Whether you follow a strict sugar-free diet, are going on a no added sugar detox, or simply want to eat less sugar, finding healthy snacks can be difficult. Especially when you don’t eat dairy. Many sugar-free recipes, products, and ideas feature cheese, butter, and other dairy heavy foods. Which is why I’ve put together this inspirational little guide to dairy-free low sugar snacks. It includes quick bites, easy recipes, suggested foods, product recommendations, and everyday tips.
Dairy-Free Low Sugar Snacks: Easy Ideas, Recipes, and Products
Did you know that lactose is a type of sugar? It’s a complex sugar made up of two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. So by cutting out dairy, you’re already eliminated some of the sugars in your diet. Here are several dairy-free snack ideas to help you cut back on sugar even more. I’ve also included options for vegan, allergy friendly, and gluten-free, too!
Allergen Notes: This guide is for informational purposes only. Ingredients are subject to change at any time, and all products are at some degree of risk for allergen cross contamination, whether they have a “may contain” statement or not. Always read the label before consuming any food, and make sure you are familiar with this may contain information. Only you can decide what is safe for your needs.
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Tater Tots or French Fries
Who doesn’t love potatoes? Instead of fast food, you can bake your own tater tots or roasted wedge fries. They’re good hot or cold! Instead of sugary ketchup, dunk them in dairy-free aioli or flavored mayonnaise.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Potato Wedge Fries, Air Fryer Tater Tots, Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Aioli
Favorite Brands: Toom Garlic Dip, Terrapin Ridge Farms Aioli, Bitchin Sauce (savory flavors)
Olives
I remember the first time I learned Canadian grocery stores had olive bars – decades ago. The U.S. eventually caught up. Now you can hand select specialty olives, buy different jars of olives, or even get snack packs throughout North America. I love a handful on their own – they are flavorful, satiating, safe for most people with food allergies, and rich with healthy fats from the natural olive oil.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Brazilian Spiced Olives, Olive Dip
Favorite Brands: Poshi Snack Olives, Lindsay Crafted Green Olives, Good & Gather Kalamata Olives, Pearls Black Olives
Berry Parfaits
Layer fresh strawberries, cherries, or raspberries with no sugar or low sugar dairy-free yogurt. For added crunch, sprinkle on sliced almonds, toasted oats, or shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts).
Dairy-Free Recipes: Coconut Almond Yogurt
Favorite Brands: Cocoyo Yogurt, Forager Project Unsweetened Cashew Yogurt, So Delicious Unsweetened Yogurt
Popcorn
This is a near daily snack in our household, always drizzled with coconut oil and sprinkled with fine sea salt. We prefer to air pop it fresh, but you can buy snack bags of pre-popped popcorn. Just make sure it’s dairy-free and has no sugar added. It’s a healthier, high fiber snack that kids tend to love, too.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Dairy-Free Cheesy Popcorn, Perfect Popcorn + Seasonings
Favorite Brands: Lesser Evil Himalayan Gold Popcorn, Skinny Pop Dairy-Free White Cheddar Popcorn
Lunchable-style Lettuce Wraps
When I need something substantial, but we’re a couple hours off from dinner, I make little lettuce wraps. My favorite is simply avocado, nitrate-free turkey or ham, and a little mustard or mayonnaise in a wedge of romaine or green lettuce. For a vegan or vegetarian alternative, you can omit the turkey and add some shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, and a little hummus or one of the dips or fillings below. Or you can wrap the lettuce, veggies, and spread in a tortilla.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Cashew Ricotta, Cheesy Red Pepper Spread, Avocado Pesto
Favorite Brands: Bitchin Sauce (savory flavors)
Nut Butter & Crackers
Something about this combination is so magical. You can use your no added sugar peanut butter, nut butter, or seed butter of your choice for customized dairy-free low sugar snacks. There are many dairy-free, no sugar added crackers available, but I’ve listed some we love below.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Homemade Roasted Nut Butter, Sun-Dried Tomato Rice Crackers
Favorite Brands: Original Triscuits, Mary’s Gone Crackers
Snack or Protein Bars
Most bars are packed with added sugars, but a few are made without any sugar ingredients, and some even manage to hit the low glycemic sweet spot. The latter are usually made with alternative sweeteners, so keep this in mind if you have a sensitive stomach.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Sugar-Free Granola Bars, Sugar-Free Protein Bars (with coconut oil option and dairy-free protein powder)
Favorite Brands: Kind Zero Dark Chocolate Bars, IQ Bars, Munk Pack Probiotic Protein Bars
Chicken, Tuna, Tofu, or Chickpea Salad
For snack-size portions, stuff a spoonful of your favorite mayo-based salad in lettuce wraps, nori sheets, pitted avocado halves, or celery sticks.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Classic Tuna Salad, Tofuna Vegan Salad, Tarragon Chicken Salad, Dairy-Free Egg Salad, Dill Salmon Salad, Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
Favorite Brands: We haven’t found a favorite without added sugar yet!
