Ready-Made and Packaged Snacks
1) Olives
It's safe to start with mild-flavored black olives, but feel free to get adventurous with green olives, Kalamata, or explore stuffed options if your local healthy grocer has an olive bar. Olives are easy to pack into small containers and some brands even sell them prepackaged as individual servings.
2) Freeze-dried Fruits and Veggies
This is a fun alternative to traditional dried fruits that can be chewy and hard on teeth. There are a variety of fruits (and yes, veggies!) available to buy, like strawberries, bananas, and corn!
3) Crunchy Chickpeas
This unique snack has that satisfying crunch, is full of protein and fiber and comes in a variety of fun flavors. You can easily make your own at home, too.
4) Popcorn
When it's not covered in movie theater butter, popcorn is actually a great sugar free snack for kids! It's a low-calorie, whole grain option available in a variety of flavors, and can easily be found in individual-sized bags ready to throw in a lunchbox or backpack.
5) Cheese
There's no shortage of individual serving cheeses out there: cheese sticks, rectangles, wheels, wedges — you name it. You can also buy a block and cut cubes or chunks and pack them in reusable containers.
It’s important to teach kids skills for healthy eating, like how to swap sugary temptations for better options. As you pack lunches and prepare meals at home, continue to be a good snacking role model and show how easy and fun healthy snacking can be.