Category best-of-storebought

After School Healthy Snacks

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for After School Healthy Snacks? Here are ideas for if you eat dinner early or late, before practice snacks, car snacks, non-perishable snacks and more.

*Originally posted August 2021. Updated August 2023*

Hi friend!

A couple of years ago I rounded up some of my favorite recipes for after school snacks in this post- 10 Healthy After School Snacks For Kids. It covers everything from English muffin mini pizzas to energy balls to oatmeal. Since I know that at home, homemade snacks are not realistic for every family every day, I wanted to give you guys a few more good after-school snacks (both homemade and storebought) for specific after-school scenarios. You could also easily add these snacks to lunch boxes. For more lunch box help, check out my guide: A Month of Easy Packed Lunches For Kids.

If you’re looking for store-bought snack ideas, here are some posts that may help:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
    Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family

Easy After School Snacks

Healthy Snacks for After School

If you eat dinner later or have a couple of hours between the kids getting home/leaving school and dinner time they may need a fairly substantial snack, especially if they ate lunch early:

  • Smoothie
  • Microwave Egg Sandwich (or Turkey Cheese Avocado, PBJ etc)
  • Overnight oats or warm oatmeal
  • English Muffin Mini Pizza + fruit
  • Waffle + peanut butter
  • Homemade energy balls or Made in Nature Figgypops
  • Sweet Potato White Bean Bar + lifeway kefir
  • Amy’s frozen burrito
  • Simple Mills crackers + turkey + cheese
  • Clif Nut Butter Bar or Larabar or KIND bar
  • Beanitos chips + Guacamole
  • Kodiak Cake pancakes + yogurt
  • Barbara’s Puffins or Love Grown cereal + milk

Easy After School Healthy Snacks To Make

If you eat dinner fairly early and just want something to tide your kids over until then without ruining their dinner. Added bonus- these are simple after school snacks kids can make themselves with minimal help from you!

  • Veggies with hummus or ranch + pita
  • Apple slices with peanut butter
  • A hard-boiled egg and some raisins
  • A small bowl of Cheerios with milk
  • A handful of trail mix
  • Lentil Banana Muffin (or another nutrient-dense muffin/bar)
  • Freeze-dried veggies like Rhythm Superfood carrot sticks with string cheese

Healthy Pre-Workout Snacks

Have kids headed to sports practice after school? Here are some ideas:

  • Granola bar
  • Cereal or muffin
  • Half a bagel
  • Apple or banana with peanut butter
  • A small bowl of oatmeal
  • Crackers with turkey
  • Trailmix- raisins, cereal + peanuts
  • Yogurt + fruit
  • Clementine + hard-boiled egg

Healthy After School Snacks To Buy

I have a whole post of after school snacks to buy – 60+ Healthy Packaged Snacks For Kids so check it out for tons of ideas. I also have lists for Healthy Costco Snacks, Best Trader Joe’s Snacks and Healthy Walmart Snacks. But in general, here are a few of my favorite packaged snacks:

  • Skinny Pop or Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop
  • Cheerios/Barbara’s Puffins/Love Grown Foods cereal
  • Lifeway Kefir or Chobani or Siggis lower sugar yogurt – For the kefir, I make a glass with half plain/half flavored to reduce the sugar, for the yogurt I would pair with fruit
  • Simple Mills Almond Crackers or RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers
  • Sabra Hummus or Wholly Guacamole with crackers/veggies
  • Larabar or another from this list of  Healthy Store-bought Granola Bars For Kids
  • Biena Roasted Chickpeas
  • Made in Nature Figgy Pops
  • Kashi Waffles
  • Kodiak Cakes pancakes

Healthy Car Snacks

I wrote about Low Mess Snacks for Kids here. Here are some simple pairings that won’t make too much of a mess in the car. Keep a little trash can or bag in the car for wrappers.

  • Yogurt tube + banana
  • Cheese stick + That’s It fruit bar
  • Chomps Meat Sticks + clementine
  • Egg wrap + apple
  • Smoothie made with milk/yogurt, fruit, and spinach
  • Turkey, cheese, and apple or avocado rolled in a tortilla
  • PBJ sandwich
  • HB eggs + granola bar
  • Cold pizza or quesadilla (less mess than when they’re hot!)

Healthy Non-Perishable Snacks

Ideas for non-perishable snacks if you have to pack them in the morning and need them to still be safe to eat after school:

  • Granola or protein bar
  • Trail mix
  • Popcorn
  • Healthy Muffin/Bar
  • Chomps meat sticks (aff link) + fruit (try fresh fruit, fruit cups, dried fruit or fruit/veggie pouches)
  • Dried fruit + Whisps cheese crisps
  • Low sugar cereal + Horizon Organic shelf-stable milk boxes
  • Peanut butter sandwich
  • Roasted chickpeas or roasted edamame (you can add these to trail mix!)
  • Squeeze pouches of nut butter + crackers /banana/celery
  • My SuperCookies/bars
  • Bitsys crackers
  • Triscuits/Simple Mills/RW Garcia crackers
  • Bare Apple chips
  • That’s It Fruit bars
  • Fruit & veggie pouches

Healthy After School Snack Ideas for Teens (and kids!)

Have a teenager? Here are some snack ideas:

  • Tuna Salad + Crackers
  • Scrambled egg + toast
  • Turkey Sandwich
  • Smoothie with fruit, yogurt or milk and spinach or a smoothie bowl topped with cereal
  • Popcorn trail mix
  • Deviled eggs
  • Ramen
  • Chicken quesadilla
  • Rotisserie Chicken wrap
  • Energy balls
  • Oatmeal
  • Yogurt parfait
  • Frozen waffles
  • Frozen Fish sticks/chicken nuggets/potstickers
  • Freezer breakfast sandwiches or burritos
  • Avocado toast
  • Nachos with guacamole
  • Charcuterie snack plate

Want more? My friend Sally wrote a post of 100+ Healthy Snacks for Teens Who Are Always Hungry.

And don’t forget I have a whole list of Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks if you need those!

After School Afternoon Snacks FAQs

Should kids have a snack after school? Why are after school snacks important?

Yes! In most cases, kids should have a snack after school. Especially since my kids have started elementary school, I’ve realized just how early some kids are eating lunch? In our schools, lunch periods start as early as 10:45am and they don’t get home from school until almost 4:00pm.

If your child has an early lunch period, they’ll likely be very hungry when they get home. This can also lead to a tricky situtation depending on when you eat dinner. If you eat on the early side, around 5:00pm, there’s really not that much time before dinner, but it’s likely that your kids will be too hungry to make it even one more hour until dinner time without eating something.

What can you give them that won’t ruin their dinner? Aim for a small snack that has a mix of protein and carbs- half a sandwich, a cheese stick and an apple with peanut butter etc. This is also an excellent time to set out vegetables! Kids are most likely to eat them when they’re truly hungry 🙂

If you eat dinner later, I would aim for a bigger snack – perhaps a whole sandwich, a smoothie or muffin with yogurt.

What is the healthiest after school snack?

You can serve the healthiest snacks possible after school but if your kid refuses to eat it, it’s not really doing anyone any good. Part of being a parent is striking a balance between serving healthy options and serving foods your kids will actually eat so they’re getting the nutritional benefits.

My best advice is to aim for variety. Don’t serve the same after school snack every day. Aim to include vegetables but don’t serve just vegetables all the time. Aim for a balance of protein, healthy carbs and some fat or fiber to keep them happy and satisfied until their next meal.

How big should an after school snack be?

This will vary based on a lot of individual factors – when they ate lunch, how old they are, when dinner is being served, whether or not they have a sports practice or other activity to go to before dinner so it may take some experimenting to find what works for your family.

What are some incredibly easy to make, 5 minutes or less snacks?

Smoothies can be whipped up in just a minute or two in a blender. Grabbing a slice of turkey and cheese and pairing with crackers makes a quick, well-balanced snack. A bowl of cereal with milk can be a great quick option as well.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.

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Best Store Bought Popsicle Brands

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for the best store bought popsicle brands? Here are some of my favorites as a Registered Dietitian and mom of 3. They’re made with real fruit and lower in added sugar than traditional popsicles.

Hi friends!

Since it’s summer, more and more questions are coming in about popsicles. Which ones are best? Do they have too much sugar? What should I be looking for?

So I figured now was the perfect time to share some of my favorite popsicle brands for the next post in our best of store-bought series.

But first, in case you’ve missed any of the other posts in this series, you can check them out below:

Snacks from certain stores:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

Types of snacks:

  • Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
  • High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Healthy Fruit Snacks
  • Healthy Frozen Waffles
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

So, let’s talk about popsicles. Most traditional popsicles contain very little real fruit and often have 20+ grams of added sugar, which is a lot.

One of my favorite recommendations to make is to tell people to grab some popsicle molds and make their own using 100% fruit juice. That’s what I usually give my kids and they love them!

You can also look for lower-sugar yogurt tubes like Stonyfield or Siggis and freeze them for an easy frozen treat! We always have these in our freezer as well!

While these are both great options, I’m also a realist and know that often store-bought popsicles can be more convenient for people so here are some of my favorites that you can find at the store.

I often get asked why there are gums like guar gum and xantham gum in popsicles. This isn’t something I worry too much about. They’re used as stabilizers and they help make the texture of popsicles a little less icy and more creamy by preventing the formation of ice crystals.

Best Store-bought popsicles

While there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned popsicle every once and a while, if you’re looking for an option to eat more frequently, here are a few options you can find at the store that contain no added sugar.

Deebees Organic

Deebees Organic SuperFruit Freezies – These are made with just juice, fruit puree and guar gum. They contain no added sugar. Deebees also makes gelato pops with coconut milk and fruit juice that contain just a few grams of added sugar and are also a great choice!

Goodpop

Goodpop Freezer Pops – Goodpop has several options (shown above) made with 100% fruit juice and guar gum. They use things like spirulina and carrot juice for color and contain no added sugar. Be sure to check the label because they also have some options with added sugar.

Popsicles with less added sugar

Most store-bought popsicle brands contain 21-23 grams of added sugar. Here are a few with less than 12 grams of added sugar that don’t contain stevia, artificial sweeteners etc. While these should still be treated like dessert, they do contain less added sugar which I love and are made with fruit, fruit puree and fruit juices.

