Healthier Snack Choices: I think that we can all agree that whole, unprocessed food is the best option at any given time. However, for some people, sometimes it’s hard to incorporate these whole foods for each snack of the day, while juggling the rest of our daily lives. There is a calling for ‘better than’ snack ideas, so I want to share some of my ‘go to’ healthier snack choices for when life is crazy. I wish I could say that these are all organic. Unfortunately, I find it hard with gluten free, in particular, to find pre-packaged snacks that are organic. Most listed here are Non-GMO.
A quick note on gluten free – SO many companies are providing gluten free snack options and to an extent this is great, BUT that doesn’t make them healthy. I find that many gluten free snacks are higher in sugar than their gluten counterparts. I always read the labels and stay away from those higher in sugar.
To make it easier I sorted the store shelf snacks by category so that you can easily find foods that suit your family’s needs. I also denoted foods that are NON-GMO, Vegan and the amount of sugars in each. You will find whole food snack ideas with recipes at the bottom of the post.
These are all products that I found on my own and was not asked by any company to try or to review. Please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. I get a small percent of your purchase through these links at no extra cost to you. Your purchase helps to support the work that I do on this website and on the Raising Natural Kids’ Facebook Page. Thank you!
The ‘Better Than’ Processed Snack Foods (by category)
***This is a live, working list in that I will be updating it as we try new snacks here. If there is something that you think is a great, healthier snack choice, please share it with me in the comments.
Gluten Free
Beanitos Bean Chips – Black Bean, Pinto or Navy.
Ingredients vary depending on the bean and flavor, but here’s’ a basic list: Whole Black Beans, Pure Sunflower Oil, Long Grain Rice, Sea Salt. NON GMO. VEGAN (most flavors). 0 sugars.
Beanitos White Bean Crunch – A much healthier version of cheese doodle type snacks. They are addicting.
Ingredients: Whole Navy Beans, Long Grain Rice, Mac n’ Cheese Seasoning (Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Buttermilk, Sea Salt, Annatto, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Black Pepper), Pure Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Flour. NON GMO. It is made in a facility that may also use soy, wheat, corn and tree nuts. 1 gram sugar per serving.
EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars – These come in 5 different flavors, Berry Blast, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, and Peanut Choco.
Berry Blast Ingredients: Brown rice flour, brown rice syrup, honey, sunflower oil, invert cane syrup, cane sugar, corn starch, acacia gum, freeze-dried raspberries, freeze-dried blueberries, natural flavor, sea salt, molasses. NON GMO, USDA Organic. VEGAN. (Besides for the Peanut Butter and Peanut Choco versions, the bars are nut free and made in a nut free facility.) 6 grams sugar per serving.
Way Better Than Chips – These come in a few different varieties.
Ingredients (for the sweet potato): Stone ground Non-GMO corn, sunflower and or safflower oil, sweet potato, organic sprouted quinoa, sprouted Chia seed, pure sea salt. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Honey Rice Puffins – This is a cereal that I use dry as a snack.
Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, cane sugar, fructan, unsulfered molasses, sea salt, calcium carbonate, organic honey, tocopherols, natural flavor. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar per serving.
Made Good Granola Bars –These come in five varieties, chocolate chip, mixed berry, chocolate banana, apple cinnamon and strawberry granola.
Ingredients (for chocolate chip): Gluten free oats*, agave nectar*, chocolate chips* (cocoa liquor*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*), brown rice syrup*, sunflower oil*, whole grain crisp brown rice*, agave inulin*, molasses*, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavour*. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 6 grams sugar per bar.
Annie’s Gluten Free Granola Bars
Ingredients: Gluten free toasted oats (whole grain oats, organic cane sugar, canola oil, mixed tocopherols [contains soy]), tapioca syrup, rice crisp, palm oil, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin,vanilla), organic cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup solids, organic inulin, rice fiber, cocoa, natural flavors, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin. Non GMO. VEGAN. Contains Soy Ingredients. Made on shared equipment that also processes tree nuts. 7 grams sugar per bar. I do believe Annie’s contains glysophate and I do not give my children these to eat anymore. Instead, I do the bars above.
