5 Snack Swaps for a Healthy Lifestyle

Improve your family’s snacking game with these sure-fire fixes for common cravings.

 

Snacks on a table

 
For energetic, on-the-move kids, snacks provide an opportunity to add nutrition into their day. Whenever possible, choose whole food options like fresh veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds instead of conventional, packaged foods. Sometimes, however, kids ask for something else like chips, desserts and soda. 
 
The good news is that you can save on simple feel-good solutions right now! Save $5 off $15 of Annie’sproducts through August 22, 2017*. Stock on parent- and kid-approved Bunny Graham Crackers, Cheddar Bunnies and more!
 

Satisfying Swaps

You can also improve your family’s snacking game with these sure-fire fixes for common cravings. 
 
1. Savory & Salty
When you crave: Conventional flavored potato chips, which can be fried in sunflower or corn oil and contain artificial flavors and added MSG:

  • Try this instead: 365 Everyday Value® Potato Chips (No artificial flavors and no added MSG)

  • Or even better: Homemade air-popped popcorn spritzed with Bragg Liquid Aminos and tossed with nutritional yeast (No oil and no artificial flavors)

Dried Fruit Chews

Recipe: Dried Fruit Chews  opens in a new tab
 
2. Sweet Treats
When you crave: Conventional gummy candy, which can contain artificial colors and flavors and lots of added sugar:

  • Try this instead: 365 Everyday Value® Organic Fruit Strips (Made with real fruit, juice and fruit extracts and no artificial flavors or colors)

  • Or even better: Make Dried Fruit Chews opens in a new tab or shop our bulk bins for dried fruit. (Get the nutritional benefits of a whole food — plus, our quality standards prohibit added sulfites in dried fruit! Tip: Choose dried fruits with no added sugar.) 

3. Raise the Granola Bar
When you crave: Conventional granola bar, which can contain hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup and artificial preservatives:

  • Try this instead: 365 Everyday Value® Organic Chewy Granola Bars (No artificial preservatives and 10g whole grains per bar!)

  • Or even better: Build your own granola trail mix opens in a new tab. (Choose raw or dry-roasted nuts and seeds and dried fruit with no added sugar. Our quality standards prohibit added sulfites in dried fruit.) 

Fruity Soda Pop

Recipe: Fruity Soda Pop opens in a new tab
 
4. Satisfying Sips
When you crave: Conventional soda, which can contain artificial colors and flavors, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetener and phosphoric acid:

  • Try this instead: 365 Everyday Value® Soda (No artificial colors, no artificial flavors and no high fructose corn syrup)

  • Or even better: Turn your favorite juice into a soda pop with this recipe for Fruity Soda Pop opens in a new tab. (Opt for 100% juice for no added sugar.)

Banana Nice Cream

Recipe: Banana Nice Cream opens in a new tab
 
5. Frosty Desserts
When you crave: Conventional ice cream, which can be made with artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup:

  • Try this instead: 365 Everyday Value® Organic Ice Cream (No artificial flavors or colors and no high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated fats — plus, it’s made with milk from cows not treated with synthetic growth hormones known as rBST/rBGH.)

  • Or even better: Make Banana Nice Cream opens in a new tab or a creamy banana smoothie like this Chocolate-Almond Banana Smoothie opens in a new tab. (No artificial flavors, plus you get the nutritional benefits of a whole food.)

Snack Inspiration

The name of the game is to keep them quick and easy. Stock your kitchen with these kid-approved snacks:

  • "Finger fruits" like grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries and cherry tomatoes

  • Easy-to-handle fruits like apples, pears, plums and bananas

  • Baby carrots, pre-cut bell peppers and radishes, bite-sized chunks of squash and celery – with optional dips or spreads

  • String cheese, cheese cubes or pre-sliced cheese

  • Low-fat yogurt

  • Hard-boiled eggs

  • Nuts and seeds, dried fruit and trail mix

  • Cereal and granola

  • Popcorn

  • High-fiber whole wheat crackers

  • Applesauce

Craving more ideas? Check out these recipes for healthy snacks opens in a new tab
 
*Valid 7/26-8/22/17. Save $5 off any one (1) $15 or more purchase of Annie’s brand products. While supplies last. No rain checks. Selection varies. U.S. only. Not valid at Whole Foods Market 365™ locations. 

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