JonnyPops

Jonny Pops Strawberries & Cream Frozen Fruit Bars – made with fruit, heavy cream, cane sugar, water and salt, these have 9g added sugar and come in several flavors. They also make a dairy-free version with oat milk. They also have some more traditional varieties that don’t contain cream and have 10-13 grams of added sugar.

**They also make freezer pops with 5g of added sugar but they are sweetened with stevia which is personally not my first choice.

Outshine Fruit Bars

Outshine Fruit Bars – These are made with fruit purees, water, sugar, fruit juice, malic acid, guar gum, natural flavor, vit C, carob bean gum. The single pop variety shown above has 8g of added sugar, while the rectangular ones have 10-12g of added sugar.

**Their no-added-sugar variety is not my first choice because it is sweetened with things like sucralose.

Chloe’s

Chloe’s Fruit Pops – These are made with just fruit puree, water and cane sugar and contain 12g of added sugar. They come in a variety of flavors

Good & Gather

Good and Gather Fruit Bars – These are made with fruit, water, cane sugar, natural flavor, lemon juice, beet juice for color, xantham gum and guar gum. They have 12g of added sugar and come in several flavors.

Goodpop

Good pop – In addition to the varieties listed above that are made with just fruit juice, Goodpop also has some popsicles that are lower in sugar and made with just fruit, water, cane sugar and guar gum. There are several flavors available!

What’s your favorite store bought popsicle brand? Did I miss any good ones?

–Lindsay–

LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.

Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

Healthy Fruit Snacks & Alternatives

by admin best-of-storebought

Are you looking for healthy fruit snacks or fruit snack alternatives for your kids? Here are some recommendations from a Registered Dietitian and mom of 3.

Hi friends!

I’ve got another highly requested “best of store-bought” post for you today! Today we’re talking all things fruit snacks. I’m sharing some of my top choices for fruit snacks and fruit snack alternatives and answering some frequently asked questions.

But first, in case you’ve missed any of the other posts in this series, you can check them out below:

Snacks from certain stores:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

Types of snacks:

  • Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
  • High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Healthy Frozen Waffles
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Scroll to the bottom for a video of a taste test with my kids and see which fruit snack alternatives were our favorite!

What to look for in fruit snacks

While I don’t recommend typical fruit snacks as an everyday food, there’s nothing wrong with having them as an occasional treat. Here are a few things to note:

  • Remember that they are indeed more of a treat than a fruit. In most fruit snacks, the first ingredient is sugar or corn syrup and there are usually 12+ grams of added sugar per serving.
  • Look for options that have no artificial flavors, synthetic colors or high fructose corn syrup.

If you’re looking for an alternative, look for an option with fruit or 100% fruit juice as the first ingredient that contains no or low amounts of added sugar. Fruit snack alternatives can be a healthy snack option that’s convenient for on the go, has some vitamins and minerals and even counts towards your daily fruit intake if you choose the right one! Some options also contain a few grams of fiber!

Are fruit snacks healthy?

Traditional fruit snack companies are really good at marketing and playing up their strengths but it’s important to look at the ingredients and nutrition label. You might find your favorites contain a fair amount of corn syrup and sugar, as well as artificial colors like red40 and blue1.

In addition, some are made with fruit juice concentrate. This is basically like fruit juice with the water removed and is similar to the difference between dried fruit and fresh fruit.

So while it’s still fruit, it’s a more concentrated version and there will be more of the naturally occurring sugars that are found in fruit. Companies also often add sugar to fruit juice concentrates to make them sweeter. Many people consider fruit juice concentrate another form of added sugar.

See if you can find an option with fruit as the first ingredient and fruit juice concentrate lower on the ingredient list.

Here’s an article with more on this topic.

Can fruit snacks be part of a healthy diet? Absolutely. But I recommend treating many of them more like a dessert than a fruit.

Best Fruit Snacks Brands

So what are the best fruit snack brands?

Traditional fruit snacks

Many people reach for the following out of the “traditional fruit snack options” because they have some real fruit juice in them.

  • Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks – These do have some real fruit juice in them and avoid artificial flavors, synthetic colors and high fructose corn syrup. They’re also organic and vegan if that’s important to you. However, the first 3 ingredients are still sugar and they contain 12g of added sugar.
  • Black Forest Fruit Snacks – These also contain real fruit juice but the first 2 ingredients are sugar and they have 11g added sugar. But they are organic, have no high fructose corn syrup and don’t use synthetic colors.
  • Yum Earth Fruit Snacks – Again, the first couple of ingredients are sugar, they contain 12g of added sugar but there’s no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes and they are allergy-friendly, vegan and organic.

Better fruit snack options

Here are some options to consider that still resemble a fruit snack but have less added sugar:

  • Solely Organic Whole Fruit Gummies (aff link) – Made with just 3 ingredients: mango, orange extract and Vitamin C. They have no added sugar and contain 1 serving of fruit per bag.
  • Chum Fruit Bites – No added sugar. Made with just fruit.
  • Bear Fruit Minis – No added sugar. Made with just fruit and black carrot extract.
  • Barnana Bites – Chewy banana bites made with just banana and banana powder.
  • Eat The Change Cosmic Carrot Chews – The first ingredient is carrots. The remaining ingredients are apple juice concentrate, natural flavors and citric acid and they have 2g of added sugar.
  • Plum Organic Teensy Snacks – The first ingredients are apple puree concentrate and apple juice concentrate. They have 4g of added sugar.
  • Thrive Market Organic Fruit Circles – Contain no added sugar

Healthier Fruit Snack Alternatives

One of the best options to consider as a fruit snack alternative is dried fruit. Dried fruit is real fruit that contains tons of vitamins and minerals like fresh fruit, but the water has been removed making it more shelf stable and great for on-the-go snacks.

It’s important to remember that fruit does still contain sugar, though it’s naturally occurring. And that dried fruit has the water removed which means the sugar is more concentrated and the portions are smaller.

Also, watch for added sugar. There are plenty of options out there for unsweetened dried fruit but some companies are still adding extra sugar to make it even sweeter.

Dried Fruit Snacks and Dried Whole Fruit

Here are some dried fruit snack options:

  • Raisins – My oldest loves the SunMaid sour raisins that come in a few different flavors.
  • Dried Blueberries – We get these from Nuts.com to add to trail mix. They have a great selection of dried fruit.
  • Dates – We love brands like Natural Delights and Joolies. You can cut them into bite-sized pieces.
  • Prunes – Sunsweet sells ones already diced or you can cut into small bite-sized pieces.
  • Rind Snacks – Dried fruit with the rinds/peels left on for even more nutrients
  • Unsweetened dried fruit– we like Peeled and Made in Nature but there are tons of options out there for unsweetened dried mango, pineapple, apples, cherries etc. Made in Nature also makes Figgy Pops with dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
  • Bare chips – A crunchy option for apple, banana and coconut chips.
  • Freeze-dried fruit – Available everywhere this can be a great option to add to trail mix, use as a yogurt topping, eat as finger food for toddlers, etc.
  • Fruit Bliss – Dried fruit that’s then steamed in water to rehydrate and make it juicy!

Fruit Strips & Fruit Leather

If you grew up with fruit by the foot and fruit roll-ups, you might like introducing fruit strips or fruit leather to your kids. Here are some options made with just fruit. Some are made with fruit juice concentrate and have a few grams of added sugar but still less than most traditional fruit snacks.

  • Stretch Island Fruit Leather (aff link) – No added sugar.
  • Organic 365 Fruit Strips – No added sugar.
  • WildMade Veggie Go’s Fruit Strips (aff link) – Made with fruit purees, no added sugar and some veggies.
  • Simple Truth Organic Fruit & Veggie Strips – Made with fruit juice concentrate. 3g added sugar.
  • Good & Gather Fruit Strips – Made with fruit juice concentrate. 4g added sugar.

Fruit Rolls and Fruit Ropes

There’s just something really fun about being able to unroll your snack! These are some options for fruit rolls and ropes. Most are made with fruit as the first ingredient and no added sugar

  • Bear Fruit Rolls – Made with fruit, no added sugar.
  • Froot Thief (aff link) – The first ingredient is apples, with no added sugar.
  • Peaceful Fruits Fruit Tape – the first ingredient is fruit, with no added sugar
  • Good and Gather Twisted Fruit Ropes – Made with fruit juice concentrate, 5g added sugar.

Fruit Bars

These snack bars are fruit-focused and you can cut them into small bite-sized pieces as a fruit snack replacement!

  • That’s It Mini Fruit Bars – Made with just fruit. 0g added sugar.
  • Larabar Minis – The fruit-based flavors are made with just dates, nuts and dried fruit like cherries, blueberries, etc. They have 0g added sugar.
  • Skout Organic Bars – Made with dates, dried fruit, sunflower seed butter, and sunflower seed protein powder. 0g added sugar.
  • Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars – Made with just fruit juice concentrates, these have 4g added sugar
  • Zego Sunny Day Fruit and Veggie Bars – Made with fruit puree, fruit concentrate and mushroom powder for Vitamin D. They have 3g added sugar.

I rounded up several of the options mentioned above that I could find local to me and had my older two kids do a little taste test. Watch it here:

I tried them all with them. Some of them we all agreed were not our favorites like the cosmic carrot chews, solely and rind. Their very favorites are just plain dates and raisins. Chase also likes the flavored and sour raisins and the Bear fruit rolls and I really liked the that’s it bars. The Stretch Island, Simply Organic and Pure Organic Layered were ok and we can see some kids liking them. Lara bars are also worth a try but we did not like the cherry pie flavor.

Fruit Snacks FAQs

Are fruit snacks healthy?

As stated above, traditional fruit snacks should be treated more like desserts. Here are the ingredients in some of the most popular fruit snacks so you can see how the first several ingredients in most of them is various forms of sugar.

Welch’s uses fruit puree but also adds red 40 and blue 1 so you have to weigh what’s most important to you when choosing your fruit snacks.

Welch’s Fruit Snacks

Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snack Ingredients: Fruit puree (grape, peach, orange, strawberry and raspberry), corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, gelatin, concord grape juice from concentrate, pectin, citric acid (acidulant), lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), vitamin A palmitate, sodium citrate, coconut oil, carnauba wax, annatto (color), turmeric (color), red 40, and blue 1.

