Healthy Movie Night Snacks That are Better Than Popcorn
Whether you’re out at the cinema or snuggled up at home, there are few things more comforting than watching a good film with something nice to nibble on. If you’re looking for healthy movie night snacks, you’re in the right place.
While popcorn can be great, if you want to switch things up, there are slimming-friendly sweet and savoury snacks aplenty on this list. From crunchy sharing bites, to chocolatey treats that’ll keep your sweet tooth happy, rustle up one or more of these recipes before you press play!
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Savoury movie night snacks
If your go-to cinema snack is a box brimming with salty popcorn, you’re probably more likely to pick savoury flavours over sweet. These savoury-inspired healthy movie night snacks will help keep you on track with your slimming journey, without feeling like you’re missing out.
If it’s the satisfying crunch of popcorn that you crave while you’re watching something on the big screen, try these Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip instead.
Crisp and golden, they’re a cracking snack whether you tuck in straight from the oven, or grab some you made earlier from the tupperware. With cheese and tomato baked into the puff pastry twists, they’re already loaded with pizza flavour – although the dipping sauce takes it to the next level!
A healthy movie snack that you can pair with crunchy, fresh vegetables or soft, toasted pitta bread, this Hummus-Style Dip is so simple to make. Ready in a matter of minutes, you only need to blitz your ingredients together until you have a buttery, smooth blend.
This mini food processor is perfect for the job – and it won’t take up loads of counter space in your kitchen!
A blank canvas that you can tweak to your liking, a pinch of chilli powder, a splash of hot sauce or a squeeze of lemon all work a treat with this recipe. Boost the flavour however you like, chop some veggies to dunk in, and the hardest decision will be what film to watch!
Talking about veggies that are best served with a dip, these Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Balls come out golden, and ready to be dunked in the creamy cheese sauce we’ve included.
The balls of mashed cauliflower and potato are coated in panko breadcrumbs that get oh-so-crispy and golden in the air fryer (or in the oven if you prefer!). Our easy-to-make cheese sauce comes together in no time at all, made with reduced-fat Cheddar cheese to keep the calories down, without compromising on flavour.
The only question is, will you pour on the sauce or take the crunchy cauli balls for a dip?
It’s not unusual to see hot dogs or nachos on the menu at the cinema, although they’re often not the healthiest options. If you don’t want to miss out on gooey cheesy goodness while you’re watching a film, stay home and make these Chilli Cheesy Nachos instead.
Instead of tortilla chips, we’ve baked golden potato wedges, before loading them up with rich, tomatoey chilli con carne and that all-important cheese topping.
A full portion can be served as a main meal, so this one’s perfect if you’re feeling hungry. Share with friends and family for a healthy movie night snack everyone can dig into!
If you prefer your snacks a little more bite-sized, you can’t go wrong with these Chicken Satay Skewers. High in protein and low in calories, they’re just the kind of nibble you need when you want to relax and stay on track at the same time.
To get the signature nutty flavour, without using full fat peanut butter, we’ve used some nifty peanut butter powder. You can order this online, if you can’t find it in the shops.
Set yourself up with a few skewers and make sure the pot of satay sauce is well within reach – the skewers are delicious on their own, but they’re even better when they’ve been for a dunk in the creamy peanut dip.
Sweet movie night snacks
If you agree that nothing pairs better than a good movie and something sweet to eat, you’ll love switching your sugary popcorn for one of our healthier options. For something that’ll give you the same satisfying crunch, our Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites are just the ticket.
Quick and easy to make in a big batch, you’ll only need a handful of ingredients to make 30 of them – so the only decision is whether to store a few away for the next movie night, or share them around until they’re all gobbled up.
You don’t even need to turn the oven on to make this recipe! Once the melted chocolate is all mixed into the Coco Pops, it only needs to be left in the fridge until it’s set (or pop it in the freezer for an hour if you really can’t wait!).
Do you ever treat yourself to a little tub of ice cream to enjoy at the cinema? For just 299 calories, you can tuck into this Ice Cream Sandwich at home instead. We’ve sandwiched a good slab of your favourite low-calorie ice cream between two layers of fluffy fatless sponge – and it tastes just as special as it looks.
It takes a bit of preparation to make this one, including clearing enough room in your freezer before you start. You’ll need space to fit a baking tray or a large plate inside!
When it comes to bite-size sweet treats that make brilliant healthy movie night snacks, look no further than our classic Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. Lovely and light at 107 calories per serving, they taste just like your favourite dessert.
The juicy strawberries are stuffed with sweetened cream cheese, before being sprinkled with a crumbly biscuit topping. To switch up the flavour, you can use any kind of biscuit you like – try a ginger nut or a chocolate bourbon (just be mindful of extra calories, if you’re counting!).
While we’re talking about biscuits, we can’t forget to mention these Double Choc Chip Cookies. Perfect if you like a cup of tea or coffee while you’re watching a film, these low-calorie cookies always go down a treat.
With cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the mix, there’s no shortage of indulgence – so you’ll be surprised to learn there are only 40 calories in each one. Our recipe will make 18, so there’ll be plenty of leftovers to pop in some tupperware long after the final scenes of the movie.
Crunchy and golden, our Churros recipe can be a little bit trickier, but practice makes perfect, and the results are always delicious! A great alternative to popcorn, they’re dusted with sweetener and cinnamon, making them so much lighter than deep-fried versions.
Trust us, when these are served straight from the oven they’re a sweet treat that’s hard to beat – especially if you add a drizzle of low-calorie chocolate syrup!
Which healthy movie night snacks will you be making?
Head on over to our Facebook group to let us know if you’re planning a movie night soon – we’d love to know if you choose any of these easy snack recipes instead of popcorn!
You can post photos of what you’ve been cooking recently, or just scroll through other people’s posts for inspiration. With almost 1 million members, the group is the place to be for all things Pinch of Nom!
Don’t forget there’s SWAG up for grabs when you share photos, hints and tips in our gallery too!
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