Like any diet, it can be challenging to curb cravings while following the autoimmune protocol diet. So, we put together this list of our favorite AIP snacks and snack ideas to help keep you satiated and meet your goals.
The AIP diet consists of consuming whole foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, minimally processed animal products, minimally processed vegetable oils, fermented probiotic-rich foods, non-seed derived spices, and natural vinegar.
The AIP diet is similar to paleo except it’s more strict and focuses on trying to reduce symptoms of autoimmune diseases like pain and inflammation.
On the AIP diet you will want to avoid:
- Grains
- Legumes
- Nightshade vegetables
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Nuts and seeds
- Alcohol & coffee
- Processed vegetable oils
- Refined or processed sugars
- Food additives and artificial sweeteners
Read more on the AIP Diet for beginners and everything you need to know. Below you will find some of our favorite AIP compliant snacks.
The Best AIP Snacks
1. Apple Chips
Apple chips make for a great crunchy and crispy snack when you find yourself craving some sweets. Bare makes AIP-friendly apple chips made with just two ingredients: apples and cinnamon.
2. Jackson's Honest Sweet Potato Chips
These sweet potato chips are as healthy as they are delicious. They're AIP-friendly, gluten-free, and cooked in healthy fats like coconut and avocado oil.
Shop Jackson's Honest Sweet Potato Chips
3. Plantain Chips
A savory banana chip, plantain chips are completely AIP-friendly, as long as they don't contain added sugar.
Shop: Chifles Original Plantain Chips
4. Plantain Crackers
Just like plantain chips, but crackers! If you're up for throwing down in the kitchen, check out this Garlic Rosemary Plantain Cracker Recipe from Autoimmune Wellness.
5. Coconut Chips
Coconut chips are completely AIP-compliant and make a great snack or crunchy salad topping. This Coconut Chips recipe from Thriving on Paleo is super simple–it comes together in just 10 minutes and costs much less than a bag of coconut chips from the grocery store.
6. Kale Chips
Kale gets a bad rep, but kale chips are super tasty when made properly. Check out this recipe for Cheesy Garlic Kale Chips from Healing Autoimmune. In addition to the addicting taste, these kale chips are a great source of vitamin c.
7. Cassava Chips
Cassava chips are ultra-tasty and super satiating because they're filled with healthy fiber. Make your own or grab a bag from the store. Artisan Tropic makes some of our favorite Cassava Chips, made with simple ingredients.
8. Tiger Nuts
Although it's called a nut, the tiger nut is actually an edible tuber. So, it made the crunchy list. Instead, it's chewy with a sweet, nutty taste!
Shop: Tiger Nuts
9. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit snacks are chock-full of natural sweetness, sweet tooth, sweet treat.
Shop Dried Apricots No Sugar Added
10. Carrot Fries
Carrot fries - these carrot fries from Healing Autoimmune are the perfect combination of sweet and savory. They are made with just four simple ingredients: carrots, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt.
11. Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit - another sweet treat to snack on when the sweet tooth starts to take over. From fresh apple slices to sliced bananas–just be conscious enough to moderate your sugar intake and balance out your blood sugar with other healthy high-fat snacks.
12. Baked Brussels Sprout Chips
Baked brussels sprout chips - these chips are a great way to use up the fibrous outer leaves of brussels sprouts that fall off as you're preparing them for other applications.
13. Carrot Sticks
Like carrot fries, but raw! Carrot sticks are a deliciously crispy snack with a satisfying snap as you bite down. Try dipping them in mashed avocado for a tasty mid-day treat!
14. Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad - there are tons of recipes for amazing AIP-compliant cucumber salads on the internet. Still, this Bright Cucumber Salad is one of our favorites! Made with fresh mint and dill; it's an addicting salad to snack on or pair with grilled meats!
15. Beef Jerky
For over 90 years, we've been handcrafting AIP-compliant Beef Jerky right here in Downtown Los Angeles. Our Old Fashioned Original Beef Jerky is packed with protein and made with just beef, water, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
16. Canned Salmon
Wild Planet Canned Salmon is an excellent AIP-compliant snack. It's naturally high in protein and is our favorite to eat because it contains one simple ingredient: sustainably caught wild pink salmon.