Mott’s Fruit Snacks

Mott’s Fruit Snacks Ingredients: Corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, pear juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, strawberry puree, carrot juice concentrate. Contains 2% or less of: fruit pectin, citric acid, Vitamin C, dextrose, sodium citrate, malic acid, potassium citrate, sunflower oil, vegetable and fruit juice added for color, natural flavor, carnauba wax.

Annie’s Fruit Snacks

Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snack Ingredients: Organic Rice Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Tapioca Syrup Solids, Organic Pear Juice Concentrate, Water, Pectin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Organic Natural Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Color (organic black carrot, organic black currant extracts), Organic Carnauba Wax.

Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks

Scooby Doo Fruit Flavored Snack Ingredients: Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Apple Juice Concentrate. Contains 2 % or less of: Citric Acid, Pectin, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Sunflower Oil†, Color (vegetable juice, spirulina extract, fruit juice, annatto extract, turmeric extract), Natural Flavor, Carnauba Wax.

Black Forest Fruit Snacks

Black Forest Organic Fruit Flavored Snacks Berry Medley: Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Apple Puree, Gelatin, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Black Carrot Juice Concentrate (Color), Organic Sunflower Oil*, Sodium Citrate, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Organic Carnauba Wax

Can you make homemade fruit snacks?

Yes! There are lots of recipes out there if you’re willing to give homemade fruit snacks a try! Here are a few to check out:

  • Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks from Dessert for Two
  • Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks from Joy Food Sunshine
  • Homemade Fruit Gummies from My Kids Lick the Bowl

Bulk Fruit Snacks

Homemade fruit snacks would be a great option if you’re looking to make a large quantity. You can buy cute fruit-shaped molds if you want, or you could make a large pan and cut them out with small cutters. Or, make it even easier by just cutting them into small squares!

This would be fun for a party or gathering with kids.

Where to buy fruit snacks?

Fruit snacks are widely available but two of the stores I’ve been specifically asked about the best choices at are Costco and Walmart:

Costco Fruit Snacks

Here are a few choices available at Costco:

  • That’s It Mini Fruit Bars
  • Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars
  • Sunsweet Dried Plums
  • Made In Nature – figs, dried mangoes etc
  • Bear Fruit Rolls
  • Bare Apple Chips

Fruit snacks Walmart

A few options from Walmart:

  • Bear Fruit Rolls
  • Black Forest Stretch Island Fruit Strips
  • Raisels Golden Raisin Sours
  • Great Value Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps
  • Great Value prunes, raisins etc.
  • Natural Delights Dates
  • Oh Nuts and Sincerely Nuts Dried Fruit
  • Made in Nature
  • That’s It Fruit Bars
  • Pure Organic Layered Bars
  • Larabars

Do you have a favorite to add to the list? Let me know!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.

Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

Best Deli Meat Brands

by admin best-of-storebought

What are the best deli meat brands to buy? Here are some top picks from a Registered Dietitian that have simple ingredient lists and are great on sandwiches and more!

Hi friends!

Today we’re talking about deli meat. I often get asked for the best deli meat brands, along with more information including whether they’re safe to eat, how often to eat them, what ingredients to look for and more!

So today we’re going to cover all of that. In case you’ve missed any of the other “best of store-bought” posts, you can catch up below:

Snacks from certain stores:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

Types of snacks:

  • Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
  • High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Healthy Fruit Snacks
  • Best Frozen Waffles
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Deli Meat FAQs

Before I get to brand recommendations, let’s address some of the most common questions I get related to deli meat:

What are processed meats?

Processed meats include things like deli meat, sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, beef jerky etc.

Reasons to limit deli meat consumption:

  • Links to cancer: High consumption of processed meats has been associated with increased risk for some types of cancers such as stomach and colorectal cancers
    • The preservatives often used in processed meats contain cancer-causing substances such as nitrates and nitrites, heterocyclic and polycyclic amines which are produced when meat is cooked at very high temperatures
  • Saturated fat: Many deli meats, especially ham, salami, roast beef and bologna, are high in saturated fat which is linked to increased risk of types of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity
    • You can help limit saturated fat content by choosing lean cuts of deli meat like turkey breast, chicken breast, and some hams.
  • High sodium: Deli meats can be very high in sodium which can increase the risk of high blood pressure/heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity
    • Aim to choose low/lower sodium deli meats when possible. You can also seek out fresh deli meats at your local grocery store deli counter. They’re often lower in sodium and don’t contain nitrates/nitrites often found in packaged deli meats. 

This doesn’t mean you have to eliminate deli meat from your diet but my best recommendation is to limit consumption to a couple of times a week or less!

Ingredients to avoid in deli meat:

  • Nitrates/Nitrates– While these are not carcinogenic themselves, they can create compounds (like nitrosamine compounds) that are carcinogenic, especially when deli meats are heated.
    • Sodium nitrate is an ingredient commonly used in deli meat.
  • Excess sodium – This typically means greater than ~450mg per serving

How To Approach Eating Processed Meats

  • Aim for less than 5 ounces of processed/deli meats per week
    • Deli meat slices typically vary from 1-3 ounces depending on how thinly they’re sliced
  • Try to choose fresh deli meat instead of pre-packaged when you can
    • Local grocery stores have fresh deli meat available which is typically less processed and lower in nitrates and sodium 
  • Choose low-sodium deli meats when possible
    • And be sure to note the portion size when eating!
    • Pairing high-sodium foods with plenty of water and potassium-rich foods helps too
      • Ex: add avocado to your sandwich, add fruits such as banana, cantaloupe, or oranges with your meal or have a side of potatoes (try some roasted potatoes or a baked potato)
  • Chose Nitrate/nitrite-free deli meat
    • Usually labeled  “Uncured” 

Best Types of Deli Meat

So let’s review some of my favorite brands of deli meat to choose from when you’re out shopping:

Deli Meat Chicken

Chicken Breast is a great lean meat that is low in saturated fat and typically lower in sodium. A couple of my favorite brands are: 

  • Plainville Farms Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (10g protein, 0.5 g fat, 470mg Sodium)
  • Dietz & Watson Chicken Breast (10g protein, 1.5g fat, 340mg Sodium)
  • Applegate Naturals Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (10g protein, 1g fat, 290mg Sodium)

Deli Meat Turkey

Turkey, like chicken, is also a lean deli meat, low in saturated fat, and often lower in sodium. These are just a few of our favorite brands that are sure to be a hit for your next sandwich! 

  • Dietz & Watson Presliced Organic Roasted Turkey Breast (12g protein, 0.5 g fat, 390mg Sodium)
  • Plainville Organic Pre-Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (13g protein, 0g fat, 300mg sodium)
  • Good & Gather All Natural Turkey Breast (10g protein, 1.5g fat, 350mg Sodium)
  • Applegate Naturals Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (11g protein, 0g fat, 250mg Sodium)
  • Boar’s Head Roasted Turkey Breast (11g protein, 0.5g fat, 360mg Sodium) or Boar’s Head Simplicity
  • Organic Valley now also makes deli slices of turkey and roast beef. Check to see if they’re in your area yet!

Deli Meat Ham

These brands are a great option if ham is your sandwich meat of choice. These are low in saturated fat and high in protein. Ham does tend to be higher in sodium than turkey or chicken so just be sure to check your nutrition label if have a sodium-restricted diet. 

  • Dietz & Watson Black Forest Ham (12g protein, 1g fat, 400 mg Sodium)
  • Good & Gather Lower Sodium Uncured Ham (9g protein, 2g fat, 310mg Sodium)
  • Applegate Naturals Black Forest Ham (12g protein, 2g fat, 470mg Sodium)
  • Plainville Farms Uncured Honey Maple Ham (10g protein, 2.5g fat, 460mg Sodium)

Deli Meat Roast Beef

If you have a roast beef lover in the house, this section is for you! These options are lower in saturated fat and sodium. Some brands have a lower-sodium or no-salt options too. 

  • Boar’s Head Low Sodium Roast Beef (15g protein, 3g fat, 80mg Sodium)
  • Applegate Organics Roast Beef (13g protein, 3g fat, 400mg Sodium)
  • Organic Valley Organic Roast Beef (12g protein, 1.5g fat, 400gm Sodium)
  • Dietz & Watson Angus Roast Beef (12g protein, 2g fat, 190mg Sodium)
  • Niman Ranch Uncured Roast Beef (11g protein, 6g fat, 420mg Sodium)

Deli Meat Salami

Salami is a party favorite, especially if you love a good charcuterie board! Just keep in mind that salami can be quite high in saturated fat and sodium so it’s better for occasional consumption. Salamis also tend to have added nitrates/nitrites so be sure to check your labels! These options are all nitrate/nitrite free!  

  • Dietz & Watson Napoli Salami (8g protein, 7g fat, 430mg Sodium)
  • Applegate Naturals Uncured Genoa Salami (7g protein, 8g fat, 420mg Sodium)
  • Natural Choice Uncured Hard Salami (6g protein, 10g fat, 450mg Sodium)
  • Good & Gather Uncured Hot Calabrese Salami (8g protein, 7g fat, 430mg Sodium)
  • Boar’s Head Uncured Hard Salami (6g protein, 9g fat, 470mg Sodium)

Best Jerky Stick Options

Jerky is a great high protein on-the-go snack, but it can also have added nitrates and nitrites and be high in sodium. Here are some good options for an occasional snack. 

  • Chomp Sticks (9g protein, 6g fat, 290mg Sodium) – they also have a turkey jerky option with less fat
  • Vermont Meat Sticks (6g protein, 8g fat, 380mg sodium)
  • Country Archer Original Beef Jerky Strips (8g protein, 6g fat, 390mg Sodium)
  • The New Primal Grass Fed Beef Sticks (6g protein, 6g fat, 280mg Sodium)
  • EPIC Chicken Siracha Snack Strips ( 9g protein, 2.5g fat, *440mg Sodium)
  • Lorissa’s Kitchen Original & Jalapeno Sticks (6g protein, 11g fat, 310mg Sodium) *these are a bit higher in saturated fat than the others

Most of these companies also have traditional jerky options vs sticks.

