While students may not want to spend the extra money to buy expensive gluten-free snacks, they will be surprised at how easily they can make a quick snack with the food they already have in their refrigerator.

These are five quick and easy snacks that can be made in less than 30 minutes

Guacamole Stuffed Eggs

At webmd.com, it states eggs as a good source of protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. It also states avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamins C and B6.

I enjoy this snack because it has a good balance of protein, and the guacamole gives the eggs extra flavor to make it a more delicious than a plain egg. This is a great snack to make for parties or to store in the fridge for a healthy snack to go.

The recipe is adapted from eatingwell.com.

6 large eggs

1/2 cup Guacamole

Salt & cracked black pepper

Place the eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low and boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and place the eggs in a bowl with cold water until completely cooled. While the eggs cool down, make the guacamole mixture.

Guacamole Recipe

1 Avocado

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut avocado in half and remove contents into a bowl. Smash avocado contents with a fork until smooth.

Add salsa to the bowl and mix in with the avocado mix. Add salt and lemon juice to the mixture until the contents are mixed together.

Cut each egg in half and remove the yolks. Fill each egg half with a spoonful of guacamole and sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper.

Jamba Juice Strawberry Wild Smoothie

On hot summer days, a sweet, cold smoothie is great for cooling down. While Jamba Juice offers a small smoothie for $3.85, you can buy a smoothie kit at Safeway for $3.99, which is quick and easy to make. You also get two smoothies out of the kit.

This is a healthy smoothie because Jamba Juice’s website states each smoothie has vitamin c, yogurt and contains one full serving of fruit. I like this drink because it contains strawberries, which is one of my favorite fruits.

Ingredients:

1 cup apple juice

1 package of Jamba Juice Strawberry Wild Smoothie Kit

Place apple juice and the contents of the smoothie package into a blender. Blend at a slow speed for 20 seconds.

Stop the blender and then blend it at a high speed for 1 minute until the smoothie looks smooth and creamy. Place the contents into a large cup and enjoy.

Fruity Pebbles Treats

While similar Fruity Pebble treats can be bought at any supermarket, it is a fun and easy to make these homemade goodies. This was a childhood favorite cereal of mine, and I was excited to learn it is also gluten-free.

This recipe comes from the Post Cereal brand.

1 package of Fruity Pebbles

1 package of marshmallows

1/4 cup of melted butter

Melt the butter and marshmallows in a microwave for 1 minute in a large microwavable bowl. Place the Fruity Pebbles in the bowl with the mixture and mix until everything is well-combined.

In a 9×13 inch pan, place the mixture in and smooth it out until the pan is covered and the mixture looks even. Let the treats cool down and then cut into squares.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries are a nice, different choice from french fries because they are healthier and, in some cases, can be a tastier alternative as well. I enjoy this snack because the sweet potato fries are sweet, tangy and more filling than regular potatoes.

At webmd.com, it states that sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and fiber. It also states to cook sweet potatoes by baking, grilling or broiling.

If you do not have the time to make your own fries, Alexia Sweet Potato Fries are the best brand to buy at the supermarket. They are an inexpensive choice at only $3.50 for one package.

Ingredients

1 package of Alexia sweet potato fries

Set your oven to 400 degrees and place the fries on a large cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and let the fries cook for 20-25 minutes.

Once they are cooked, take out the fries and let them cool down. Transfer to a plate and enjoy your fries.

Vegetarian Tacos

Corn tortillas are a gluten-free favorite for those suffering from Celiac disease and at livestrong.com, it states corn tortillas are a good sources of fiber, niacin and nutrients. It also states black beans are a good source of fiber, potassium and iron.

I enjoy this dish because it is quick to make, it is filling and it has a nice kick thanks to the cumin and jalapeño.

This is my own recipe:

3 corn tortillas

1 can black beans

3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeño, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Avocado slices

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat up your stove to medium-high heat. In a small pot, heat the vegetable oil and then add the jalapeño, garlic and onions and sautee until brown. Put in the black beans and stir until the mixture starts to bubble.

Add in the cumin, vegetable broth and salt and let the mixture simmer on low-medium heat for 10 minutes. Warm up the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds, place black bean mixture in tortillas and add slices of avocado. Feel free to add any type of salsa and enjoy.

You can find more recipes like these at eatingwell.com, celiac.com and food.com/recipes/gluten-free.