From yummy on-the-go bars that pack a protein punch to a calcium-rich, lower-sugar version of the Popsicle, here are some healthy (and delicious!) snack choices you’ll feel good about giving your kids.
Twist, Twirl, Tie
We always tell our kids not to play with their food, but for this snack you might want to give the rule a pass. Made of organic fruit that’s mashed into fun, kid-approved flavors and shredded into snacks you can twist, twirl, and tie, Plum Kids Organic Fruit Shredz are a yummy addition to your snack repertoire. Each pack has a full serving of fruit and comes in BPA-free packaging that’s easy to pop in a lunchbox, stroller, or pocket. There are two flavors to choose from: Berry ’licious and Peach Peelz ($3.99 per box of five 0.63-ounce packs; plumorganics.com).
Hop Over to Whole Foods
Annie’s Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks meet both the health and the taste test, making them an ideal on-the-go snack for parents and kids. A delicious mix of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry flavors, these certified organic bunnies are made with real fruit juice and pack 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin C in each tiny package. Free of trans fat, gelatin, gluten, and artificial coloring, and available at all local New York branches of Whole Foods Market—what’s not to love? ($4.99 per box of five 8-ounce pouches; wholefoodsmarket.com).
Clif Notes
Chewy, sweet, crispy, or tangy, Clif Kid Zbars are a great on-the-go snack, providing essential vitamins and minerals kids need—and an optimal blend of protein, fiber, carbs, and fat to keep them full and content between meals. Iced Oatmeal Cookie is a brand new flavor in 2012, and the whole-grain snack bar tastes just like a cookie. The snack has no high-fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils, no preservatives or trans fats, and no artificial flavors or colors—but best of all, this is one healthy food your child will ask for ($0.89 for one, $4.49 for a box of six; clifbar.com).
Yum, Plum
This is definitely baby food, but we’ve got to warn you: Plum Organics’ Second Blend Fruit & Grains taste so good, you may be tempted to eat them yourself. The now-ubiquitous, popular suck-on pouch design is no surprise, but what’s inside is: gluten-free, ancient grain combos that pack a punch with amaranth, millet, and quinoa. Let your baby (6 months and older) enjoy all four flavor combos while you rest easy knowing the goods are certified organic, GMO-free, and coming from a BPA-free pouch ($1.49 per pouch; plumorganics.com).
Yo Yo Yo
As summer rolls around we’re all looking for a way to cool off, but that doesn’t mean you need to induce a sugar high in your kids with intensely sweet treats. Instead, try Popsicle’s newest frosty snack: the Yosicle. Featuring four yummy varieties, Yosicle blends a Popsicle pop and yogurt together to create the perfect mix of health and delight. Sold in grocery stores nationwide ($3.99 for a 12 pack box; popsicle.com) the new product contains 10% nonfat yogurt and is a great source of calcium. Whether your kids prefer the three-flavor Torpedo!, the two flavor Layerz!, or the Duos! (featuring vanilla flavored pops coated with flavored ice), you can relax knowing they’re eating something (mostly) good for them—and while you’re at it, why not grab a pop for yourself, too?
Salad Days
Experts recommend that pretend play should have an important place in your tot’s life, right alongside flash cards and ABCs. And we haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t love to dole out his imaginary kitchen creations for parents to “taste.” Give your little chef this Salad Bowl in Summer Charm set from HABA, which includes a shatterproof melamine bowl (it matches the Summer Charm tableware set from the same company) and five veggies ready for tossing: pale green salad leaves, dark green olive slices, mushroom slices, onion rings, and tomato slices. This is the kind of pretend food you can relish sampling—and maybe one day, your kid will prepare you the real thing (Ages 3 and older; $13.49; habausa.com).
