easier for me with their Paninos. These ready-to-eat snacks feature authentic Italian cured meats hand rolled around cheeses like kid-friendly Mozzarella, or my favorites, Manchego and Pepperjack.

The best part is that they are totally satisfying without filling you up with simple carbs, and they’ve got nine grams of protein in a serving of just two Paninos; that’s even more than a hard boiled egg! They’re also soy free, so they’re a smart choice for all kinds of diets.

Skewer them with pieces of gluten-free toast to make sandwich kabobs (above) and you’ve got a great gluten-free lunchbox alternative to sandwiches.

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Special Offer:
Download the free coupon app Ibotta and get $0.75 off a pack of 5oz or 6oz Paninos,
or $0.25 off the new Two-Piece Panino while supplies last.

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oat Bars

These no-bake Peanut Butter Protein Oat Bars at Fit Mitten Kitchen have all the appeal of carb-laden snack bars, but are made with gluten-free oats. On top of that, they’re packed with seeds, protein powder, and nut (or seed) butter for protein, then sweetened with just a bit of honey. The chocolate drizzle on top will definitely give these bars major kid appeal, but if you’d rather keep the sugar down, you can skip it. Or, if you have messy eaters like I do and want something a little neater, stir in a small handful of mini chocolate chips instead.

Gluten-Free Muffins, Hold the Refined Sugar

Gluten-free muffins are always a popular grab-and-go snack for me, especially since I can make them ahead of time and freeze. The only challenge is that they are generally packed with simple carbs and refined sugar, which just causes me to crash soon after eating them. Still, I love muffins!

That’s why I’m really happy to find this recipe for Sweet Potato Banana Bite Muffins at The Lean Green Bean. The sweetness comes from mashed bananas and sweet potatoes, which are a good source of fiber and vitamins, and the recipe also includes nut butter (you can use seed butter too) for protein. You might even add a little smear of extra nut butter on the top when you eat them. So good.

Thank you to our sponsor Fiorucci Foods for making delicious gluten-free snacks, including ready-to-eat Fiorucci Paninos, that make feeding your family even easier when things are busy. To learn more, visit Fiorucci Foods on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Special Offer: Download the free coupon app Ibotta to get $0.75 off a pack of 5oz or 6oz Paninos, or $0.25 off the new Two-Piece Panino while supplies last.