Are you looking for snacks to provide you energy on busy days, or want ideas for healthy bites to sustain your children through an energetic school day or after-school activities? If you’re looking for nourishing snacks that are small meals in themselves and are suitable for people with a chronic illness, you’re at the right place.

Here are four nutrition-rich snacks that are small meals by themselves:

Ezekiel toast
Ezekiel is a type of bread that is a highly nutritious choice for a snack. Toast the slices of bread with some butter, and add a few slices of hard-boiled eggs and some strips of avocado, cucumber, and tomato over it. You can also garnish it with crumbled ricotta cheese, freshly crushed black pepper powder, and finely chopped cilantro for flavor. Enjoy this filling and wholesome open sandwich as a light meal or a snack. This Ezekiel toast provides magnesium, potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin B, calcium, fiber, protein, folic acid, zinc, natural sugar, and a plethora of amino acids. A variety of whole grains and sprouting legumes multiply the nutritive value of the bread.

Sweet potato salad
This mouthwatering roasted sweet potato and butternut squash salad is a dish that will keep you asking for more. Also, it is one of the easy-to-make nutrition-rich snacks that are small meals by themselves. Dice the sweet potatoes and butternut squash evenly and arrange them on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil and sea salt and roast on high heat at about 400 degrees F. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and transfer them to a salad bowl. Add fresh arugula leaves, halved Roma tomatoes, red onion slices, and mustard greens. Break some goat’s cheese for garnish, squeeze a little lemon juice, add crushed black pepper and salt (if needed), and finish with a spoonful of extra-virgin olive oil. This delicious snack provides antioxidants and fiber for sustained energy.

Mixed vegetable soup
In a heavy-bottomed pan, add a tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Add three tablespoons of finely chopped garlic and onions and saute for a minute. Then, add 3 cups of finely cut green beans, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli florets and some sweet corn. Add salt to taste, ½ cup water, and ½ cup milk, and then cook for 15 minutes with a lid on. The soup is done when it thickens and the vegetables are cooked well. Grate a tablespoon or two of sharp cheddar cheese and add some freshly crushed black pepper for a wholesome, energy-boosting snack. This calorie-rich vegetable soup with cheddar cheese provides proteins, calcium, sodium, vitamins A, B, C, E, K, fiber, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Egg wrap
Break two eggs in a bowl, add salt, finely cut green chilies, tomatoes, and onions, and beat well. Pour the egg mixture onto a warm pan and drizzle some coconut oil around it. After one side is cooked, turn it over and place baby spinach leaves, grated carrots, thinly cut avocados, and crumbled feta cheese on one half. Fold into a wrap and enjoy with freshly squeezed orange juice. This vegetable omelet is rich in energy-giving calories and contains carbohydrates, fats, protein, fiber, and sodium.