13 Best Snacks for Your Quarantine

Many of us are quarantined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and, if you’re like me, you’re trying to limit, if not completely eliminate, trips to the grocery store. Luckily, there are several ways to get great snacks without having to put on a face mask and venture out to the supermarket. You can easily order non-perishable snack options online.

Here are some of the best snacks for your quarantine.

1. Nuts

Nuts are always a good choice for a quick, healthy snack. Try a trail mix with chocolate to entice the picky eaters–you may even get them to munch on some raisins without realizing it! Get a box of individual packs for easier rationing.

2. Pretzels

Pretzels are a great, low-fat snack for the whole family. A perfect alternative to the potato chip (more on that next), you can serve them with lunch or put them in a little bowl for snacking. Eat them with dips, and also with peanut butter! Better yet, get some peanut butter-filled pretzels!

3. Potato Chips

Did you know in the Canadian maritimes, “Storm Chips” are a thing? When there’s a big blizzard coming (which there often is, especially in Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland), people flock to the grocery store to buy a bag of potato chips to see them through the storm. I, for one, love this tradition, and think it also pertains to quarantine during a pandemic. The flavors of potato chips have become more and more diverse over the years; we love plain dill pickle chips, but the Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle flavor sounds… interesting, and quite frankly, better than Walkers Prawn Cocktail Chips. So, try a new flavor, or go with a traditional option: wavy, sour cream and onion, or barbecue.

Related: The 9 Best Meal Kits

4. Cheez-Its

Growing up, my family always, always had a box of Cheez-Its in the car for a road trip. I’ve carried on the tradition, and apparently have expanded that to include quarantine. What you may not know about Cheez-Its is that there are actually a variety of flavors available! I’m happy with original, but my husband is obsessed with Extra Toasty, so that’s what we have stocked. If you like to spice things up a bit, their flavors include Bacon & Cheddar, Loaded Cheesy Taco, and Pepper Jack.

5. Chex Mix

Another family-favorite is Chex Mix. There are plenty of pre-made mixes out there, but since you find yourself at home, why not try your hand at making your own? Muddy Buddies are easy and delicious, and all you to need to do is get some Chex, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and confectioners sugar to make it. Find the recipe here. You can also try a savory option, too.

6. Popcorn

We hesitated a bit about putting this on the list because, believe it or not, pre-popped popcorn is hard to find right now! Luckily, there seems to be plenty of popcorn kernels available to pop your own. Get a popcorn popper, or prepare it the old-fashioned way on top of the stove in a pan! Flavor it with old-fashioned butter, or, you can get all sorts of seasonings to put on it. Or, to keep it simple, just get microwave popcorn! No matter how you make it, it’s sure to be a hit!

7. Pirates Booty

The worst part about Pirate’s Booty is the white flakes everyone will have on their shirts after eating. But it’s worth every snowy flake of goodness. It’s light, it’s cheesy, and it’s delicious. Be careful—once you open a bag, it will be gone in a flash!

8. Candy

It’s okay to let your kids have candy, and let yourself have candy, while you’re stuck in the house. We’re not saying gorging is okay, but allowing a piece a day, or some popcorn and candy while watching a movie, is perfectly fine. Get a big variety pack to have on hand, one with different options so everyone’s tastes are satisfied. If everyone is always fighting over the Reese’s, just get a big bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. There are great organic candy options out there, too.

9. Fruit Snacks/Leather

Fruit leather or fruit snacks are both great to have in the house. We prefer organic ones, made with real fruit, fruit juices and no high fructose corn syrup. This fruit tape from Annie’s is a particular favorite.

10. S’Mores

It’s a snack and a fun activity rolled into one! And no, you don’t need a campfire to make them! (Although, we’ve seen several neighbors plopping their firepits onto their driveways and pulling up lawn chairs so they can chat with everyone walking by, so that’s an option, too). You can also just put the bottom graham cracker, piece of chocolate, and marshmallow on a tray in the toaster oven at 400 degrees for three minutes, take them out and put a graham cracker on top. There are also loads of S’mores makers you can buy, too. Graham Crackers could have their own spot here, as they also make a great snack by themselves.

11. Oyster Crackers

Hear me out: Oyster crackers just happen to be delicious, and I’m not just saying that because I love wine tastings. Like popcorn, but with less prep involved, Oyster crackers are the perfect snack. And my family has an old recipe (which I think comes from Hidden Valley Ranch) to make them DELICIOUS. Take one box of oyster crackers, put them in a large Ziploc bag, add ¼ cup vegetable oil, coat the crackers, then add 1 pack of Hidden Valley Ranch Original Dressing mix, and mix until evenly coated. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Thank me later.

12. Veggie Straws

Here’s a snack that’s great to have on hand because you can just mindlessly munch without the guilt. My one year old happens to love these, so we always have them in the house. I recently discovered they come in different flavors, and the Zesty Ranch flavor are amazing. I always pick up a bag at BJ’s, and was delighted to see they have them available to order online.

13. Tortilla Chips and Salsa

I panicked when I realized we had tortilla chips and no salsa toward the beginning of quarantine. I was unable to order my favorite salsa (Newman’s Own Tequila Lime), but luckily, I found plenty of other salsas when I put in a Whole Foods Order on Amazon. You can’t go wrong with some chips and salsa (and a good movie).

Great At-Home Activities