Snack Time: Packaged Snacks!
What to feed your toddler for snack time?! I will be writing TWO posts on this topic. One will be all about wholesome snacks you can prepare at home (coming soon), but this post is all about packaged snacks that you can grab for an easy and tasty option.
When Emery first started solids,I thought I would be the mom to prepare every snack and meal for my child. Healthy home-cooking is something I care so deeply about, so of course I’d want my child to only eat foods I prepared in my own kitchen. Well that didn’t happen – and that’s okay! I still cook/prepare the majority of Emery’s meals and snacks at home, but life happens and I realized I needed some store-bought, packaged options that I felt really good about sharing with my child.
While not all my snacks will be homemade, I keep the same guidelines in place. Snacks will have protein and fiber, be made from just a few ingredients, and contain no added sugar. By following this plan, snacks can help keep blood sugar levels stable AND keep bellies fuller longer (so your child won’t be hungry for ANOTHER snack an hour later).
So I did my research and was pleasantly surprised to find some really great options out there! Options that have protein, fiber, organic, and wholesome ingredients! Here they are – some super clean snacks you can feel good about giving to your child!
Toby’s Favorite Packaged Snack Picks!
Amara Smoothie Melts - Emery is crazy about these! They are not all that filling so I typically will serve these in addition to something else (with protein), like a rice cracker with peanut butter. Our current favorite flavor is the mango carrot!
Bare Snacks - These fruit and veggie chips are so simple and so delicious. They are just fruits or veggies baked either on their own or with a little cinnamon (for the fruits) or sea salt (for the veggies). Watch out because some can be a little hard for toddler teeth! Our favorite is the Organic Apple Cinnamon.
Skout Bars - These organic, plant-based bars are made from simple and wholesome ingredients, and they taste amazing! We keep a few of these in the car in case of snack-time emergencies!
Sweet Nothing Smoothies and Nut Butter Bites - The nut butter bites are a protein-rich grab-and-go option full of delicious flavor and nutrient-rich ingredients. The smoothies are great to have in the freezer – an easy way to get some veggies into your child’s belly!
Lara Bar Minis - Lara Bars were one of the first packaged snacks to simplify ingredients. They are made with just a few ingredients - mostly fruit and nuts. While they certainly are a wholesome option, due to the high sugar content from all the dates, I opt for the Minis when serving to Emery.
Dino Bars - These bars are made with organic fruit and vegetables, and in addition, there are some other superfood ingredients thrown in like hemp hearts (for some extra protein)! They taste great AND their packaging is adorable :)
Simple Mills Crackers - Everyone in my family is obsessed with these crackers! My favorites to have on hand for Emery are the Veggie Flour Pita Crackers, the Seed Flour Crackers, and we all can’t get enough of the Farmhouse Cheddar.
SeaSnax - This roasted seaweed snack is made from just organic seaweed, organic olive oil, and sea salt. Seaweed is full of healthy vitamins and minerals, making it a delicious and healthy addition to snacktime!