I know, whole foods are typically the best option, yup, got it, but sometimes (a lot of times) we need convenience.
Typically, what I look for in a snack will add some nutritional value: protein, fiber, calcium, and less sugar. That’s not to say we don’t have fun snacks like the Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks (11g sugar), BUT a snack that will help keep them satisfied is a huge win.
Also, for someone who is not a dietician, complex ingredient lists go right over my head. I strive for simplicity when it comes to ingredient lists to better understand what is going in their cute little tummies. Finally, I try to avoid ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and GMOs (corn, sugar, and canola).
Alright, let’s go over some favorites, shall we?
Serenity Kids Pouches
Starting with my absolute favorite. Dawson has loved these pouches since he was 6-months old, and he still does at 2.5 years old. These are whole food ingredients and not loaded with sugar, as are so many other pouches.
Example: organic butternut squash, organic spinach, water, organic avocado oil.
YUP, THAT’S IT.
Dawson isn’t a huge fan of cow’s milk, so I love the pouches (particularly with spinach) to get in a little extra calcium! These are must-have items when traveling, as they give you a little peace of mind that your kids are still getting in veggies and healthy fats!
Thrive Market is our go-to place to buy these pouches!
Meat Sticks
Grass-fed beef, minimal ingredients, and an excellent source of protein!
Favorite brands: Thrive Market, Nick’s Sticks, Chomps
Hummus cups or Avocado
Costco has a great Kirkland brand of organic hummus cups! Look for minimal ingredients.
Single-serving avocado cups are everywhere these days! Check out the ingredients; they should either just be avocados or avocadoes with basics like lemon and sea salt.
Simple Mills Crackers
For dipping in the hummus or avocado… or trying not to eat the whole box of Farmhouse Cheddar. These have whole food ingredients starting with their nut & seed flour blend of almonds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. I like the individual bags too for a bit of novelty for my toddler!
Hippeas
Tastes like Cheetos are made with chickpea flour, so they’ll get a little extra protein while snacking!
Good Pop Popsicles
I strive to be the mama with homemade popsicles always in her freezer! One day. But for today, my freezer is stocked with these for convenience. Better ingredients and they even have all the nostalgia flavors like a creamsicle and those red, white, and blue popsicles!
Mamma Chia Pouches
These are awesome because they have Chia Seeds for some healthy Omega 3s and no added sugar!
Annie’s products
This is pretty much the go-to brand for giving your kids the “classic” kids snacks with better ingredients! Some products are better than others, but they are still a much better alternative! Annie’s cheddar bunnies are a favorite in our house!
Harvest Snaps
The first ingredient is green peas! It’s a much better option than most “chips” on the Market.
Once Upon a farm Pouches
Really nothing beats Serenity Kids for me, but this is another excellent pouch brand! Lazy mom hack for better popsicles is squeezing these into a popsicle mold!
That’s It Bars
Whole fruit is usually an easy option but sometimes just throwing one of these bars into a diaper bag is even more convenient! Fruit is the only ingredient in these bars for a fun on-the-go snack.