That’s for now. I’d love to hear your favorite deli meats!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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Healthy Road Trip Snacks

by admin best-of-storebought

Need some healthy road trip snacks? Or just some healthy snacks on the go snacks? Whether it’s vacation, driving to sports practice or a day of running errands, here are some travel snacks you’ll love!

*Originally published 9/21. Updated 5/23*

Hi friend!

A couple of years ago I was asked for some ideas about snacks for the car that aren’t super messy so I wrote this post on Low Mess Car Snacks for Kids. I’m finding that a few years later, I still heavily rely on car snacks so I’m always thinking about new ideas. In addition, in the summer of 2021 we drove from Ohio to Minnesota with 3 kids 6 and under. Believe me when I say I packed a lot of snacks.

We also started swim team that summer which meant A LOT of time at the pool. Two years later we’re at the pool even more for swim meets etc and with young kids that means packing a lot of snacks.

I wanted to share some good road trip snacks for kids -both what we packed in our cooler and the non-perishables in case you need more road trip snack ideas! You could also pack a lot of these for plane snacks! Or use these ideas for long days at the pool, hiking adventures and more.

I’ve also already written several snack posts that will have more options for healthy on-the-go snacks.

Healthy Store Bought Snack Ideas

  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks
  • After School Healthy Snacks
  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Lower Sugar Cereals For Kids
  • Healthy Store Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • 60+ Healthy Packaged Snacks For Kids

Also be sure to check out The Snack Spark for even more snack ideas!

Homemade Healthy Snack Ideas

As far as homemade snack ideas, I have tons. Especially when it comes to healthy muffins and bars that are good for packing as snacks on the go. Check out the snack category of the blog to browse lots of homemade snack options.

Where to buy healthy snacks online

If you’re looking to buy snacks online vs in-store, you can find lots on Amazon. Here are some individually wrapped snacks. Also check out sites like Thrive Market (requires a subscription) and Vitacost (no subscription required). Nuts.com is another good one, especially if you like to make your own trail mix.

What to look for in healthy snacks

When I talk about healthy snacks with my kids I talk about starting with protein and pairing it with healthy carbs, healthy fats and/or fiber. This combination helps fill us up and helps us stay full for longer periods of time. When packing for a road trip, I try to pack a lot of individual protein options that can then be paired with something else. For example, if my kid asks for crackers, I’ll give them some cheese to go with it. If they ask for a piece of fruit, I’ll give them a yogurt as well.

Good Road Trip Snacks

So here are some good options for road trip snacks!

Healthy Road Trip Snacks For The Cooler

  • Fruit –
    • grapes- I pulled them all off the stems ahead of time
    • bananas
    • apples- leave them whole or slice ahead of time and rubberband together to minimize browning
    • clementines – you can peel them ahead of time to make it easier
    • applesauce cups (or pouches for younger kids to minimize mess)
  • Veggies-
    • baby carrots
    • celery sticks – you can even prep ants on a log ahead of time
    • bell pepper strips
    • snap peas
  • String cheese and cheese slices
  • Hard-boiled eggs – peel them ahead of time
  • Yogurt- yogurt tubes/pouches are less messy for kids. You can also freeze them ahead of time to minimize mess even more 
  • Hummus
  • Deli turkey & pepperoni – can be eaten with crackers and used to make a sandwich
  • Homemade muffins/bars – I have a whole list of Kid-friendly Baking Recipes for bars and muffins packed with veggies and legumes!

Car Travel Snacks (Non-perishable):

  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches – you can store them in the cooler if you use jelly, or you can skip it, or use honey!
  • Bread – for turkey and cheese sandwiches
  • Simple Mills & Wheat Thins crackers
  • Cheerios cereal – I have a list of Low Sugar Cereals for Kids if Cheerios isn’t your favorite
  • Pretzels
  • Granola bars – Try one of these Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids– our favs are KIND, Larabar and Kashi
  • Chips
  • Candy – is it the healthiest? No. Will it sometimes save your sanity as a parent? Yes 🙂

Note that we stopped overnight in a hotel with a fridge and I knew the place we were staying had a fridge so I wasn’t worried about packing too much food because I knew we could just eat it throughout the week of vacation. 

I’ve also noticed that sometimes my kids don’t eat a ton in the actual car but then they’re starving when we get to the hotel so it’s nice to have things on hand to give them while we get settled, figure out where we’re going to eat dinner etc. 

What foods are considered non-perishable?

Foods are considered non-perishable if they are canned, dried, preserved or have the water removed. Basically, things that can safely be stored at room temperature without requiring they be put in the fridge or freezer to avoid spoiling.

Is it safe to snack on the go?

While I recognize that eating in the car is generally not recommended as it can be a choking hazard, I’m also a mom with young kids and know that it sometimes can’t be avoided. I found that plastic cups are a great way to pass snacks back to kids because they’re easy for them to hold and they fit in car seat cup holders. If your kids are still rear-facing, make sure you can see them while eating either by sitting near them or at least in a mirror.

Healthy Snacks on the Go

In addition to what’s listed above, here are more ideas:

Healthy Trail Mix

There are tons of great trail mix options at the store but it’s also so easy to make your own. I love this option because you can completely customize it to your liking and even make different blends for different family members. You can also make it safe for toddlers using mixes like this nut-free trail mix.

Plant-based protein

There are tons of dried plant-based proteins on the market right now. Things like roasted chickpeas, broad beans and edamame make a great on-the-go snack. Check out some different brands like The Good Bean, Biena, Bada Bean and more. Plus there are tons of nuts and seeds that you can eat on their own or as a topping etc.

Protein balls

Homemade protein or energy balls/bars are another great option. While I typically keep these in the freezer for storage, they won’t spoil if you pack them for a day trip. Make them with protein powder or without. Here’s my go-to energy balls recipe as well as some kid-friendly, protein-rich energy balls without protein powder.

Snacks the are high in protein

Protein is a key component of a good snack. If you’re looking for some ideas specifically for high protein, check out my list of Healthy High Protein Snack Ideas.

Other protein-rich snacks

Things like tuna pouches, deli meat turkey/chicken or meat sticks like Chomps (aff link) are high in protein and pair well with crackers for an easy snack.

Healthy snacks that are easy to freeze

Waffles and pancakes are actually one of my favorite on the go snacks. I love that you can easily make them ahead of time, whenever you’re not busy, and freeze them. Then just transfer to the fridge the day before you leave and pack them in a ziploc bag. They’re not super crumbly, they’re easy for kids to eat, you can make them with added protein – try our favorite Whole Wheat Pancakes.

More healthy options for a grab and go snack

Things like popcorn, sweet potato chips and dried fruit bars are strips can be great options. We love That’s It bars and Just Bare apple chips. When it comes to dried fruit, larger strips of dried fruit like mango and pears are less likely to be dropped than smaller options like raisins.

Remember that popcorn, whole nuts, roasted chickpeas etc are choking hazards for young kids.

What are your favorite healthy road trip snacks?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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Best Healthy Frozen Waffles

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for the best frozen waffles to buy at the store? Here are some healthy options from a Registered Dietitian and mom. High protein, vegan and gluten-free options.

Hi friend!

Today I’m sharing some of the best frozen waffles that you can find at the grocery store. My kids love waffles and while I know I can fairly easily make my own, I almost always have a box in the freezer because sometimes it’s just easier 🙂

This is a continuation of our Best of Store-Bought series. If you’ve missed any previous posts, you can catch-up by clicking the links below:

Snacks from certain stores:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

Types of snacks:

  • Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
  • Healthy Fruit Snacks
  • High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Best Frozen Waffles

So what did I look for when choosing the best healthy frozen waffles? Here are a few things to consider:

  • Nutrition: I try to find options that have AT LEAST 2g of both protein and fiber. There are definitely more options out there than are on this list and many of them have just 1g of protein and/or fiber and that’s not going to do much to help fill you up.
  • Added sugar: I tried to find options with no more than 6g of added sugar per serving, although I’d prefer it was even less than that. Especially if you’re going to be serving them with more sugar like syrup or jelly.
  • Sodium: Frozen waffles can also be high in sodium. Check the sodium content for a serving size and aim for under 400mg sodium, closer to 200mg would be better if possible.
  • Price: Another factor to consider is price. Frozen waffles can be expensive and the number of waffles in a box varies. When comparing prices, be sure to consider whether they come in 6, 8 or 10 waffles per box.

Healthy Frozen Waffles FAQ

Can frozen waffles be healthy?

They can! Just like all convenience foods, some options are better than others. Finding a brand you enjoy eating that will also help keep you full and satisfied is most important. I recommend looking for options made with whole grains as they typically have a few grams of fiber to help keep you full.

I also want there to be at least some protein.

Can waffles be a healthy breakfast/ How do you make frozen waffles better?

You can make frozen waffles even heartier with your toppings. Try topping with yogurt, avocado, peanut butter etc to add more protein/fiber/healthy fats.

Or pair with some fresh fruit and a glass of milk or some yogurt for a balanced breakfast full.

Are Kodiak frozen waffles healthy?

Kodiak Cakes is the brand I currently feed my family. I like that they are made with whole grains and also like that they have some added protein. That way, even if my kids eat them plain, they’re still getting a decent amount of protein and fiber.

Kodiak also has a great pancake/waffles mix that freezes well so I often use their mix to make my own waffles- I make them with milk and add an egg and then I freeze them once cooled and just pop in the toaster as needed.

Is there gluten in frozen waffles?

Unless the waffles are specifically marked gluten-free, I would assume they contain gluten. Wheat flour is one of the most common main ingredients in waffles.

Best Frozen Waffles

So let’s talk about some of my favorite frozen waffles. I’ve divided the waffles into categories for the purpose of this post but remember that you don’t have to follow a certain kind of diet just to eat those waffles.