Shop: Wild Planet, Wild Pink Salmon
17. Canned Tuna
Canned tuna - like canned salmon, our favorite wild-caught tuna comes from Wild Planet. And, like the canned salmon, their Albacore Wild Tuna contains solely that.
18. Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon - smoked salmon is another excellent protein-filled snack option while following the AIP diet. If you're purchasing at the store, just be on the lookout for non-compliant ingredients.
Shop: Norwegian Cold Smoked Salmon
19. Bone Broth
Bone broth is a rich broth loaded with collagen proteins that may actually help repair leaky gut and relieve autoimmune pain. You can find a wide variety of brands at your local Whole Foods, or you can grab some bones and make your own!
Shop: Kettle & Fire Bone Broth
20. Pork Rinds
4505 Meats makes some of our favorite AIP-compliant pork rinds using just three simple ingredients: pork skin fried in rendered pork fat and seasoned with sea salt. Plus, they're available for sale through Amazon.
21. Protein Bars
EPIC Bars are some of the best, all-natural protein bars, no matter what diet you're following. But, the Beef Apple Bacon Bar is our favorite for the AIP Diet. Made using just grass-fed beef, uncured bacon, apple, and spices–it's delicious as it is nutrition.
22. Paleo Angel Power Balls
These tasty Power Balls were formulated for followers of the Paleo Diet. But, they are totally AIP diet compliant–the diet is sometimes referred to as Paleo Autoimmune Protocol.
23. Trail Mix
Trail mix is one of our favorite snacks in general, but this AIP Tropical Trail Mix Recipe from Healing Autoimmune takes the cake in creativity and taste. It takes very little prep time, and most ingredients are readily available at your local Trader Joe's.
24. Roasted Acorn Squash
This snack idea is more of a side dish, but we like to prepare it ahead of the week, so we can snack on it whenever we'd like. We really enjoy this squash recipe from The Paleo Mom.
25. Meat & Veggies Bar
Wild Zora makes one of our favorite AIP-compliant bars to eat. They are made from only meat and veggies, specifically for the AIP Diet. They offer a variety of options, including Apple Pork, Meditteranean Lamb, and Italian Beef, so you can find one to fit your preferred taste.
26. Cassava Bread
We love this recipe for Cassava Dinner Rolls from A Squirrel in the Kitchen! While it may not be the same as a white bread dinner roll, they're still healthy and delicious in their own right.
27. AIP Flat Bread
This AIP Flat Bread recipe from Thriving on Paleo is a great alternative to the bread you crave but can't eat on account of the diet. Plus, it's the perfect vehicle for transporting creamy dips into your mouth! Wink wink, hint hint.
28. AIP Hummus
AIP hummus - get what we're saying? Make the AIP Flatbread above, along with this Avocado Cauliflower Hummus from Unbound Wellness, on Sunday night's so you can snack all workweek properly long!
There are a ton of recipes available online for the AIP diet, but we thought it might be helpful to lay out some common AIP-compliant ingredients below:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Avocado oil
- Olive oil Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Maple syrup
- Cassava bread
- Cassava flour
- Carob powder
- Coconut butter
- Coconut wraps
- Coconut flakes
- Coconut yogurt
- Coconut aminos
- Coconut flour
- Coconut milk
- Coconut oil
- Tigernut butter
- Tigernut flour
Wondering what other ingredients are acceptable on the autoimmune protocol diet? Check out our Complete AIP Food List.
The Bottom Line
The AIP Diet or Autoimmune Protocol Diet is an elimination diet designed to increase the gut's permeability through carefully sourced, nutrient-dense foods. The end goal of the diet is to replace the eliminated foods that inflame the gut with foods intended to help boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and other symptoms associated with autoimmune disease, and encourage gut health.
We put together this list of AIP Snacks to help you along your AIP journey. If you're new to the diet and are still looking to learn the basics of avoiding dairy products and nightshade vegetables, check out our previous post: AIP Diet for Beginners.
