As a mom, I’m always looking for healthy snacks that are easy to serve to my toddler. While I buy plenty of whole foods, prepackaged and shelf-stable snacks are more convenient to carry around in the diaper bag and require only minimal preparation to add to my son’s meal.
If you have a kid of any age and are gearing up for going back to school, there are plenty of affordable, healthy options that will add some nutritious value to their diets.
I rounded up some of my favorite healthy snacks, plus some recommended by registered dietitians. Add these to your list during your next grocery run and toss them in your kid’s backpack or lunchbox.
If your child has any dietary restrictions, like a gluten intolerance or certain food sensitivities, Siete Foods is a great option. The brand was created by Veronica Garza, who was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and didn’t want to give up flavors and food from her Mexican heritage. As a result, she came up with grain-free Mexican American tortillas, which eventually expanded into snacks.
Siete has everything from tortilla chips to almond flour tortillas, potato chips, cookies, puff snacks, grain-free cookies and more. These are made with avocado oil and almond, chickpea, coconut or cassava flours. Registered Dietitian Maura Fowler likes Siete tortilla chips as a carbohydrate source for lunch. “Pair them with salsa or guacamole if using in a packed lunch,” she advises.
Some of my favorites include Mexican shortbread, Mexican wedding cookies and tortilla chips. Another plus is that some of the snacks come in mini sizes, so they fit into a lunchbox without taking up a lot of space.
Ideally, you want to keep extra sugars and ingredients minimal in snacks you give toddlers. Amara smoothie melts are made up of organic fruits and vegetables, without added sugars. These yogurt drops easily melt in your toddler’s mouth and come in resealable bags or snack packs. Yogurt melts are good to have on hand during the solids introduction stage and even as babies transition into toddlerhood, when you want a snack that’s mess-free and easy to eat.
Some Amara favorites include the strawberry and blueberry breakfast oat melts and their traditional yogurt melts in carrot-raspberry, beets n’ berries and mango-carrot.
Cerebelly snacks were created by a mom and neurosurgeon who wanted to create a food line that included ingredients to support children’s cognitive development. Cerebelly includes fruit pouches made up of organic vegetables and fruits that are free of gluten, nuts and dairy. There are also smart bars that are made up of whole grains and real fruit that are free of added sugars. The fruit pouches are ideal if you're just starting to introduce solids to your baby and want ready-made snacks on hand. The smart bars are made up of different flavors like strawberry-beet and carrot-date.
I like that these smart bars are small enough to carry several in your purse or diaper bag, and they’re designed to be held by toddlers.
If your kids like roasted vegetables, the Gimme Roasted Seaweed snacks are a good option for a nutrient-dense snack. Registered Dietitian Lauren Manaker loves these as an option for her daughter for a variety of reasons. She says, “Gimme’s Sea Salt Seaweed snacks have no added sugar, are an excellent source of vitamin B12 and iodine (essential nutrients for energy metabolism) and are made with just three simple ingredients.” Additionally, they provide more fiber than oats.
These snacks come in packs that fit easily into lunchboxes or your pantry. Other flavors available by Gimme include teriyaki (my personal favorite), chili lime, olive oil and Korean BBQ.
Mush makes overnight oat products that parents and kids of all ages can enjoy. If you’re trying to get your kids to eat more whole grains, fruits and veggies, then you’ll want to check out Mushkins. Mushkins are oatmeal smoothie pouches targeted toward kids that consist only of fruits, vegetables, rolled oats, almond or coconut milk, depending on the flavor. Flavors include strawberry bananza, apple dreams and chocolaty chocolate. These pouches fit perfectly into lunchboxes of most sizes and should remain refrigerated like the rest of Mush’s products.
Older kids will probably enjoy Mush’s protein bars or overnight oat options for a sweet midday or after-school treat. These products have minimal ingredients and are made up of rolled oats, with fruits and dates added for sweetness. Parents may find the protein overnight oats appealing if they’re looking for ways to add protein to their diet without sacrificing flavor. Some of my favorites include peanut butter-chocolate chip and chocolate brownie.
The popular Clif bars brand also has soft-baked bars targeted toward children called Clif Zbars. These bars consist of 12 grams of whole grains and are made up of rolled oats with no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Kids can enjoy flavors like cookies ‘n creme, blueberry muffin and chocolate chip. Fowler recommends these for kids who are active and in sports. “These bars are great for in-between snacks or before a practice,” she says.
It can be hard to navigate the snack space if you have a child with food allergies. One brand to consider is Kate Farms, which offers plenty of shelf-stable and kid-friendly options that avoid common allergens like milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soybeans or sesame. Its products are made from organic pea protein. Some options available for kids over the 12 months include the Kids Nutrition shake, which comes in a variety of flavors: vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. These shakes have over 27 vitamins and minerals, 8 grams of pea protein and broccoli, kale, berries and turmeric.
