If you have kids you know they can be notoriously picky about what they eat.
As a parent, this can make it hard for you to choose snacks that are good for them and will also satisfy their cravings.
But while it’s difficult to find that middle point where you can both agree, it’s not impossible.
We’ve devised a list of 8 best snack brands that both you and your kids will love. These are brands that offer a combination of delicious flavors catered to your kid’s sweet tooth; as well as provide wholesome nutrition for their growing bodies.
Got any other favorites? Feel free to give them a shoutout in the comments below.
1. Fruit Snacks
Image Source: Annie's Homegrown
Annie’s is a California-based food brand with a line of snacks beloved by many parents and children. But while our young ones are drawn to the taste of their favorite sticky-sweet fruity snacks and cheesy crackers, little do they know they are good for them.
Annie’s is certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In addition, they also use no artificial flavors, synthetic colors, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup.
Their line of fruit snacks, which includes Summer Strawberry, Tropical Treat, Sunny Citrus and Berry Patch, are great alternatives to more popular snacks that offer considerably more sugar.
Side Note: Nature’s Bandits is another fruit snack brand that has a similar nutritional profile to Annie’s. Their snacks have no gluten, no GMOs, no artificial colors, preservatives or sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup, no cholesterol and no fat.
2. Popcorn
We bet you’re surprised by this one.
As it turns out, popcorn is considered a whole grain food with a handful of benefits outside of its great taste.
It’s packed with fiber, antioxidants, polyphenols and other nutrients.
Of course, popcorn is not a meal substitute and it’s best to portion control how much you allow your kids to consume.
However, you can enhance its nutrient profile and decrease the negative effects caused by excessive use of salt and butter by:
3. Scooby-Doo Fruits Snacks
This is one of the best classic snacks that most kids love.
While this is one of the more well known brands on the list, rest assured they still have the quality of artisan brands like Annie’s & Nature’s Bandits.
Scooby-Doo Fruit Flavored Snacks by Betty Crocker are jam packed with Vitamin C, as well as being low on sodium, cholesterol & fat, and not having any artificial colors.
4. Alphabet Cheez-its
This cheesy savory snack is low on cholesterol , sugar (+ added sugar), and approx. 3% of the daily value for (dietary) fiber.
5. Annie’s Homegrown Bunny Grahams
Very popular with parents, Annie’s Bunny Graham Crackers boasts a few nutritional benefits including:
In addition, their Homegrown Cheddar Bunnies are similarly low on cholesterol and sugar.
6. Granola Bars
Image Source: Kind Snacks
When it comes to granola bars, Kind is at the top of the list. It’s no wonder why. It’s been repeated honored as one of the top products in its market.
The NY-based snack company has been creating quality snacks for over 10 years; with nutrient-rich options such as Madagascar Vanilla Almond Bar, Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate Chunk.
Their options are low on sodium and cholesterol and high on dietary fiber (for example, their Madagascar Vanilla Almond Bar has about 24%, or 6g, of the daily value).
7. Biena Chickpea Snacks (Sea Salt)
Image Source: Biena Snacks
While snack foods such as almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and others are already good for you and our kids, Biena’s line of flavored chickpeas up the ante on the nutrition profile with an impressive:
8. Nature Valley
Image Source: naturevalley.com
Our last snack we know your kids are sure to love are Nature Valley’s line of granola bars.
Their philosophy, which is based around curating the best ingredients for nature, is well-represented in their snack foods; which are full of whole grain oats, peanuts, honey, pumpkin seeds, chocolate, almonds, nut butters, and more.
Their classic bars include favorites like Oats ‘N Honey, Peanut Butter, Pecan, Oats ‘N Dark Chocolate & Coconut. They also carry protein bars, snack mixes and other products as well.
As a parent, you want to provide your kid with options that will satisfy their hunger, and their sweet tooths, without any of the adverse side effects that can often come with both.
As we all know, the grocery aisles can be littered with junk food; So we need to be very careful about the sorts of foods we bring home to our kids.
But the good thing is the best alternatives are not too hard to find. In fact, you can find the majority of these kid-friendly snacks at your grocery store or in Variety Fun snack boxes.
These are the sorts of foods that will make both you and your child feel good all day long. You’ll be providing them with healthy snack time munchies; but they won’t even know the difference between them and their favorite snacks.
But you will.
Look for snacks that are high in essential nutrients and minerals, such as Iron and Calcium.
Also look for organic, gluten-free, and other similarly health consciously made products which use minimal food processing.
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