Made Good Vanilla Crispy Squares – A great alternative to the processed rice crispy treats, with added nutrition of veggie powder.
Ingredients: Crisp rice*, cane sugar syrup*, sustainable palm fruit oil*, vegetable glycerin*, inulin*, cane sugar*, sunflower oil blend* (sunflower oil*, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract*), sea salt, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavor*, agar*. *Organic. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Nut-Thins – My kids like these best with goat cheese spread on top. These aren’t the best ingredient wise, but when I am working with needing gluten free, it sometimes hard to find much better. We stick with the plain varieties, either the pecan or almond ones.
Ingredients (for the pecan): rice flour, pecan meal, potato starch, expeller pressed safflower oil, salt and natural flavors (contains milk).VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Barbara’s Cheese Puffs – I am not a fan of corn, but at least these are organic and GMO free, so that when my children’s friends are eating their Cheetos (yuck!) or genetically modified Pirate Booty, they have a similar snack that’s a lot better for them (honestly though, I prefer the Beanitos White Bean Crunch that I share above for this purpose)!
Ingredients: Non-GMO yellow cornmeal, Non-GMO expeller pressed (canola, sunflower or safflower oil), aged cheddar cheese, whey, buttermilk, salt, butter, blue cheese, lactic acid, annatto and paprika extracts. All dairy is rGBH/rBST free. NON-GMO. 1 gram sugar per serving.
Ruby Rockets Ice Pops – We love these because they offer great fruit and veggie combinations. My kids like the Galaxy Green and Planetary Pink Lemonade the best, but they haven’t tried every flavor yet. I do wish that some of the newer flavors were easier to find in stores.
Ingredients (Galaxy Green Flavor): organic kiwi fruit, avocados, green apples, bananas, and spinach. NON-GMO and organic. VEGAN. 4 grams of sugar per pop. Please note, Ruby Rockets also offers a non-dairy yogurt pouch. I didn’t include it separately as sadly, my kids don’t like it. It’s a tad bit gritty. However, maybe your kids will like it! They are healthy!
Back to Nature Granola We love putting this in our Acai bowls. Also good with almond milk or in yogurt.
Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate (Pineapple Syrup, Pear Concentrate, Pineapple Concentrate, Peach Concentrate, Pectin), Cane Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Mix Tocopherols (for Freshness). We also like the Bear Naked brand. VEGAN. 10 grams sugar per serving.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – Everyone in my family loves these. We like the plain, sea salt one the best followed by the cheddar. We are not as found of the rosemary flavor.
Ingredients: Nut and Seed Flour Blend (Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax), Tapioca, Cassava, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Organic Onion, Organic Garlic, Rosemary Extract (For Freshness). NON-GMO. VEGAN. Less than 1 gram sugar per serving.
Forager Chips – a GREAT alternative to corn for dipping in salsa! These come in three different varieties. I especially love that they sprout their grains, making the nutrients bio-available.
Ingredients: Fresh pressed vegetables (cucumbers, celery, kale, Romaine, fennel, basil, parsley), high oleic sunflower/safflower oil, millet flour, sweet potato, sprouted brown rice flour, red lentil flour, white sesame seeds, ground onion, sea salt. Organic and NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams or less sugar per serving.
S’moreables (Graham Crackers) by Kinnikkinnick – These are great tasting and low in sugar. They also sell a version of it pulsed up into crumbs that I use for making the crust of a gluten free key lime pie.
Ingredients: Pea starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), potato starch, brown rice flour, brown sugar, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, water, rice bran, sugar, blackstrap molasses, honey, glucose, salt, sodium bicarbonate, pea protein, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, pea fiber, guar gum, inulin, soy lecithin, mono calcium phosphate. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per serving.
Kinni Kritters by Kinnikkinnick (Animal Cookies) – My kids LOVE these and there are three different flavors – chocolate, vanilla and snickerdoodle. I love that they are low in sugar.
Ingredients for the vanilla: Sugar, pea starch, potato starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, glucose, pea protein, salt, pea fiber, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, inulin, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, beta-carotene (color). VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Absolutely Gluten Free Flatbread – A nice alternative to crackers. Great to spread nut butters or for cheese.
