For millions of Indians, a cup of tea completes a morning, an afternoon, or an evening spent with family and friends. A tea is incomplete without a snack.
That’s why, Indians always look for Indian healthy snacks that pair perfectly with tea.
But traditional tea-time eats often include biscuits, namkeen, samosas, pakoras, and other fried delights. Sure, we all enjoy the occasional treat. But we can make our daily snack time more nourishing without sacrificing the joy of tea time.
The good news is that healthy snacks with tea in India need not be boring or bland. Roasted chana, makhana, nuts, fruits, sprouts, and protein popcorn can all lend a helping hand to your daily chai break.
What Makes a Good Tea-Time Snack?
A good tea-time snack will complement your overall diet rather than filling you up on empty calories. High-protein and fibre-rich foods will help keep you full for longer, while carbs will give you a quick energy boost.
When it comes to packaged snacks, always read the pack’s nutrition label and ingredients. Pay special attention to the recommended serving size, protein, fibre, added sugars, sodium, and the type of oil/fats used in the snack.
The most important criterion for a healthy tea-time snack, however, is that it should taste good to you. After all, a snack that you enjoy eating is a snack that will become a habit in your snacking routine.
Indian Snacks to Enjoy With Tea
What are you waiting for? Stock your homes with these Indian healthy snacks that pair perfectly with tea.
Roasted Chana
Roasted chana is one of the simplest and most wholesome tea-time healthy snacks you can have. Its crunchy goodness will keep you full till your next meal and supply you with protein and fibre.
Keep a packet handy for your afternoon tea or your evening tea-time ritual. Or, combine it with chopped veggies or fruits for a more filling snack. You can even carry it with you as an office snack!
Makhana
Makhana, or fox nuts, are a healthy alternative to your regular tea-time namkeen and fried snacks. Makhana can be dry-roasted at home and lightly seasoned with black pepper, cumin, chillies, and turmeric to give it a nice kick.
When buying the pre-packaged variety, read the ingredient and nutrition label to know how much oil, salt, or additives have been used.
The light and crispy texture also makes it an ideal healthy snack with tea in India.
Protein Popcorn
If your ideal tea-time snack is something crunchy, then Poptein’s protein popcorn is the choice for you! Protein popcorn ups your protein intake without adding unhealthy fats and carbohydrates.
Poptein’s Protein Popcorn is a powerhouse of fibre and protein, promising to keep you full for longer. It is lightly salted and made with olive oil, giving it a rich, nutty flavour. The brand even has exciting flavours like Peanut Butter, Spicy Kimchi Cheese, Brownie, and Herb N Zing for you to try out.
Nuts and Seeds
Does your ideal tea-time snack involve a bit of crunch? Then a small handful of almonds, walnuts, peanuts, or pumpkin seeds can accompany your cup of tea perfectly.
Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and other essential micronutrients. A small handful goes a long way since they are quite calorie-dense and filling.
Or you can pair a handful of nuts with a piece of fruit for a sweet and salty surprise to your tea-time snack.
Sprouts Chaat
For a more substantial snack that is packed with plant-based protein and fibre, make a quick sprouts chaat to accompany your cup of tea.
Chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, coriander, lemon juice, and chaat masala tossed together with some sprouts make for a light, healthy snack. You can even make them ahead of time and grab a handful when you need a quick tea-time snack fix.
Fruit With Nut Butter
Fruits make for a surprisingly good snack that pairs well with tea. An apple or a banana, or any fruit for that matter, can serve as a quick and healthy tea-time snack.
You can even add a touch of nuttiness by adding a little bit of peanut or any other nut butter to it to give it a protein and fat boost.
Make sure to check the ingredient list on the peanut Butter jar to ensure that it does not have too much added sugar to it.
Homemade Roasted Snacks
The easiest way to ensure that you have a healthy snack with tea is to make it yourself! Peanuts, chickpeas, makhana, and mixed seeds can be roasted and seasoned at home to give you a crunchy and flavourful snack to eat with your cup of tea.
Making your own snacks also lets you have full control over how much oil and salt you put into the snack.
Making a big batch of roasted peanuts, chickpeas, or makhana to store in the kitchen is always a good idea. That way, you can grab a packet of your favourite healthy tea-time snack without thinking twice.
How to Make Your Tea Break More Balanced
Snacks play a large role in your tea-time routine. But the key to making a healthy snack with tea is to ensure that it complements the rest of your diet. Here are a few tips that will help you make better and healthier choices at snack time:
- Watch your portions: Even the most healthy snacks can pack on the calories, so make sure you do not overeat.
- Add variety: Rotate between your healthy snacks to give your body a chance to get all the nutrients it needs.
- Check the label: Packaged foods like protein popcorn, roasted chana, and mixed nuts have a nutrition facts label on the back of the pack. Check the protein content, fibre, added sugars, sodium, and the ingredients to determine how healthy your snack is.
- Listen to your body: Sometimes, you may not feel like you need a snack with your cup of tea. And that is okay. Do not eat a snack just because it is tea-time unless you are genuinely hungry.
- Make healthy foods easily accessible: Having a packet of roasted chana or healthy protein popcorn readily available is a good way to promote snacking healthy.
Can You Have Protein Popcorn With Chai?
If you are a fan of savoury and crunchy snacks with your cup of tea, then protein popcorn is an excellent way to satisfy that craving. Poptein’s protein popcorn is a great source of plant-based protein with 10 gms of protein per packet and is high in fibre. It is also made with healthy olive oil and comes in a wide variety of exciting flavours.
You can have it with your cup of tea as a standalone snack or combine it with fruit or another high-fibre, filling snack to tide you over till your next meal.
Choose us for the best Indian healthy snacks that pair perfectly with tea.
The Bottom Line
There is no reason why tea-time has to be devoid of healthy snacks. Roasted chana, makhana, nuts, sprouts chaat, fruit, homemade roasted snacks, and protein popcorn are all great healthy options to replace your daily packet of biscuits.
The choice of which healthy snack you choose to have with your tea ultimately depends on your personal preferences, hunger levels, and nutritional requirements. So the next time you make a cup of tea, skip the biscuit jar and try out one of these healthy and wholesome snacks.
FAQs
What are the best healthy snacks with tea in India?
Some options for healthy snacks with tea in India are roasted chana, makhana, nuts, sprouts chaat, fruit, homemade roasted snacks, and protein popcorn.
What can I eat with tea instead of biscuits?
You can try roasted chana, makhana, nuts, fruit, sprouts, or protein popcorn as a healthy alternative to biscuits with your tea.
Is popcorn a good snack with tea?
Popcorn can be a good snack with tea, especially if you make the switch to protein popcorn. It is a good source of plant-based protein and fibre.