5 Healthy, Easy Memorial Day Snack Ideas

Communities and families will soon gather on Memorial Day to honor and remember the brave men and women who fought for freedom and died while serving in the U.S. military. This day is commonly marked by parades, flags, flowers, and cookouts as we reunite with friends and family.

For many, Memorial Day weekend signifies the unofficial start of summer, making it the perfect occasion to try new, healthier recipes that your friends and family will enjoy.

Celebratory snacks are often less healthy. At most parties, you'll encounter foods rich in trans-fats, sodium, and added sugars, as well as high-calorie processed foods that lack substantial nutritional value.

While it’s perfectly fine to indulge occasionally, maintaining a healthy balance between nourishment and pleasure is essential. Sometimes, you can enjoy the best of both worlds in a single dish. That's the idea behind these delicious, healthy, easy-to-make Memorial Day weekend snacks. Try them and see for yourself!

1. Fruit Kebabs

The secret to irresistible fruit kebabs is using ripe, ready-to-eat fruit. There’s nothing enjoyable about biting into a tough chunk of melon! It's best to stick with seasonal fruits, but if they’re not available yet, you can buy your fruit ahead of time and let it ripen at room temperature. Check it daily for ripeness and refrigerate it once it’s ready. If you’re in a hurry, consider the fresh-cut options in your grocery store’s produce department, which are often prepared from peak ripeness fruits.

Visit the United States Department of Agriculture Seasonal Produce Guide to see what’s generally in season across the US, or explore this seasonal foods guide for information specific to your area.

What you’ll need:

• Chunks of your favorite fresh fruits
• Skewers
• Yogurt for dipping (optional)

For a fun twist at your Memorial Day party, arrange fruits in a rainbow of colors on each skewer, then fan them out on a platter for a vibrant display.

Eating a full spectrum of colors is extremely healthy due to the variety of carotenoid pigments in the produce. Each type of fruit offers a unique and beneficial mix of vitamins and nutrients. Additionally, colorful foods are particularly appealing as Memorial Day snacks for kids.

Colorful Fruits to Try:

• Red: raspberries and strawberries
• Orange: mandarin, tangerine, or cantaloupe
• Yellow: mango and pineapple
• Green: kiwi and green grapes or honeydew melon
• Purple: blueberries and purple grapes

Learn more about the benefits of consuming a colorful diet in the article What are Carotenoids?

2. Infused Water

Reserve some fruit from your kebabs for water infusions to hydrate your guests in a delightful and healthy manner. A striking dispenser filled with ice-cold water and colorful fruit will surely attract attention, including from children! It’s a fantastic alternative to sodas and prepackaged beverages, and infused water is refreshing to drink.

It’s advisable to start your infusions a day ahead so the flavors can meld into the water. You can enhance the taste by adding fresh herbs.

Mint complements cantaloupe, pineapples, or cucumber well. Thyme goes with strawberries and cucumbers. Basil is great with watermelon or strawberries. The possibilities for combinations are endless!

Here are a few more combinations to try:

• Mint with blueberry and pomegranate
• Mint with blackberry and lime
• Ginger with strawberry and lemon
• Ginger and cinnamon with pear

Discover more recipes and reasons to try water infusions in Water for the Win: Benefits of Water, Plus 5 Water Infusions to Try and Infused Water Benefits.

What you’ll need:

• Chunks of fresh fruit
• Fresh herbs (be careful not to cut herbs too small, to prevent accidental ingestion)
• Glass dispenser, infuser pitchers, or reusable water bottles
• Filtered water

If using a large dispenser for your infused water, set up a bowl with the same fruits used in the infusion near the dispenser so your guests can add extra color and nutrients to their glasses.

3. Cauliflower Poppers

Opt for a fresh approach by skipping deep-fried appetizers laden with salt or sugar. These cauliflower poppers offer the delicious taste and crispy texture of a baked treat and are incredibly simple to prepare. Serve them on a platter or skewers as Memorial Day BBQ snacks, or as a side dish.

Cauliflower is low in calories yet rich in nutrients, providing vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, magnesium, potassium, and more.¹ Enhance their nutrition and flavor by adding herbs and other natural flavorings. The original recipe for lemon curry cauliflower poppers is available, but we've also included more flavor options below.

