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Create a Tempting Selection of Snacks

For energetic, on-the-move kids, snacks are just as important as meals. They provide another opportunity to pack nutrition into a child's day, and they help maintain a child's seemingly endless desire and energy to explore their world. Whenever possible, it's ideal to substitute a whole food option like fresh veggies and fruits or nuts and seeds, for conventional, packaged foods.

When you crave:

Conventional flavored potato chips

  • fried in sunflower or corn oil

  • artificial flavors

  • MSG

Try this instead:

365 Everyday Value® flavored potato chips

  • fried in expeller-pressed canola, sunflower or safflower oil

  • no artificial flavors

  • no MSG

Or even better:

365 Everyday Value® flavored baked potato chips

  • no artificial flavors

  • no MSG

  • minimal fat and salt

Best of all:

Homemade air-popped popcorn spritzed with Bragg Liquid Aminos and tossed with nutritional yeast

  • no oil

  • minimal sodium

When you crave:

Conventional gummy candy

  • artificial colors

  • artificial flavors

  • loads of added sugar

  • some brands have some real fruit

Try this instead:

Natural brand fruit chews

  • no artificial colors

  • no artificial flavors

  • added sugar

  • some brands include real fruit

Or even better:

365 Everyday Value® fruit strips

  • made with real fruit, juice & fruit extracts

  • no artificial flavors

  • no artificial colors

  • no added sugar

Best of all:

Fresh fruit or our bulk dried fruit

  • nutritional benefits of a whole food

  • our quality standards prohibit added sulfites in dried fruit

  • choose dried fruits with no added sugar

When you crave:

Conventional granola bar

  • hydrogenated fats

  • high fructose corn syrup

  • artificial preservatives

Try this instead:

Natural brand granola bar

  • no hydrogenated fats

  • no high fructose corn syrup

  • no artificial preservatives

Or even better:

Fruit & nut snack bar

  • real fruit, seeds and nuts

  • no added sugar or fats

  • no artificial preservatives

Best of all:

Build your own trail mix

  • choose raw or dry-roasted nuts and seeds

  • our quality standards prohibit added sulfites in dried fruit

  • choose fruit with no added sugar or oil

When you crave:

Conventional soda

  • artificial colors and flavors

  • high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetener

  • phosphoric acid

Try this instead:

365 Everyday Value® Natural Soda

  • no artificial colors

  • no artificial flavors

  • no high fructose corn syrup

Or even better:

100% juice soda or sparkling juice

  • no artificial colors; no artificial flavors

  • nutritional benefits of real juice

  • no added sugar

Best of all:

Homemade sparkling juice

  • combine 100% juice with sparkling water

  • nutritional benefits of real juice

  • no artificial anything; no added sugar

When you crave:

Conventional ice cream

  • artificial flavors

  • high fructose corn syrup

  • milk from cows given growth hormones

Try this instead:

365 Everyday Value® ice cream

  • no artificial anything

  • no high fructose corn syrup

  • milk from cows not given added hormones (rBST)

Or even better:

Natural brand non-fat frozen yogurt

  • no artificial anything

  • no high fructose corn syrup

  • zero or little fat

Best of all:

Creamy banana smoothie at home

  • frozen banana, almond butter, non-dairy milk

  • nothing artificial

  • nutritional benefits of a whole food

Snacks should be easy and fun, with minimal time invested in making them. With this list of alternatives and a well-stocked healthy pantry, your kids will get just as much instant gratification from natural snacks as they would from less healthy options — and parents will get more peace of mind.

Grab-and-Go Natural Snacks

One thing that differentiates snacks from meals is that they should be easy and quick. Pack your pantry and fridge with the following foods so kids can grab and eat them without needing any help or prep work:

  • radishes, pre-cut or baby carrots, pre-cut bell peppers, squash, celery (with optional dips or spreads)

  • "finger fruits" like grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes

  • easy to handle fruits like apples, pears, plums, bananas

  • nitrate-free deli meats

  • smoked or canned salmon

  • soy milk

  • string cheese, cheese cubes or pre-sliced cheese

  • low-fat yogurt

  • hard-boiled eggs

  • nuts and seeds/dried fruits/trail mix

  • cereal/granola

  • popcorn

  • soy or rice crisps

  • high-fiber whole wheat crackers

  • applesauce

  • fruit leather

  • dark chocolate

Need ideas for making dinnertime something the whole family looks forward to?