Protein Waffles Frozen

While protein-packed power waffles aren’t necessary for toddlers/younger kids with lower protein needs, they can be a great option for older kids and adults who are looking to start their day with a fair amount of protein. Here are some of my favorite higher-protein options:

  • Kodiak Protein Packed Power Waffles  (12g protein, 4g fiber, 5g added sugar) 
  • KashiGo Protein Waffles (13g protein, 3g fiber, 5g added sugar) 
  • 365 Buttermilk Protein Waffles (12g protein, 3g fiber, 4g added sugars)
  • Kidfresh Homestyle Waffles (8g protein, 3g fiber, 2g added sugars)

Vegan Frozen Waffles

Like I mentioned above, you don’t have to follow a vegan diet to eat these waffles. I personally love Kashi waffles and I’m not vegan. These can also be a good option if you are dairy-free.

  • 365 Organic Multigrain Waffles (4g protein, 6g fiber, 2g added sugar)
  • Nature’s Path Flax Plus Waffles (4g protein, 5g fiber, 4g added sugar) 
  • Kashi Seven Grain Waffles (3g protein, 5g fiber, 5g added sugar) 

Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles

A lot of the gluten-free options out there are lacking in protein and fiber. Many varieties I found only had 1g of protein and fiber but here are a couple to try!

  • Kashi Cinnamon Waffles (3g protein, 3g fiber, 5g added sugars) 
  • Good & Gather Buttermilk Gluten Free (3g protein, 2g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Birch Benders Paleo Toaster Waffles (3g protein, 3g fiber, 0g added sugar)

These Vans Multigrain Waffles are another good choice. They just didn’t fit into any of the other categories 🙂 They’re a little higher in sodium but they do have 4g of protein and fiber and 3g added sugar.

Pancake & Waffle Boxed Mixes

When I have the time on Sundays, I like to prep a double batch of waffles (or pancakes) and freeze them for later in the week. Here are a few mixes I like:

  • Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Pancake & Waffle Mix – My kids love this mix. We buy the jumbo box at Costco!
  • Simple Mills Protein Almond Flour Pancake Mix – They also have a regular pancake mix without the added protein which is a great option as well.
  • Arrowhead Mills Buckwheat Pancake and Waffle Mix – I love their buckwheat flour and use it to make my Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pancakes weekly. I do find it can be a bit dry though so I often mix in some pumpkin or mashed bananas!

Frozen Waffles In Air Fryer

Frozen waffles are most often made in the toaster but here’s a push for you to try air fryer frozen waffles! You don’t even need to preheat it! Just stick them in, set it at 350F for 3 minutes and then flip them over and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Note that gluten-free waffles in the air fryer often take less time! I’d start with 2 minutes and then another minute once flipped.

Best Frozen Waffles

What’s your favorite kind of frozen waffles?

Traditional Homemade Waffles

And if you’re not in the mood for the pre-made boxed version, here are a couple of homemade waffle recipes we love:

  • Banana Flax Waffles
  • Sweet Potato Waffles
  • Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffles

Gluten-Free Original Waffles

For a few non-traditional ideas, try:

  • Tater Tot Waffles – make sure to use gluten free tater tots if needed.
  • Egg Waffles
  • Guacamole Waffle Bites

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

Best ALDI Healthy Snacks

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for some of the best ALDI healthy snacks? Here are some top picks from a Registered Dietitian that both kids and adults will love.

Hi friends!

Welcome to the next post in our best of store-bought series! Here’s a look at some of the posts we’ve tackled previously.

If you’re looking for store-specific snacks check out:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Healthy Snacks at Target

For more item-specific options check out:

  • Healthy High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Best Gluten-Free Snacks
  • Best Frozen Waffles
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Today we’re sharing some of the best healthy snacks at ALDI. If you havea an ALDI near you, definitely take advantage! It is a hidden gem for some healthy and affordable options! Here are a few of our favorites.

As always, this is not an all-inclusive list and not everyone will agree with all the snacks on the list. When I’m looking for snacks for my family, I try to focus on options that have at least 2g of both protein and fiber, as well as ones that are lower in added sugar. I typically aim for 6g of added sugar or less per serving but do make exceptions, especially if they have some protein and fiber.

Best Healthy ALDI Snacks

Healthy Whole Grains at ALDI

These whole-grain options are packed with fiber and some protein! Add your favorite cheese, deli meat, or nut butter to make a quick and easy sandwich, wrap, or waffle.

  • Specially Selected Small Batch Sourdough bread (3g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread (3g protein, 2g fiber, 2g added sugar)
  • L’oven Fresh 12 Grain Bread (5g protein, 3g fiber, 2g added sugar
  • L’oven Whole Wheat Pitas (7g protein, 6g fiber, 1g added sugar)
  • Breakfast Best Protein Waffles (12g protein, 3g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)

Best Healthy Chips & Crackers at ALDI

These crunchy snacks are a great way to add some fiber (and protein!) to a healthy snack. Dip your chips in some hummus or add some cheese to your crackers. Pair popcorn with nuts and seeds for a simple and satisfying snack. The coconut crips pair great with some fruit and nut butter too!

  • Simply Nature Coconut Cashew Crisps (3g protein, 3g fiber, 6g sugar *4g added sugar)
  • Savoritz Cheddar Cheese Crisps-Gluten Free! (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Savoritz Everything Almond Flour Crackers-Gluten Free! (7g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Savoritz Woven Whole Wheat Crackers (2g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Life GFree Sea Salt Brown Rice Crisps– Gluten Free! (2g protein, 3g fiber, <1g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Sea Salt Popcorn (3g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Black Bean Chips-Gluten Free! (5g protein, 5g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Multigrain Tortilla Chips (2g protein, 2g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Clancy’s Peanut Butter Pretzels (4g protein, 1g fiber, 2g sugar *1g added sugar)

Healthy Dairy and Dips at ALDI

These dairy and dip choices are a great way to spice up your snacks and add some protein! Add some granola to your yogurt or some fruit on top of cottage cheese for a fiber boost. Or dip veggies in some tzatziki sauce or hummus! Guacamole and Hummus are great vegan options if you want to give your snack time a twist. If you are in a pinch, Aldi’s snack packs are a great on-the-go choice packed with protein, fat, and fiber for a satisfying snack that will keep you full!

  • Friendly Farms Plain Greek Yogurt (15g protein, 0g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Whole Milk Vanilla Yogurt – mix with half plain yogurt (6g protein, 0g fiber, 17g sugar *9g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature String Cheese (7g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Lifeway Kefir (10g protein, 0g fiber, 18g sugar *8g added sugar)
  • Select Snacks Snack Packs – cheese, nuts & dried fruit (8g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *1g added sugar)
  • Gourmet Snacking Cheese (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Friendly Farms Lowfat Cottage Cheese (13g protein, 0g fiber, 5g sugar)
  • Guacamole Spicy Singles-Vegan (1g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Singles-Vegan (3g protein, 2g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Spinach Parmesan Tzatzki with Greek Yogurt (2g protein, 0g fiber, 1g sugar)

Best ALDI Healthy Granolas & Cereals

These scrumptious granolas and cereals can be great for breakfast or a snack! Both granola and cereal go great with yogurt or even homemade trail mix. If you’re in a pinch a granola bar is an easy option, just be sure to watch out for added sugars!

  • Millville Cinamon Granola Crunch (2g protein, 2g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • Elevation Pure and Simple Fruit and Nut Bars-Gluten Free & Vegan! (4g protein, 4g fiber, 18g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Elevation Only Nuts & Sea Salt with Dark Chocolate (6g protein, 7g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Millville Crispy Oats (5g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Ginger Cranberry Coconut Clusters (2g protein, 5g fiber, 4g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Bear Naked Bites Honey Oat (3g protein, 6g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Millville Original Balance Multigrain Cereal – *8g added sugar, mix with lower sugar (4g protein, 3g fiber, 8g sugar)

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great and easy snack. You can add some dried fruit to make your own trail mix or sprinkle some on top of yogurt. Simple peanut butter and jelly is always a great choice too! If you’re on the go, the 100 calories snack packs are a great choice, just be sure to pair them with some fruit or veggies to make a satisfying snack that will keep you full!

  • Southern Grove 100 Calorie Almonds and Walnuts (3g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Southern Grove Unwind Trail Mix + other varieties, look for low added sugar (4g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *4g added sugar)
  • Southern Grove Seed & Raisin Trail Mix (5g protein, 2g fiber, 5g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Omega Trail Mix (5g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Peanut Butter (8g protein, 3g fiber, 2g sugar)

Healthy Protein Snacks Aldi

Every well-rounded snack needs protein. It helps keep you full and provides your body energy. These high-protein snacks are great to add to a fiber-rich snack like crackers or veggies. You can even make a quick sandwich too. If you need a snack that is a little larger, Aldi has some great frozen meals too!

  • Simms Smoked Beef Biltong (16g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Aldi Oven Classic Deli Sliced Turkey (13g protein, 0g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Never Any! Chicken Breakfast Sausage (5g protein, 0g fiber, 3g added sugar)
  • Egglife Egg Wraps (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Whole & Simple Southwestern Style Chicken Quinoa Bowl (16g protein, 8g fiber, 3g sugar)
  • Black Bean Salad (4g protein, 3g fiber, 3g sugar *1g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Peppered Beef Jerky (9g protein, 0g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • Simms Artisan Jerky Aloha Teriyaki (9g protein, 0g fiber, 7g sugar)

Hopefully this post has given you a few new ideas!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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Best Healthy Snacks At Target

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for the best healthy Target snacks? Here are some ideas from a Registered Dietitian for snacks both kids and adults will love.

Hi friends!

We’re back with the latest in our best of store-bought series! In case you missed any of the previous posts you can check them out below:

If you’re looking for store-specific snacks check out:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks

For more item-specific options check out:

  • Healthy High Protein Snacks
  • Best Gluten-Free Snacks
  • Best Frozen Waffles
  • Healthy Store Bought Tortillas
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Today, by popular request we’re tackling some of the best healthy snacks at Target. Target has come a long way with their food options in the past several years and there are tons of great snack options. Here are a few of our favorites.

As always, this is not an all-inclusive list and not everyone will agree with all the snacks on the list. When I’m looking for snacks for my family, I try to focus on options that have at least 2g of both protein and fiber, as well as ones that are lower in added sugar. I typically aim for 6g of added sugar or less per serving but do make exceptions, especially if the snack is also a good source of protein and fiber. I also look at the sodium content.

