When we were kids, no lunch box or snack sack
was complete without a small box of raisins. Now it seems chips and gummy,
fruit-flavored candies have replaced the little red box.
Why? What’s wrong with
raisins?
Why give our children
junk when there are so many pantry-ready fruit options available?
Let’s be clear! We don’t
mean fruit roll-ups.
So in that spirit we are suggesting some
snacks that may not be nutritionally perfect, but they’re a whole lot better
than cheese puffs.
Raisins: Why not? They
come in little travel boxes, require no refrigeration, and are all ready to be
handed out. For some added excitement, try yogurt-coated raisins.
Fruit Leather: This
was Stephanie’s mom’s go to quick snack. She used to love apricot, but now there’s
whole variety of flavors to choose from. These tasty treats used to be only
available at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s but we recently found them at Wegman’s
and Target!
Frozen Fruit Bars: Our
moms only wish they had this option. Bars of pureed fruit frozen like ice pops.
So grab your cooler - these bars are perfect for a hot afternoon, especially
after a game!
Fruit Snack Cups or
Pouch: These are great for athletes on
the go. While snack cups of diced fruit
have been on the shelves for a while, they are becoming less sugar
intensive. Fruit pouches are a more
recent – and convenient – fruit offering. Kids love to open and squeeze!
One warning: Read the labels. Not all fruit
snacks, leathers or snack cups are created equal. Look for those that are as
close to whole fruit only as possible.