Tortilla Chips, Guacamole & Salsa
This insanely simply combination is impossible to resist and typically dairy free and sugar free by nature. You can try a range of salsas for a fun tray of dairy-free low sugar snacks.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Simple Guacamole, San Marzano Tomato Salsa
Favorite Brands: 365 Taqueria Salsa, Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica, Good & Gather Homestyle Guacamole
Fresh Fruit Slices
If you are okay with natural sugars, than plain old apples, oranges, or bananas are great dairy-free low sugar snacks. I love sprinkling cut orange or grapefruit wedges with cinnamon or dipping apple or banana slices in peanut butter or almond butter for a little more heft.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Apple “Bagels”, Apple English Muffins (no sweetener toppings)
Favorite Brands: Good & Gather Almond Butter (with apples!)
Edamame
These baby soybeans are a blast to eat and are a great source of plant protein and fiber. To prepare, boil the pods in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with salt. Squeeze to pop the beans out and into your mouth! Note that this isn’t a good option if you are strictly soy-free, but works if you just avoid soy protein isolates (the villains of those negative soy studies) as it is a whole soy food.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Edamame with Soy & Sesame, Garlic Edamame
Favorite Brands: Frozen Edamame (most store brands are great!), The Only Bean Crunchy Roasted Edamame
Hummus
This creamy chickpea dip is great with pita bread, but why not amp up the nutrition with sliced veggies? Serve it with crunchy carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber slices, and snap peas. And don’t be afraid to venture beyond traditional hummus. From grocery store generics to fancy brands, there are dozens of dairy-free hummus flavors to choose from.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Garlic & Caramelized Onion Hummus, Olive Hummus, Artichoke Hummus, Beet Hummus, Black Bean Hummus
Favorite Brands: Tribe, Sabra, Ithaca
Trail Mix
This catch all snack can be whatever you want. But for low sugar cravings, I like to use a mix of nuts and some chopped unsweetened dried fruit or unsweetened cacao nibs. If you tend to eat trail mix too quicky, try enjoying nuts and seeds that are regularly sold in their shells, like pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pecans. It takes a little time to crack them open, which can help ensure you feel the fullness come on before you eat too many.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Hit the Trail Mix, Rosemary Roasted Almonds
Favorite Brands: Food to Live Power Snack Mix, Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts
Toast
My favorite savory toast toppings are dairy-free cottage cheese with everything seasoning and smashed avocado with sea salt and shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts). I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! The trick with toast is that some bread brands contain milk, and even more contain sugar. Most dairy-free breads will be fine for low sugar, but I’ve recommended a couple no added sugar options below.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Dairy-Free Cottage Cheese, Kid-Friendly Winter Wonderland Olive Toast
Favorite Brands: Ezekiel 4:9 Breads, Favorite Day Take & Bake Baguettes, Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Chips, Crackers & Pretzels
Sure, you can have them with a dip, but chips, crackers, and pretzels are intriguing munchies on their own. Plain pretzels (in various shapes and sizes) are almost always dairy-free, and so are regular potato chips. Nevertheless, I’ve included some more unique dairy-free, sugar-free options below and some favorite dairy-free sugar-free dips, should you want to jazz things up.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Dill Pickle Dip, Cool Ranch Dip, Creamy Almond Dip, Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Favorite Brands: Patagonia Provisions Crackers, Kettle Chips