What you’ll need:

• 1 head of organic cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of salt
• Your choice of flavorings from below

Original Lemon Curry²

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ medium lemon, zested
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Smoked Paprika

• 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Additional pinch of salt to taste, if needed

Simply Savory

• 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Additional pinch of salt to taste, if needed
• Sprinkle with parsley (after cooking)

Roasted Rosemary

• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• or ¾ teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary

Spicy Poppers

• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Special instructions for Spicy Poppers: Combine Sriracha, hot sauce, and lemon juice and save the mixture until after you bake the cauliflower, then toss to coat.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F
2. Mix together oil and flavorings in a large bowl (minus any salt or zest your flavoring recipe calls for, save those for step 4)
3. Add florets to the bowl and toss to coat
4. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and if your flavoring recipe above includes it, sprinkle on the zest
5. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, turning a couple of times during cooking for even baking
6. Alternate option: cook on your grill or stovetop at medium heat for 15-20 minutes
7. Optional: serve with skewers or toothpicks

4. Quinoa Meatballs

Satisfy those who enjoy meat and keep them healthy with a meatball recipe that incorporates nutritious ingredients like quinoa, paprika, and parsley. Adding quinoa reduces fat and calories without compromising flavor, and it provides protein, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, and some vitamin A.³

What you’ll need:

• 3 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons organic onion flakes
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean turkey
• 1 1/2 cups organic quinoa, cooked
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons organic parsley leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground cilantro
• 3/4 tablespoon organic ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl using your hands
3. Roll into balls and place in a greased baking pan
4. Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked
5. For enhanced flavor, serve your quinoa meatballs with mild BBQ sauce

5. Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos, Two Ways

If you're looking for a nutritious alternative to nachos made with traditional chips, try using sweet potatoes instead. You can prepare them Irish style, keeping the potatoes softer like home fries, or make them with baked sweet potato chips for a satisfying crunch.

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and contain significant amounts of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.⁴ Top them generously with fresh veggies, flavorful spices, and a bit of cheese for an appetizer that's sure to please the crowd!

Topping Ideas

• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded light pepper jack cheese
• 1 medium scallion, sliced
• 1 small jalapeno, sliced
• 1/2 medium tomato, diced small
• 1 teaspoon cilantro
• Sliced black olives, optional
• Black beans, optional
• Corn, optional
• Shredded lettuce, optional
• Guacamole, optional
• Greek yogurt or sour cream, for dipping
• Salsa, for dipping

What You’ll Need for Sweet Potato Chips

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Salt, to taste

How to Make Sweet Potato Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Cover two or three baking sheets (depending on their size) with parchment paper and set aside
3. Place sweet potato slices in a zip lock bag and add oil. Close the bag and shake well, ensuring all chips are coated with oil.
4. Place sweet potato chips in a single layer on the baking sheets and evenly sprinkle with paprika and sea salt, to taste
5. Bake one sheet at a time (about 10 minutes per baking sheet) until the edges of the chips curl up and turn golden brown
6. Let the chips cool down until they become slightly crispy
7. Layer your chips with toppings on a serving platter and serve with your choice of side dips

To prepare your sweet potato nachos Irish-style, follow our original recipe for Sweet Potato Nachos here!

Memorial Day Weekend Snack Recipes

As we gather to honor those who have fought for freedom and kick off the summer cookout season, taking a nutritional approach to Memorial Day snacks offers a head start on healthy summer habits. With these healthy Memorial Day snack recipes, you’ll provide flavorful, nutritious dishes that will keep your guests coming back for more, outshining typical Memorial Day snack food options in nutritional value.

If you’re planning a picnic, take these 4 Tips for a Healthy Picnic along with your Memorial Day picnic snacks. And be sure to share your own Memorial Day snacks and hacks in the comments below! 

Are you looking for ways to support optimal wellness every day? Explore BubbForest's A-Z Guide to Modern Wellness, which begins with  Amazing Alphabet Vitamins: The Six Vitamins You Need to Know.  Beauty, detox, exercise, heart health, probiotics, relaxation, eye health, sleep—discover easy, everyday tips for supporting your nutrition and overall health. 

About Lindsey Toth, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian, BubbForest Health

Lindsey is a nationally recognized registered dietitian and nutritionist with a soft spot for ice cream. She empowers people to take charge of their health by finding the balance between the pleasure and nourishment in food. 

Her philosophy is that you should take care of your body because it’s the only permanent home you have. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in nutrition and, ultimately, led her to BubbForest Health.

Sources

¹ Cauliflower. United States Department of Agriculture Nutritional Database. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/301801 (Accessed 05/18/2018)

² Lemon Curry Roasted Cauliflower. Mom Foodie. https://momfoodie.com/lemon-curry-roasted-cauliflower/ (Accessed 05/18/2018)

³ Quinoa, Cooked. United States Department of Agriculture Nutritional Database. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/20137 (Accessed 05/18/2018)

⁴ Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin. United States Department of Agriculture Nutritional Database. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/11508 (Accessed 05/18/2018)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.