Nutritonist-Approved Store-Bought Kid Snacks!

Written by Lenora Dannelke

On-the-go moms often turn to off-the-shelf snacks as a quick fix for their peckish offspring. In fact, snacking plays an important role in meeting a child’s dietary needs, from providing a needed energy boost to taking the edge off a voracious appetite that could lead to overeating at dinner.

Packaged products often tend to be loaded with sugar, salt, and fat. Even 100-calorie packs of cookies or chips may exceed USDA guidelines for children, which recommend no more than 35% of the package weight come from sugar and no more than 35% of the calories come from fat.

To speed up your search for some just-right bites, we turned to Kim Campbell, MPH, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian at St. Luke’s Diabetes Education Center in Center Valley, who also happens to be a mom. Here are her tasty and nutritious picks that both kids and adults will love.

Smartfood Delight Popcorn

With flavors like white cheddar, sea salt, and sea salted caramel, this popcorn tastes totally indulgent. The reality? It contains just 35 calories per cup, and packs 3 grams of healthy, filling fiber.

Frigo Cheese Heads Swirls

These two-tone twists of mozzarella and cheddar contain 70 calories, 5 grams of satisfying protein, and 15% of your daily value for calcium—making them pretty darn balanced. They also come in a superstring version fortified with vitamins A and D.

Skinny Pop Popcorn Cakes

Think: rice cakes meets popcorn. These snacks are delightfully crunchy and perfect for scooping into hummus, salsa, or a yogurt dip. With 3 grams of fiber for every 2 cakes (thanks, whole grains!), they’ll keep you nice and full.

Seapoint Farms Edamame

These convenient packs of frozen, shelled organic soybeans are about as unprocessed as it gets, and a great source of protein and fiber. To eat, simply thaw, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and enjoy!

Smartfood Delight Popcorn

Frigo Cheese Heads Swirls

Skinny Pop Popcorn Cakes

Seapoint Farms Edamame

These convenient packs of frozen, shelled organic soybeans are about as unprocessed as it gets, and a great source of protein and fiber. To eat, simply thaw, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and enjoy!