Holidays in Greece consist of various activities – sightseeing, touring, visiting museums and archaeological sites – and as a result you are bound to get hungry in between meals and may want to keep in mind of the nutritious, yet delicious, quick snacks available, or simply because you wish to satisfy your appetite. The Visit Greece team has gathered some smart, easy to find & carry snacks, which you can take note for your next holidays in the country.
Some easy to carry along snacks on your daily tours are the Greek sun-kissed products. Dried figs are simply irresistible. Their caramel flavour will tickle your taste buds; not to mention that they are good for your health as they are high in fiber, contain potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. You can also get some Κorinthian sultanas and currants that nowadays nutrition scientists acknowledge their beneficial properties.
Sesame is commonly used in sweets and snacks in Greece. The delicious sesame and honey bars (known as pastelia) are easy to carry along. Don’t stop there, try the tahini spread (sesame paste) on a piece of bread, sold in various flavours. Enjoy a piece of halva, made out of sesame, ideal for any moment of the day, and usually eaten during the lent period in Greece. You can also taste the large variety of flavours offered; vanilla, cocoa, almonds, hazelnuts, raisins, peanuts, chocolate and honey, coated with biter or milk chocolate halva whatever flavour you prefer.
Greek pies are Greece’s culinary masterpiece; enter a bakery (known as fournos) found in all neighbourhoods all over Greece and choose among a large variety of scrumptious snacks. Try a cheese-pie, a spinach-pie, a bougatsa (a custard Filled Phyllo Pastry from Thessaloniki) and curb your appetite. Then again an excellent energy-packed snack is the renowned creamy Greek yogurt topped with honey and walnuts.
The sesame bread ring (known as koulouri Thessaloniki) is a healthy snack filled with carbohydrates, proteins and energy. You will find it practically everywhere you go, sold in bakeries and street vendors. The classic Thessaloniki sesame-seed koulouri, originated in Asia Minor and travelled to Greece with refugees hundreds of years ago. You can find it in a large variety; either multigrain, made with whole ground flour, filled with cheese, with or without sesame seeds, it is guaranteed you’ll enjoy every bite of your koulouri.
The Greek grape-must cookies (whose Greek name is a real tongue twister known as moustokouloura) are made with grape juice syrup and olive oil (no butter), an absolutely healthy snack. They have a gentle spicy flavour and are great for dunking in either tea or coffee.
Greek nature offers a large variety of nuts that are great as a snack all day long. Shelled or unshelled, Greek pistachios are sublime and contain most of the nutrients that are required by humans for good health. Almonds and walnuts are also produced in abundance in Greece so make sure to purchase some to carry along on your daily tours around the country.