Healthy Snacks at Target

Whole Grain Target Snacks

These whole grain target snacks are full of fiber and contain some protein as well. Use the breads to pair with deli meat or nut butter to make a sandwich or a quick french toast. Try a waffle with peanut butter and jelly or even just pair a piece of toast with a glass of milk or some yogurt.

  • Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread (3g protein, 2g fiber, 1g added sugar)
  • Dave’s Killer Bread Thin Sliced Good Seed (3g protein, 3g fiber, 2g added sugar)
  • Dr Praegers Veggie Brownie Littles (2g protein, 4g fiber, 4g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Dave’s Killer Bread Thin Sliced White Done Right (2g protein, 1g fiber, 2g added sugar)
  • Kodiak Thick and Fluffy Blueberry Power Waffles (10g protein, 3g fiber, 7g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Buttermilk Vanilla Protein Waffles (12g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Veggies Made Great Muffins (3g protein, 2g fiber, 10g sugar *7g added sugar)
  • Dave’s Killer Bread English Muffins (6g protein, 3g fiber, *2g added sugar)
  • Bobo’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bites (3g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *7g added sugar)

Best Crunchy Snacks at Target

These crunchy snacks from Target good sources of protein and fiber and can easily be packed for outings or school snacks. Pair the crackers with your favorite dip or some sliced cheese or try adding popcorn to your favorite trailmix with some nuts and dried fruit.

  • Triscuits (2g protein, 4g fiber, 4g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Skinny Pop Mini Popcorn Cakes (3g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Harvest Snaps (5g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Whisps Parmesan Cheese Crisps– 100% cheese (13g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Moonshot Sourdough Sea Salt Crackers (3g protein, 2g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simple Mills Seed Flour Crackers (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Cruncmaster Multiseed Crackers (3g protein, 2g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Good and Gather Mini Sandwich Cheese Crackers (3g protein, <1g fiber, 3g sugar *2g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Olive Oil & Himalayan Sea Salt Popcorn (2g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips (1g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Skinny Pop Popcorn (2g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Sunchips (2g protein, 2g fiber, 2g added sugar)

Healthy Dairy Snacks At Target

Dairy snacks are high in protein and can easily be paired with another snack that has some fiber or healthy carbs. Try mixing plain yogurt with flavored to reduce the added sugar or serve plain yogurt topped with sweetened granola.

  • Dannon whole milk plain yogurt (6g protein, 0g fiber, 7g sugar)
  • Siggi’s yogurt (12 g protein, 0g fiber, 8g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Oikos Triple Zero – stevia sweetened (15g protein, 0g fiber, 5g sugar)
  • Chobani Drinkable Yogurt (10g protein, <1g fiber, 15g sugar *7g added sugar)
  • Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches (5g protein, 0g fiber, 9g sugar *4g added sugar)
  • Sargento Colby Jack Cheese Sticks (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather String Cheese (7g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Babybel Cheese Wheels (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Annie’s Mac and Cheese (9g protein, 3g fiber, 7g sugar)
  • Gogoez  Squeez Yogurt (4g protein, 0g fiber, 14g sugar *8g added sugars)

Best Target Snacks – Dips & Spreads

Dips and spreads are a great way to make other snacks more appealing. Try dipping high fiber chips like Beanitos in guacamole, mixing PB2 into plain yogurt or dipping veggies into hummus.

  • PB2 (6g protein, 1g fiber, 2g sugar *1g added sugar)
  • Sabra Hummus-Gluten Free! (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good Food Avocado Mash (1g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good Foods Plant-Based Queso *other plant-based dips (2g protein, 1g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Classic Guacamole (0g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Crunchy Almond Butter (7g protein, 4g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Organic Peanut Butter (8g protein, 3g fiber, 3g sugar)

Target Healthy Snacks – Frozen

If you need a bit of a larger snack, Target has a large selection of frozen meals, many of them plant-based, that are packed with protein and come in at around 300 calories.

  • Good & Gather Chicken and Veggie Potstickers (7g protein, 2g fiber, 2g sugar *<1g added sugar)
  • Purple Carrot Maple Chipotle Veggie Bowl-vegan! (11g protein, 9g fiber, 15g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Tattooed Chef Buddha Bowl-vegan! (10g protein, 9g fiber, 6g sugar)

Target Fruit Snacks (and veggies!)

These are great for on-the-go snacks and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake! Just be sure to pair it with a protein source for a well-balanced and satisfying snack! Even better all these fruit and veggie snacks are gluten free and vegan.

  • Bare Cinnamon Apple Chips (<1g protein, 4g fiber, 20g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Freeze-dried fruit (2g protein, 6g fiber, 15g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Once Upon A Farm Dairy-Free Smoothie (3g protein, 2g fiber, 10g sugar)
  • Gogo Squeez Fruit and Veggies (<1g protein, 4g fiber, 10g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Fruit and Veggie Pouches (0g protein, 1g fiber, 8g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Fruit and Veggies Strips (0g protein, 1g fiber, 9g sugar *3g added sugar)

Healthy Granola and Cereal Snacks At Target

Cereal isn’t just for breakfast! It can make an excellent snack. Look for low sugar options like Kix, or try mixing half honey cereal with plain to cut the added sugar. Add granola to plain yogurt for a nice crunch and a touch of sweetness.

  • Heritage Flakes– Vegan (5g protein, 7g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Kashi Organic Toasted Honey or Plain Cheerios (4g protein, 6g fiber, 7g added sugar)
  • Kix (3g protein, 3g fiber, 4g added sugar)
  • KIND Oats and honey granola (2g protein, 2g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Purely Elizabeth Blueberry Hemp Granola (Nut Free & Gluten Free) – 7g added sugar *many flavors (3g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar)
  • Safe and Fair Cookie Dough Granola (Vegan & Gluten Free)- *6g added sugar (3g protein, 2g fiber, 7g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Granola Bites *8g added sugar (4g protein, 3g fiber, *8g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Blueberry Flax Granola (3g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)

Healthy Granola Bars

I try to stick to options with simple ingredients that have less than 6g of added sugar but those can be hard to find! Some bars have higher amounts of sugar that come from natural sources like dates and some are higher in sugar but also a good source of protein and fiber.

  • Clif Nut Butter Bars (7g protein, 3g fiber, 10g sugar *6g added sugar)
  • Larabar Minis (3g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *2g added sugar)
  • KIND breakfast blueberry almond (3g protein, 3g fiber, 10g sugar *7g added sugar)
  • Mid Day Squares Brownie Batter-Vegan & Gluten Free (6g protein, 4g fiber, 4g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Perfect Bars – 12g added sugar (15g protein, 4g fiber, 18g sugar *12g added sugar)
  • Made Good Granola Bars (2g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • RX bars (12g protein, 5g fiber, 13g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Larabar-Vegan & Gluten Free (3g protein, 3g fiber, 20g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Date & Nut Bars (3g protein, 4g fiber, 21g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Almond Coconut Nut Bars (4g protein, 7g fiber, 8g sugar *6g added sugar)
  • Jojos Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites (6 protein, 3g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds and trail mix make great snacks. Eat them plain or pair with cheese and crackers. Try a pre-made trail mix or use plain nuts to make your own. Be aware of the portion size on the bag. Nuts and seeds can pack a lot of nutrients into a small amount!

  • Good & gather lightly salted nuts-Vegan! (5g protein, <1g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Raw Mixed Nuts-Vegan! (5g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Omega Trail Mix-Vegan! (4g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Thinly Dipped Dark Chocolate Almonds (5g protein, 3g fiber, 5g sugar *4g added sugar)

On The Go Snacks Target

While these pre-packaged snacks can be more expensive, they can also be great options in a pinch. Look for ones that have simple ingredients and a good combination of protein and fiber.

  • Crunckpak Snacker – apples, pretzels perfect bar (8g protein, 3g fiber, 11g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • P3 Portable Protein Pack (11g protein, 1g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Oscar Meyer Natural turkey with cheese and crackers (15g protein, 3g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Sabra Smart Snackers (Vegan) – pretzels and hummus (10g protein, 6g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Pretzels with hummus (9g protein, 6g fiber, 3g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Quick Bites cheese nuts and dried fruit (8g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *7g added sugar)

Healthy Protein Snacks at Target

Protein is the building block of any great snack. Here are some high-protein options you can pair with healthy fats or carbs for a balanced snack that will keep you full!

  • Applegate Turkey (11g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Natural Roasted Turkey Breast (10g protein, 0g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & gather Hard boiled eggs (6g protien, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Epic Bars (11g protein, 2g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Country Archer Grass Fed Mini Beef Sticks (4g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Pacific Foods Chicken Noodle Soup with Bone Broth (9g protein, 2g fiber, 9g sugar)
  • Good & Gather sweet & spicy chunk light tuna (14g protein, 1g fiber, 4g added sugar)

Gluten-Free Snacks Target

There are SO MANY great gluten-free snack options to choose from! Here are some of the snacks we listed above that are gluten-free:

  • Skinny Pop Mini Popcorn Cakes (3g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Harvest Snaps (5g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Whisps Parmesan Cheese Crisps– 100% cheese (13g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Olive Oil & Himalayan Sea Salt Popcorn (2g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips (1g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Skinny Pop Popcorn (2g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Raw Mixed Nuts (5g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Larabar (3g protein, 3g fiber, 20g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Date & Nut Bars (3g protein, 4g fiber, 21g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Sabra Hummus (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good Food Avocado Mash (1g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good & Gather String Cheese (7g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)

Vegan Snacks Target

There are also several vegan snacks at Target including many of the snacks mentioned in this post. Here are a few vegan snacks we wanted to highlight:

  • Sabra Smart Snackers – pretzels and hummus (10g protein, 6g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Pretzels with hummus (9g protein, 6g fiber, 3g sugar)
  • Good & gather lightly salted nuts (5g protein, <1g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Larabar Minis (3g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *2g added sugar)
  • KIND breakfast blueberry almond (3g protein, 3g fiber, 10g sugar *7g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Date & Nut Bars (3g protein, 4g fiber, 21g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Raw Mixed Nuts (5g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Omega Trail Mix (4g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Purple Carrot Maple Chipotle Veggie Bowl (11g protein, 9g fiber, 15g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Tattooed Chef Buddha Bowl (10g protein, 9g fiber, 6g sugar)
  • Good Foods Plant-Based Queso *plus other plant-based dips (2g protein, 1g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Once Upon A Farm Dairy-Free Smoothie (3g protein, 2g fiber, 10g sugar)

Hopefully this list gives you some new ideas!