Cowboy Caviar
This bean, corn, and tomato classic can be enjoyed like a salsa, with chips, or on its own as a standalone deli-style salad. I like to add diced avocado to it – because why not?! And some friends love adding baby shrimp.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Cowboy Caviar, Cowboy Caviar Ceviche
Favorite Brands: 365 Pico de Gallo (for the salad/dip base)
Summer Rolls or Spring Rolls
It’s getting quite easy to find these healthy rice paper wraps in stores, made with shrimp, tofu, or just veggies. But you can also make them at home and wrap extras in plastic wrap. They’ll keep in the fridge for a few days. The dip they come with is often on the sweet side. But you can use one of the dip options below, instead.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Healthy Shrimp Spring Rolls, Keto Spring Rolls, Summer Rolls with Spicy Mango Sauce
Favorite Brands: Toom Garlic Dip, G Hughes Sugar-Free Orange Ginger
Protein Shake
There are dozens of dairy-free and vegan protein powders on the market. Most are low sugar, and some are added sugar-free. They all come with “just add water and blend” directions, but you can also mix in fruit.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Chocolate Protein Shakes
Favorite Brands: Orgain Vegan Protein Powder, Garden of Life Protein
Jerky
Many types and brands of jerky are made with sweetener, but it isn’t that hard to find options that are both dairy-free and sugar-free. In fact, there are some great traditional jerky and paleo meat bar options on the market.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Keto Beef Jerky
Favorite Brands: Epic Meat Bars, Tillamook Zero Sugar Beef Jerky
Pinwheels
Because they don’t require yeast rising, many tortillas and lavash breads are made without added sugar. And most are dairy-free, too. You can spread them with a dip or spread from above, or simply use mayonnaise or dairy-free, sugar-free cream cheese (favorite brands below). Then top with deli meats, thin veggies (roasted bell peppers, spinach leaves, etc), tightly roll up, and slice. Keep them in the refrigerator and enjoy as many slices as you’re craving.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Healthy Hummus Pinwheels
Favorite Brands: Kite Hill Cream Cheese Alternative, Treeline Cashew Cream Cheese
Roasted Seaweed or Chickpeas
If you just feel like something to eat, but aren’t that hungry, roasted seaweed is a lightweight that won’t fill you up. On the other hand, roasted chickpeas have a little more heft along with some protein and fiber. Both can be bought in flavors, which are usually dairy-free and sugar-free.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
Favorite Brands: Gimme Seaweed, Aimnaturals Roasted Chickpeas (sprinkle on your own spices!)
Chocolate
If low sugar is your game, look for extra dark chocolate bars. 80% cacao has a little over 5 grams of sugar per ounce, while 90% has just 2 grams. And yes, 100% cacao chocolate is naturally dairy-free and sugar-free. But these options are very bitter compared to more mainstream chocolates. For a sweeter treat, you could opt for a sugar-free, dairy-free chocolate bar.
Dairy-Free Recipes: Sugar-Free Chocolate Bars
Favorite Brands: ChocZero Vegan Chocolate Bars, Alter Eco Total Blackout Chocolate Bars
Pickles
This old school snack really doesn’t need an explanation. But take note that even some dill brands and recipes contain sugar. Be sure to check the ingredients, like we did …
Dairy-Free Recipes: Homemade Pickles
Favorite Brands: 365 Organic Kosher Baby Dills, Grillo’s Pickle Spears
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
