“Better” Snack Options for Kids

children eating on a table

As a busy mom of four, I’ve found that with the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life it’s so easy to grab prepackaged snacks on the fly. Depending on the day I’m packing 1-3 school lunches and throwing snacks to my two-year-old son in between meals or a hold-me-over until the next big meal or before an activity. There are all different types of prepackaged snacks, from chips and granola bars to cookies and fruit snacks. I’ve been more conscious over the years with checking out the ingredients – I especially try to avoid really any food dyes. I have a daughter that is negatively affected by Red 40, so I personally try to avoid bringing anything into our home with that ingredient. I am also conscious of the sugar content in prepared snacks. Here is a recent haul I did to stock up for packing lunches and a busy grab-n-go season of life!

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  • Brainiac Brain Squeezers Applesauce was created by two dads plus a team of neurologists, nutritionists, and pediatricians. They are unsweetened with Omega-3 DHA/EPA and Choline and only have 2 grams of sugar.
  • GoGo SqueeZ Fruit & VeggieZ Applesauce Pouches with Pedal Pedal Peach, which is a nutritious blend of apples, peaches and sweet potatoes; and Speedy Strawberry, which is made from apples, strawberries and zucchini.
  • Mott’s Fruit Snacks are the only fruit snacks I have found that do not have Red 40 – I am conscious of certain ingredients as I have a kid who is negatively affected by them. Plus I generally try to stay away from products that have any kind of dyes.
  • Dot’s pretzels in my family’s opinion are the best brand of pretzels. My kids always ask for the “red bag” of pretzel snacks, but I am a fan of most of the other varieties that they offer.
  • Simply Chex is what I call a “fun snack” – it’s a less healthy option, but still not as bad as other snacks imo.
  • Goldfish – Original is another “fun snack,” but out of all the flavors, the original is the best option if you’re like me and try to stay away from artificial flavorings.
  • Sun-maid raisins with yogurt is a snack most of my kids like, and they’ll eat them plain, but I do like to switch out with the fun flavors like strawberry and vanilla.
  • Made Good granola bars offer the nutrients of a whole serving of veggies and are pretty tasty with their fun flavorings.
  • That’s It mini fruit bars are very simple, with just two ingredients and no added sugar. It’s an easy yes for me and kids love it because it’s simply fruit.
  • Bear fruit rolls are a great substitution for fruit roll ups…there is no added sugar and my kids love the collectible cards that come in each pack.
  • Airly crackers are not only made with whole grain oats and taste yummy, but they are also good for the environment too.
  • Junkless granola bars are so tasty, I’m not sure who likes them more – me or the kiddos. Plus they have a full serving of vegetables so that’s a win for sure.
  • Bobo’s are an interesting combination of a cookie and a granola bar. They are gluten- and dairy-free as well as organic and vegan too.
  • Mr. Beast Feastable cookies are low in sugar content, plant-based and GF; for me a better option over Keebler and Chips A-hoy brands.
  • Sunbelt Bakery granola bars have no preservatives in them and are made from whole grains.
  • Kodiak chewy bars and bites are very filling with the amount of protein, and the bites are a nice replacement for the popular Teddy Graham cookies.

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