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Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for the best healthy gluten-free snacks for kids and adults? Here are some top picks from a Registered Dietitian and mom of 3.

Hi friends!

Here is another post in our best of store-bought snack series! We’ve already shared our top picks for various stores and categories, which you can check out below!

If you’re looking for store-specific snacks check out:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

For specific snack categories, check out:

  • High Protein Snack Ideas
  • Healthy Fruit Snacks
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Best Frozen Waffles
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Gluten-Free Foods

Today we are going to share some of our favorite gluten-free store-bought snacks, but there are many foods that are naturally gluten-free! Including things like:

  • Fruits & Vegetables
  • Rice
  • Quinoa
  • Meats, Poultry, & Fish
  • Milk, yogurt, & other dairy products
  • Eggs
  • Beans
  • Nuts & Seeds
  • Potatoes
  • Corn

This is not an all-inclusive list and gluten can be added to these foods during processing but they don’t contain gluten naturally.

For this post, we’re focusing on store-bought snack ideas. First, let’s talk a little bit about gluten.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein found in some grain products primarily wheat, barley, and rye. This protein acts as a binding agent that helps grains to keep their shape. Oats contain a protein called avenin that can cause an immune response in people with celiac disease but do not naturally contain gluten (oats are often cross-contaminated in processing remember to check the food label for gluten-free oats).

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet is a diet that avoids foods containing gluten. This includes products like bread, pasta, cereals, and baked goods. However, gluten can be found in other food such as malt syrups or vinegar, food coloring, soy sauce, or foods cross-contaminated in processing. This may be due to an autoimmune disease called celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Why should you avoid gluten?

If you have celiac disease, it is important to avoid gluten to prevent your body from attacking the digestive symptoms. A gluten-free diet also helps to avoid unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea.

If you have gluten sensitivity or notice worsening digestive symptoms after eating gluten, avoiding gluten may help to lessen these symptoms.

While a gluten-free diet is important if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, grains that contain gluten are still nutritious. Grains are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are important to a healthy diet. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy gluten-free snacks, but don’t forget to include whole grains in your diet too.

Are gluten-free snacks healthy?

There are plenty of healthy gluten-free snacks out there. As we mentioned above, lots of foods are naturally gluten-free and make great snacks including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat, nuts, seeds and more! You can use gluten-free ingredients to make healthy gluten-free snacks at home like these Gluten-free Buckwheat Pancakes or My Go-To Energy Balls.

There are also some great pre-packaged gluten-free snacks on the market now as gluten-free diets are becoming more common.

What to look for in a gluten-free snack?

As far as packaged/store-bought snacks, gluten-free snacks are similar to their gluten-containing options in that there are always going to be some choices that are better than others. When looking at store-bought gluten-free snacks, look for those that have simple ingredients, are low in added sugar and not too high in sodium.

If needed, look for the certified gluten-free seal on the packaging.

Best Gluten-Free Snacks

We hope this list will be helpful if you or someone in your family follows a gluten-free diet. Whether it’s due to celiac disease or for another reason, it can be difficult to track down healthy gluten-free snacks. These are some of our favorites but it is not an all-inclusive list. If you have celiac disease or require certified gluten-free foods, remember to check for the certified gluten-free label. Not everything on this list is certified gluten-free.

List of Gluten-Free Foods & Snacks

Gluten-Free Snacks for Kids

Here are some kid-friendly gluten-free snack ideas that kids will love! To help keep your kiddos full of energy, pair high-protein snacks with a fiber source. Hummus or Avocado mash goes great with gluten-free crackers and chips (and vegetables!) or add some fruit & gluten-free granola to yogurt!

  • Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop Mini Bags (3g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Sargento Natural Mozzarealla String Cheese (7g protein, 0g carb, 0g sugar)
  • Chomp Sticks (9g protein, 0g carb, 0g sugars) 
  • Biena Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt (6g protein, 6g fiber, <1g sugar) 
  • Harvest Snaps (5g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Sabra Hummus (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Good Food Avocado Mash (1g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Siggis Vanilla Yogurt (16g protein, 0g fiber, 9g sugar)
  • Chobani Less sugar yogurt (12g protein, 1g fiber, 5g added sugar) 
  • Mamma Chia Blueberry Acai Squeeze Vitality Snack (2g protein, 6g fiber, 4g added sugar)
  • GoGo squeeZ Applesauce *pair with a protein  (0g protein, 3g fiber, 13g sugar) 
  • GoGo Squeez Yogurt (4g protein, 0g fiber, 14g sugar *8g added sugars)
  • Bare Cinnamon Apple Chips (<1g protein, 4g fiber, 20g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • That’s it Fruit Bars-Vegan! (1g protein, 4g fiber, 17g sugar *0g added sugar) 
  • Brazi Bites – grain-free (3g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)

Healthy Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Snacks

If you are looking for gluten-free, dairy-free snacks, this section is for you! Several of these snacks are vegan too!

  • Once Upon A Farm Dairy-Free Smoothie (3g protein, 2g fiber, 10g sugar)
  • Good Foods Plant-Based Queso *other plant-based dips (2g protein, 1g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • RX bars (12g protein, 5g fiber, 13g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Hard-boiled eggs (6g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Epic Bars (11g protein, 2g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Country Archer Grass Fed Mini Beef Sticks (4g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Plainville Farms Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Dietz & Watson Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast (11g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Lesser Evil “No Cheese” Cheesiness Popcorn (2g protein, 4g fiber, <1g sugar) 
  • Egglife Egg Wraps (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)

Healthy Gluten-Free Vegan Snacks

These snacks are both gluten-free and vegan and are some of our favorites! Remember to look for a snack with protein and fiber to help give you energy throughout the day. Nuts & Seeds are a good source of plant-based protein and great gluten-free snacks. They go great with fruits & veggies too.

  • Hippeas Vegan White Cheddar Chickpea Puffs (4g protein, 3g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Larabar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip +many flavors (5g protein, 4g fiber, 4g added sugar)
  • Rhythm Organic Superfoods Kale Chips (5g protein, 3g fiber, 1g added sugar)
  • Made Good Granola Bars (2g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Good & Gather Raw Mixed Nuts (5g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Good & Gather Omega Trail Mix (4g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Biena Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt (6g protein, 6g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Harvest Snaps (5g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Sabra Hummus (2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Enjoy Life Enjoy Bites Dark Raspberry (6g protein, 3g fiber, 11g sugar, 5g added sugar)
  • Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop (2g protein, 2g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Louisville Vegan Jerky Smoked Black Pepper (7g protein, 2g fiber, <1g sugar)

What kind of chips are gluten-free?

There are SO many gluten-free chips & crackers on the market now that there is plenty to choose from. Here are some made from simple ingredients and taste great too!

  • Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers (3g protein, 2g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Blue Diamond Nut Thins (3g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Wisps Cheddar Cheese Crisps (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • CrunchMaster Protein Snack Crackers (5g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • SkinnyPop Sea Salt Popcorn Mini Cakes (3g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Quaker Lightly Salted Gluten-Free Rice Cakes-Pair with a protein or fat source (peanut butter, avocado, or cream cheese)
  • Lance Real Peanut Butter Bite-Size Sandwich Crackers (2g protein, 1g fiber, 3g added sugars)
  • Quinn Peanut Butter filled Pretzels (3g protein, 1g fiber, 2g added sugar) 
  • Beanitos Black Bean Tortilla Chips +other Beanitos chips & puffs (5g protein, 4g fiber, 1g sugar) 

Are potato chips gluten-free?

Many potato and corn chips are naturally gluten-free, just be sure to check for added ingredients and look for certified gluten-free if needed as they can be cross-contaminated during processing, if fried in shared oil, etc.

Gluten-Free Snack Ideas: “Grains & Granolas”

While most grains contain gluten, there are still lots of gluten-free granolas, cereals, and even bread to choose from! There are even gluten-free bread companies like Little Northern Bakehouse, Scharr, and Canyon Bakehouse that make finding options easy. Enjoy these delicious gluten-free grains with your favorite nut butter or make a sandwich with meat & cheese for a satisfying snack.

  • Purely Elizabeth Gluten-Free Ancient Grain Granola (3g protein, 2g fiber, 7g added sugar)
  • Nature’s Path Organic Gluten Free Honey Almond Granola (3g protein, 2g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • KIND Healthy Grains Oats & Honey Clusters (2g protein, 2g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Three Wishes Grain Free Cereal Cinnamon (8g protein, 3g fiber, 3g added sugars)
  • Rice Chex Cereal (3g protein, 2g fiber, 3g added sugar)
  • Siete Frozen Almond Flour Tortilla (6g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Little Northern Bakehouse Bread & English Muffins (1g protein,4g fiber, 5g sugar)
  • Other popular brands: Scharr & Canyon Bakehouse are good options for GF bread too!  
  • Rise & Puff Tortilla (0g protein, 1g fiber, 1g added sugar) 

Healthy Gluten-Free Snack Recipes

Looking to make your own gluten-free snacks? I’ve got you covered! Check out some of my favorite and easy gluten-free snack recipes to try at home.

Curried Tuna Salad with Apples

A quick and easy lunch idea that’s full of flavor!

Read more

Healthy Microwave Popcorn

Make healthy microwave popcorn with just popcorn kernels and a paper lunch sack. Makes a great whole-grain snack for older kids and adults and you can flavor it any way you want to!

Read more

Easy Egg Wraps for Breakfast…Lunch AND Dinner!

These Easy Egg Wraps are perfect for a low-carb, high-protein snack. Make several ahead of time and fill with things like turkey, avocado, cheese, hummus and more.

Read more

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bean Bread

This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bean Bread will definitely become your go-to snack. It’s packed with fiber and protein and kid-friendly too. The whole family will love it!

Read more

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Brownies

These Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Brownies are flourless, sweetened with dates and full of chocolate flavor. They taste so good you’ll never believe they’re a healthy dessert!

