5 healthy toast toppings (2024)

You can still enjoy a slice of toast without smothering it in butter. Try our five healthy toppings for toast, crumpets or rice cakes, and enjoy a tasty snack without harming your heart.

1. Avocado

Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top wholegrain toast or crumpets. This quick snack is rich in unsaturated, rather than saturated, fats. Try a sprinkle of seeds or chilli flakes for an extra kick.

• Read more from our dietitian about avocados and fat.

2. Mashed or sliced banana

If you love sweet toppings or you’re very hungry, mashed or sliced banana is a delicious and filling addition to crumpets or toast, without adding free sugars. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or seeds for extra flavour.

• Try20 easy ways to get your 5-a-day.

3. Berries and low-fat Greek yoghurt

For a healthier twist on the traditional cream tea, try topping warm scones with strawberries, blackberries or blueberries and a dollop of low-fat Greek yoghurt. It’s great on wholegrain toast, too!

• Get our recipe forfresh strawberry scones.

4. Pure nut butters

Nut butters, such as almond or peanut, are a versatile topping and are good on their own or combined with fresh fruit. Check the ingredients and choose the ones made only from nuts, without addedsalt,sugaror palm oil. If you have a food processor, you can blend your favourite unsalted nuts until smooth. Decorate with your favourite fruit, or with grated carrot to keep it savoury.

• Get our dietitian's view onnuts as a healthy snack.

5. Chia and berry ‘jam’

Simple to make: soak around 20g of chia seeds in four tablespoons of water, mix with 150g of your favourite berries or cherries, then blend. Decant into a jar or bowl, cover and refrigerate. The seeds provide protein without the added sugar that you usually get in jam.

• Find outhow to have a healthier afternoon tea.
• Try our 9 delicious heart-healthy treats.
• Test your knowledge of sweet treats with our"How much do you know about cake?" quiz.

Updated January 2023