13 healthier packaged snacks for school lunches
Discover 13 nutritionist-approved healthier packaged snacks for your child’s lunchbox
Making everything from scratch for your child's lunchbox can be challenging as well as time-consuming. And let's face it, as good as a cook you may be, sometimes you just can't match the texture, taste or look of some food items.
The good news is you can still have a healthy lunchbox and include some packaged food items. You just have to make some wise choices.
My rules when shopping for packaged lunchbox snacks
Reading the labels as you browse the supermarket shelves can take time. It can also be quiet overwhelming picking up box after box only to realise just how much added sugar your favourite muesli has in it or just how many ingredients are in that so-called "healthy snack".
As a nutritionist and a mum, I have 4 simple rules I use when shopping for packaged lunchbox snacks or food for my family.
Never look at the front
The front of the packet is where all the big marketing claims are made. Things like "gluten-free", "no added sugar", "made from real ingredients".... all the right things to make you think you're choosing a healthy item.
But don't get sidetracked. The real information is in the ingredients list and nutrient panel, so just look there.Check how many ingredients
If I look at the back of the packet and there are more than 6 ingredients, I will most likely put it back. The more ingredients in the packaged product, the less likely it’s a real, whole food product.Do I know all the ingredients and am I happy eating them?
When I look at the ingredients I ask myself "do I know all the ingredients?" and "can I pronounce them?". If I'm not sure and have the time, I do a quick google. If it sounds more like something out of a science lab with too many big words and numbers, it's less likely that it will make it into my trolley.What’s the sugar content per 100g?
In regards to the nutrition panel, there are several things I look for but at the top of my list is the sugar content, particularly when it is a food I'm thinking of adding to a kids lunchbox. When you do examine the sugar content, make sure you look at per 100g rather than per serving. Let's face it, the serving size is never accurate and before you know it you have had several recommended servings and two days worth of your recommended sugar intake!
Note: The recommended maximum daily added sugar intake for adults is 24g (6 teaspoons) and it is advised children should have no more than 16g (4 teaspoons).
13 Nutritionist-approved packaged foods for school lunchboxes
With my 4 rules at the front of your mind, there are still some snacks and lunchbox fillers you can eat even if you're committed to healthy eating. Here are my top items you can purchase at supermarkets and health food stores without too much guilt.
1. The Happy Snack Co Fa-Va Beans and Roasted Chickpeas
The Fa-Va Beans and Roasted Chickpeas are a simple snack that doesn't come with all the nasties and are nut-free. Make sure you stick with the sea salt variety rather than the flavoured options as the ingredients start adding up.
2. Farmers Union Greek Yoghurt Pouch
Chobani, Procal and Jalna tend to be my top brands when it comes to Greek yoghurt, but if you're looking for a snack on the go, the Farmers Union plain Greek Yoghurt pouches are the best option for kids.
3. Rye Mountain Bread Wraps
These are always stocked in my pantry as they make great lunchbox fillers, can be used for pizza bases or even made into crisp chips. I like the Rye, but you can also find Spelt and Quinoa wraps too.
4. Kez’s Kitchen Free & Naked bar
As far as sweet dried-fruit snack bars, Kez's Kitchen Free & Naked bar would have to be recommended. Due to its high natural sugar content, I would say these aren’t a healthy food as such, but they have minimal ingredients and no flavours or preservatives to worry about. Thankfully, they are in individual portions, so you or your child is not likely to eat more than one.
5. Ceres Organic Seaweed
Organic Seaweed is a nutritious option to have on hand. I purchase the larger packets and then distribute a few sheets in my son's lunchbox at a time. He loves the chilli flake variety for that subtle hint of heat.
6. Macro Original Corn Chips
For something, a little special and festive, Macro Original Corn Chips are my picks. You can pair them with a quality hummus or an avocado guac rather than salsa with less-than-desirable ingredients.
7. Ceres Organics Black Rice Crackers Original
The Ceres Rice Crackers range is another popular item in our household, particularly the Black Rice and the Brown Rice Crackers with Salt & Vinegar. Not only are they made from organic ingredients, but they are also made locally which is a bonus.
8. Olina's Gluten-Free Crackers Pepita Seed
For a good punch of seeds, Olina's Gluten-Free Crackers Pepita Seed is a great option. However, they are on the pricer end so perhaps best for special occasions rather than your child's lunchbox!
9. Eatrite Rice Crackers Tamari Seaweed
Eatrite Rice Crackers are only something we stumbled upon recently and are now on our list of go-to packaged lunchbox snacks. With just three ingredients of whole-grain brown rice, soy and seaweed, it's hard to go wrong.
10. Popcorn kernels
Buying popcorn kernels over those in a bag is cheaper and you avoid the oils and flavouring of the commercially popped products. To save time, I put 1/4 cup of popcorn in a brown paper sandwich bag and place it in the microwave for 2 minutes. We then drizzle olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt for some added flavour.
11. Cobs Popcorn Sea Salt Gluten-Free
There are times, especially if you're on the road, that buying commercially popped popcorn is more desirable. If that's the case, we tend to buy Cobs Popcorn Sea Salt, although my son always has his eye on the cheese flavour!
12. Biome Boost Spelt Bread
Available from health food stores, this is by far one of my favourite loaves of bread and hands down beats any white, wholemeal or whole-grain bread you can find in the supermarket. The Biome Boost Spelt Bread contains only a few whole food ingredients including prebiotic resistant starch and is still soft and tasty.
13. Hummus
Hummus is a great savoury lunchbox snack addition that is a good source of vegetarian protein. I tend to buy my dips from a healthy food store, however, there are some brands like Pilpel that only have a few ingredients and can be a good option.
Image: Cobs Popcorn
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