Read more

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pancakes

These gluten-free buckwheat pancakes make a quick, healthy breakfast. They’re packed with protein and fiber, are kid-friendly and reheat well!

Read more

Gluten-Free Snacks at Walmart

There are so many gluten-free snack options everywhere you go! Walmart has great snack options for gluten-free snacks that will be a hit for kids and adults! Check out my Healthy Snacks at Walmart post for some tasty gluten-free options.

Best Healthy Snacks at Walmart

Gluten-Free Snack Box

Check out a few of these awesome snack boxes and subscriptions for some gluten-free snack ideas. These websites offer gluten-free box options that everyone can enjoy. This is a fun way to discover new snacks and switch things up!

  • Smart Box Company
  • Snack Sack
  • Num Num’s Munch Box
  • UrthBox
  • The Balanced Company Snack Box

Hope you got some new ideas!

Popular Gluten-Free Snack Ideas

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.

Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

Healthy High Protein Snack Ideas

by admin best-of-storebought

Looking for the best healthy high-protein snacks that kids and adults will love? Here are some of my top picks as a Registered Dietitian for high protein snacks that are low carb, vegan and more.

Hi friends! We are continuing our best of store-bought snack series! We’ve already covered several stores and categories so be sure to check them out if you missed them the first time!

If you’re looking for store-specific snacks check out:

  • Healthy Amazon Snacks
  • Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
  • Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
  • Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
  • Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
  • Best Healthy Snacks at Target

For specific categories, check out:

  • Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
  • Healthy Fruit Snacks
  • Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
  • Best Frozen Waffles
  • Best Boxed Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
  • Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
  • Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
  • Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
  • Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
  • Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks

Today we’re talking about high protein snacks because it’s a frequently requested topic! So let’s talk a little bit about protein and why I think it’s so important as a Registered Dietitian.

FAQs about High Protein Snacks

Why is Protein Important for a snack?

Protein is essential for our body. Proteins are made up of amino acids which our body uses in all sorts of ways! Protein isn’t just for building muscles, it’s also important in lots of chemical reactions such as digestion and energy production.

What are the benefits of high-protein snacks?

High-protein snacks can help us stay fuller longer. Protein does not cause spikes in blood sugar like carbohydrates can so pairing carbs with protein, fiber and healthy fats is important for maintaining steady blood glucose levels and increasing satiety. High-protein snacks can also be important after a workout to help build muscle and speed up muscle recovery.

Are All High Protein Snacks Healthy?

Unfortunately, not all high-protein snacks are created equal. It’s best to check the nutrition label and try to find the simplest ingredients you can. When looking for high-protein snacks I look for those that have a decent amount of protein but are also not too high in added sugar or sodium. Many high-protein snacks contain sugar alcohols as well which can be difficult to digest so be sure to look out for those if that’s a concern for you.

Why Eat High Protein Snacks?

Protein is the building block for our muscles and is essential in many bodily functions. Protein also slows digestion which helps reduce blood sugar spikes and keeps us full and satisfied for longer while providing our bodies with the energy we need.

How much protein should a snack have?

Anywhere from 8-16 grams of protein is good for a snack. It doesn’t have to be from one food either. Combining foods like peanut butter toast, crackers & hummus, or yogurt & granola, are an easy way to bump up the protein.

What snacks are high in protein?

Snacks that are made with animal products tend to be good sources of protein. This includes things like dairy products, meat, seafood, cheese, eggs. There are also vegan snacks that are high in protein like edamame, nuts, seeds etc. Carbohydrate snacks made with whole grains can also have a decent amount of protein.

Now let’s get to the snacks! There’s no hard and fast rule for what constitutes high protein and as always, people will have differening opinions. But hopefully this list will give you a starting point and some new ideas for high protein snacks to try!

High Protein Low Fat Snacks

Some snacks listed below can fall into multiple categories. For example, some snacks like tuna or deli meat can also be considered high-protein and low-fat snacks but we have them below in the high protein/low carb category because they fit there as well. If you are looking to bump up the fiber pairing these snacks with a complex carbohydrate (granola, whole grain bread, crackers) is a great option too.

So what snacks are high in protein but low in fat?

Here are some ideas:

  • Too Good Vanilla Low-fat Greek Yogurt (12g protein, 3g car, 0g fiber, 2g sugar) *stevia sweetened
  • Good Culture 2% Low Fat Cottage Cheese (19g protein, 0g fiber, 3g sugar)
  • Fage Non Fat Greek Yogurt (16g protein, 5g fiber, 0g fiber, 5g sugar
  • Siggis Vanilla Yogurt (16g protein, 0g fiber, 9g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Chobani Less sugar yogurt (12g protein, 1g fiber, 5g added sugar) 
  • Applegate precooked chicken strips (23g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar) 
  • Fuel for fire fruit smoothies (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar) *aff link
  • Pictsweet Farms Steam’ables Edamame (7g protein, 3g fiber, 2g sugar)

Best High Protein Whole Grains

These high-protein grains are a great way to increase your protein while adding some fiber to your day. Grains have inherently less protein than meat/dairy products, but these options are great sources of protein for this category and are even better when paired with another protein source!

  • Kodiak Cakes Power Waffles +many flavors or pancake/waffle mix (12g protein, 3g fiber, 27g carb, 5g added sugar)
  • RX High Protein Oatmeal (12g protein, 6g fiber, 7g sugar, 0g added sugar)
  • Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed Crackers + another protein source (5g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Purely Elizabeth Granola Vanilla Almond Butter-Grain free, gluten-free, vegan! ( 6g protein, 3g fiber, 5g added sugars)
  • Dave’s Killer 21 Whole Grain and Seeds Organic Loaf (5g protein, 5g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Purely Elizabeth collagen protein oats (9g protein, 5g fiber, 6g added sugar) 
  • Snow Days Pizza Bites -note that these are actually grain-free! (7g protein, 5g fiber, 2g sugar)

High Protein Low Carb Snacks (10 carbs or less)

If you are looking for a snack that is high in protein but lower in carbs, we’ve got you covered! Many of these snacks are also great options if you are gluten-free too.

  • P3 Portable Protein Snack Park with Turkey, Almonds, & Colby Jack Cheese (11g protein, 4g carb, 1g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Chomp Meat Sticks (9g protein, 0g carb, 0g sugars)
  • Good & Gather Sweet & Spicy Tuna (14g protein, 1g fiber, 4g added sugar)
  • StarKist Wild Caught Light Tuna (17g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Wild Planet Wild Tuna, Bean, and Corn Salad (16g protein, 8g fiber, 3g added sugar) 
  • Hard Boiled Eggs (6g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Egglife Egg Wraps (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar) 
  • Organic Valley Feta & Chive Egg Bites (14g protein, 0g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Sargento Balanced Breaks White Cheddar, Roasted Almonds & Dried Cranberries (7g protein, 2g fiber, 8g added sugar)
  • Plainville Farms Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Dietz & Watson Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast (11g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Sargento Natural Mozzarella String Cheese (7g protein, 0g carb, 0g sugar)
  • Wisps Cheese Crisps +many flavors (9g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)

Best High Protein Vegan Snacks

Who says plants can’t be high in protein too? These vegan protein snacks are great if you looking to increase your plant-based protein sources. Nuts and Seeds are great sources of vegan protein. We’ve included a few vegan protein bars in our protein bar section below too!

  • Good & Gather Raw Mixed Nuts (6g protein, 7g carb, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Go Raw Sprouted Organic Pumpkin Seeds Sea Salt (8g protein, 4g carb, 3g fiber 0g sugar)
  • The Only Bean– Crunchy Roasted Edamame Beans with Sea Salt (14g protein, 5g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Biena Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt (6g protein, 6g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Crazy Richards 100% All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter-pair with Dave’s killer bread (8g protein, 3g fiber, 2g sugar)
  • Protein Power Ball Mint Dark Chocolate (6g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar)
  • Siete Frozen Almound Flour Tortilla (6g protein, 3g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Seapoint Farms dry roasted edamame (14g protein, 6g fiber, 1g sugar) 
  • Califia Farms Protein Oat Milk (8g protein, 1g fiber, 3g added sugar) 
  • Enjoy Life Enjoy Bites Dark Raspberry– Gluten & Nut Free (6g protein, 3g fiber, 11g sugar, 5g added sugar)
  • Sabara Hummus + Mary’s Gone Super Seed Crackers (7g protein, 4g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Bada Bean Bada Boom Roast Broad Fava Beans (6g protein, 4g fiber, 1g added sugar)
  • Beyond Meat Plant-based Teriyaki Jerky (10g protein, 2g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Louisville Vegan Jerky Smoked Black Pepper (7g protein, 2g fiber, <1g sugar)

Healthy High Protein Snacks-Protein Bars

It can be hard to find protein bars that are high in protein, low in added sugar, and have simple ingredients. Sometimes you have to weigh the trade-off of getting a little more added sugar with simpler ingredients. We have included a few of our favorite options for you!

  • RX Bars (12g protein, 23g carb, 5g fiber, 13g sugar 0g added sugar)
  • Epic Chicken Protein Bars (11g protein, 3g carbs, 2g fiber, 0g added sugars)
  • Go Macro Macro Bars + other flavors-Vegan! (11g protein, 36g carbs, 11g added sugar)
  • Aloha Organic Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars-Vegan!(14g protein, 20g carb, 3g fiber, 13g sugar)
  • Cascadian Farm Organic Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Protein Bars (12g protein, 2g fiber, 19g carb, 11g added sugar)
  • Clif Nut Butter Bars-Vegan! (7g protein, 27g carb, 3g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • KIND Protein Bars Double Chocolate-Vegan (12g protein, 18g carbs, 5g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • Bob’s Bars – PB Honey and Oat -Vegan! (8g protein, 3g fiber, 9g added sugar) 

High Protein Low Calorie

A popular search term in this category is high protein/low calories snacks. I don’t count calories or macros so I’m not listing options for this category but I’m sure there are other lists out there.

I do want to encourage you to remember that when calories are removed they are often replaced with artificial ingredients or sweeteners. In my opinion, it is less important to focus on calories and more important to focus on high-protein snacks that are well-balanced. These snacks keep you full and satisfied while giving your body the energy it needs to tackle the day.

What are you favorite high protein snacks?

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