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Healthy Packaged Snacks

Have you thought about healthier “junk food” options for yourself and your family?

I’s normal for junk-food temptations to be most persistent during special occasions, family get-together, holidays, and the like…

And sometimes, you may decide to simply enjoy indulging in that donut, or birthday cake, or celebratory candy.

But often you can satisfy the “itch” with one of many HEALTHIER packaged snacks that won’t make you feel sick afterwards.

Now, if you want to bake things yourself, here are several options you’ll enjoy for a family dinner or special occasion.

Prepared Foods- But Make Them Less Processed

Having a stash of healthy treats also comes in extremely handy for families who don’t want to buy junk when traveling or on the road for the day.

If you have these on-hand it’s much easier to get out and go without having to worry about where you’ll get healthy food. This is precisely why I try to have some variety of healthy packaged snacks on-hand all the time.

And as much as I love baking healthy treats, sometimes it’s a security to know that there’s something else to fall back on!

What do you mean, “Healthy Treats?”

Everybody is going to have their own standards about this.

I do not pretend that I keep perfectly to my ideal standards.

But, I think most health-conscious individuals, especially parents who are aware of the neuro-developmental consequences of a poor quality, contaminated diet, will agree on these:

  • NO hydrogenated fats and oils (aka trans fats- these are non-negotiable), artificial colors, preservatives and non-food ingredients (remember the yoga mat-ingredient scandal in fast food burger buns? Don’t trust that everything food-like is actually food).

Personally I also prefer if a processed item is:

  • Gluten-free and Sugar-free: Both of these items can be very inflammatory and addictive. They can exacerbate stomach-upset or pretty much any symptoms someone might have.
  • As always, I prefer if the item is also Organic, meaning that it isn’t full of chemical residue like many regular foods are.

In an ideal world I would also want to check out the processing.

It’s not glamorous to think about, but any prepared food has a loooong journey before it gets in your hands.

Many variables in that process have the potential to strip nutrients and/or contaminate with metals like aluminum, lead, and more.

Don’t believe me? Did you know that 95% of baby foods- yes, baby foods, made for babies– on the shelves of every grocery store in America contain absurdly high levels of heavy metals? Just one more reason I would recommend simplifying your life by serving your baby the same food you’re preparing and eating anyway.

(Soap box moment: I love when living a healthier lifestyle is synonymous with removing complicated expectations. I have encountered this “coincidence” in so many aspects of baby care. Check out this post about diaper rash and this post about bath time and you’ll see what I mean about minimizing extra baby stuff).

Back to food and candy and processing:

Obviously, in practicality you can only prevent food contamination by toxic materials when you’re the one doing the “processing,” in your kitchen. In your own abode, you can minimize toxic load fairly simply. One big category you can attack? Aluminum. Here’s why I barely buy this “housewife necessity.”

So it’s just something to be aware of with packaged snacks. For example, one of the items on this list was included in the most recent Prop 65 warning as containing tiny trace amounts of lead. Healthier is better, but to be honest, all processed food has is evils.

Whole, real foods as close to their original forms as possible will always win.

On to the Healthy Packaged Snacks

  1. Let us begin with the crown prince of all Paleo snacking and indulging.

I refer, of course, to Simple Mills.

They tend to rely on a combination of almond flour, seed flours, and tapioca to create their products’ incredible taste, look, and texture.

Which items should you introduce to your pantry/freezer ASAP?

I recommend starting with ALL of their crackers and cookies!

Seriously, though, the 2 standout cookie flavors are Chocolate Chip cookies and Pecan cookies. When we go traveling we always take a few boxes of these cookies. Last time we went away, early in the morning I looked over to see my toddler helping himself to handfuls of these cookies straight out of the box!

Buy 1 or 2 boxes of each. I used to do that, too.

Next thing you know, though, you’ll be right with me buying 4-6.

2. Taza Organic Dark Chocolate

This brand is doing amazing things. I don’t think they could add one more impressive feature to their resume!

  • Organic.
  • No sugar- they use coconut sugar instead.
  • Stone-ground cocoa beans- this gives it a unique texture and mouthfeel, but also means it’s less processed.
  • No fillers like soy or even sunflower lechitin.
  • And they also make sure that their cocoa is fair-trade.

My favorites from this brand:

  • 95% Wicked Dark. You can feel very caveman and virtuous about this, since there’s practically no sweetener, just pure cocoa.
  • Almond Sea Salt 80%. You WILL NOT believe how delicious this is.
    I hesitate to say “life-changing” because it isn’t fair to expect that of a chocolate bar.
    However, I can extoll its virtues in its own league. This particular bar is really something special. Its taste is silky smooth yet somehow tingly from the sea salt, textured cocoa, and almond flecks.

3. Justin’s Nut Butter Cups

Yes, these have sugar. They’re the most treat-y of the bunch I’ve collected here. But: They’re organic which makes me a bit more forgiving. These taste incredible! I think they taste even better chilled, from the fridge or freezer.

But bottom line, it’s a classic checkout-aisle indulgence with a much healthier face. Perfect dupe for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; I think your kids will go crazy for these.

4. Hail Merry Tarts

After switching to a sugar-free diet (and if youre not eating Justin’s 😉 ), your tastebuds will do some adjusting. Things that didn’t used to taste sweet to you, like carrots and leafy greens, will begin winning you over with their delicate sweetness.

And conversely, things that used to taste average-sweetness will suddenly be nauseatingly, sickeningly sickly sweet to you.

This is always such an empowering realization, and it really gives people the satisfaction and motivation that they want to keep doing what they’re doing.

And once they have, it’s the perfect time to go buy those tarts and feel indulgent. The reason I gave this disclaimer is because they do sort of “taste paleo”- you taste the coconut in the crust, and it’s a little more falling-apart and crumbly. The fillings are fantastic, though, and its an overall tasty, exciting treat.

These come in Chocolate and Lemon– both are unbelievable! The lemon is my personal favorite!

5. Hu chocolate

Here is another brand who is doing the dark chocolate plus paleo thing SO well.

The packaging on the chocolate bars is beautiful, gourmet-feeling and rustic looking.

In terms of ingredients they’re organic, and no soy which already wins me over. The bars come in all sort of fantastic flavors- I love the mint.

But if I had to pick a favorite product, it would definitely be their “chocolate chunks.” They’re perfect in baking and for snacking. Use them to replace any chocolate chips in your treat-menu.

Unlike Taza which is stone-ground, the Hu bars have a completely smooth, velvety, milky texture. It is more reminiscent of traditional milk chocolate.

Okay, phew, that was long! Let me know what you think of these items. And if I left out any of your favorites- let me know, I’d love to give them a try!

Aside from the purchasing options, if you’re up for doing your own baking, try these recipes for your favorite healthy treats:

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