If you’re looking for a higher-calorie shake because you want to make sure your child is getting enough calories and nutrients throughout the day, the Pediatric Standard 1.2 is another alternative. This shake is appropriate for children ages 1 through 13, has 12 grams of protein and can be served as a meal replacement or snack. This shake is available in chocolate and vanilla, and similar to the Kids Nutrition shakes, it comes in a carton, which makes it easy to include in a lunch box or in your fridge.
If your kids like dried fruit and you want their snacks to have minimal sugar, then you should try out some That’s It. fruit bars. These fruit bars are made up of 100% fruit, are plant-based and have no additional sugars. They look like fruit leather and come in flavors ranging from mango, strawberry, blueberry, fig and more. These are ideal if you want to sneak in more fiber and fruits into your child’s diet. You can purchase it as a full-size bar or mini, which is perfect to add to your children’s lunchboxes, keep in the car or throw in your gym bag.
Tuna can be hit or miss with kids, but Wild Planet managed to make savory, ready-to-eat tuna options. The sustainably caught wild seafood brand is known for its canned tuna, but I recently discovered its ready-to-eat options, and they were surprisingly filled with flavor. These ready-to-eat meals are a great pick if your child isn’t able to reheat or keep their meals cold for lunchtime. They’ll have a complete meal that has 16 to 21 grams of protein and 2 to 10 grams of fiber.
Some ready-to-eat selections include wild tuna and red bean salad; wild tuna and white bean salad; wild tuna and quinoa salad; wild tuna, corn and bean salad; and wild tuna and pasta salad. These are a step up from a traditional tuna salad and can be a good option for kids who are adventurous eaters.
If your kids love yogurt as part of a snack, then you know it can get messy real fast. Stonyfield Organic drinkable yogurts and pouches are a good choice to keep in stock for lunch boxes because they are designed for little hands. It’s also an easy way to make sure your kids are getting probiotics through their food for a healthy gut. Stonyfield’s products are made up of 100% organic milk, and its pouches come in a variety of flavors like strawberry, blueberry and some fruit and veggie combinations with zero-added-sugar options. You can even get them in tube form (and freeze them) if your kids prefer. The drinkable yogurt smoothies are sold in 6-fluid-ounce bottles. There are plenty of kid-friendly options to choose from with Stonyfield products.
How to pick a healthy snack for your kids
It’s helpful to know what to look for when shopping for healthy snacks for your kids. Elizabeth Pecoraro, a registered dietitian and food allergy specialist, says you should focus on a few things: sugar, fiber and protein. You should also make sure the ingredients are free of artificial dyes, hydrogenated oils and excessive sodium.
“When it comes to sugar, aim for less than 5 grams per serving, especially for toddlers,” Pecoraro advises. Additionally, she recommends making sure the snack has 2 to 3 grams of fiber and 2 to 5 grams of protein to keep energy steady among school-age kids.
Snacks can be helpful when you’re trying to build out a meal or looking for ways to make sure your kids are getting enough nutrients throughout the day. Fowler recommends using snacks as a tool. “I encourage parents to decide on a weekly menu for their child’s lunch so they can prep the freshest lunch possible,” she says.
Fowler also encourages getting your child involved in the planning process (if they’re of school age), so they are more encouraged to consume fresh food versus packaged options. “In this case, these snacks are more so utilized for extra energy or protein, depending on the child’s activity levels and whether or not they need to gain weight,” she adds.
How often should kids eat packaged snacks?
If you have a picky eater at home who seems to only prefer snacks, you’re probably wondering how often to feed your child packaged snacks. Luckily, it’s OK for your kids to eat snacks every day. Pecoraro points out that packaged snacks can be part of a healthy routine when balanced with whole foods. “I recommend offering one packaged snack per day, along with meals and fresh options like fruit, veggies, cheese or nut/seed butters — as appropriate for age and allergies,” Pecoraro says.
Fowler agrees and points out that there are plenty of snack options that can contribute to your child’s dietary needs. “A bar high in fiber is great for extended energy throughout the day, and I try to suggest snacks that are high in fiber or protein for this reason,” explains Fowler. However, she notes that if you have an athletic child, you should aim for a snack with much higher protein and extra salt (for hydration purposes). If they’re on sports teams, she also recommends simple carbs strictly for practice purposes since they’ll need quick sources of energy.
Pecoraro suggests sticking to whole foods whenever possible and using packaged snacks for convenience, like when you’re on the go or if you need to add something extra to your child’s lunchbox. “Keep regular meals centered around whole foods, but packaged snacks can complement a nutrient-dense diet,” she says.
As always, if you have any concerns about your child’s diet, consult with their pediatrician to make sure they are getting enough nutrients daily.