Ingredients: Tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, salt. 0.2 grams sugar per serving.
Terra Chips
– come in multiple varieties and seasonings.
Ingredients to their basic one: a seasonal mix of root vegetables (taro, sweet potato, batata, yuca, parsnip), expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, sea salt, beet juice concentrate (for color). NON GMO. VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Quinoa Cookies by Andean Dream
– These are nice for a healthy version of a cookie when you don’t have time to make any homemade. They come in 4 flavors – Cocoa Orange, Chocolate Chip, Coconut and Cafe Mocha. We have only had the chocolate chip.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip: Organic Royal Quinoa flour, tapioca flour, non-hydrogenated palm fruit oil, organic raw sugar, dark chocolate chips (dairy and soy free), organic sugar cane syrup, organic white rice flour, organic quinoa pop grains, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and natural vanilla and chocolate extract (soy and corn free). NON GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar in two cookies.
Cappello’s Cookie Dough – This comes in a few varieties – chocolate chip, ginger, double chocolate and lemon zest. Luckily 2 local stores carry them here. They are not cheap. They are good, my kids love them, but it will not be like biting into a tollhouse fresh baked cookie lol.
Ingredients (chocolate chip): Almond flour, organic Vermont maple syrup, dark chocolate morsels (unsweetened chocolate, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter), arrowroot flour, organic unrefined coconut oil, organic vanilla extract, coarse sea salt, baking soda. Contains tree nuts. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk and eggs. VEGAN. 2 grams sugar in one cookie.
Dairy Free
Beanitos Bean Chips – Black Bean, Pinto or Navy.
Ingredients vary depending on the bean and flavor, but here’s’ a basic list: Whole Black Beans, Pure Sunflower Oil, Long Grain Rice, Sea Salt. NON GMO. VEGAN (most flavors). 0 sugars.
EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars – These come in 5 different flavors, Berry Blast, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, and Peanut Choco.
Berry Blast Ingredients: Brown rice flour, brown rice syrup, honey, sunflower oil, invert cane syrup, cane sugar, corn starch, acacia gum, freeze-dried raspberries, freeze-dried blueberries, natural flavor, sea salt, molasses. NON GMO, USDA Organic. VEGAN. (Besides for the Peanut Butter and Peanut Choco versions, the bars are nut free and made in a nut free facility.) 6 grams sugar per serving.
Made Good Granola Bars –These come in five varieties, chocolate chip, mixed berry, chocolate banana, apple cinnamon and strawberry granola.
Ingredients (for chocolate chip): Gluten free oats*, agave nectar*, chocolate chips* (cocoa liquor*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*), brown rice syrup*, sunflower oil*, whole grain crisp brown rice*, agave inulin*, molasses*, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavour*. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 6 grams sugar per bar.
Made Good Vanilla Crispy Squares – A great alternative to the processed rice crispy treats, with added nutrition of veggie powder.
Ingredients: Crisp rice*, cane sugar syrup*, sustainable palm fruit oil*, vegetable glycerin*, inulin*, cane sugar*, sunflower oil blend* (sunflower oil*, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract*), sea salt, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavor*, agar*. *Organic. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Way Better Than Chips – These come in a few different varieties.
Ingredients (for the sweet potato): Stone ground Non-GMO corn, sunflower and or safflower oil, sweet potato, organic sprouted quinoa, sprouted Chia seed, pure sea salt. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Honey Rice Puffins (a cereal that I use dry as a snack)
Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, cane sugar, fructan, unsulfered molasses, sea salt, calcium carbonate, organic honey, tocopherols, natural flavor. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar per serving.
Annie’s Gluten Free Granola Bars
Ingredients: Gluten free toasted oats (whole grain oats, organic cane sugar, canola oil, mixed tocopherols [contains soy]), tapioca syrup, rice crisp, palm oil, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin,vanilla), organic cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup solids, organic inulin, rice fiber, cocoa, natural flavors, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin. VEGAN. Non GMO. Contains Soy Ingredients. Made on shared equipment that also processes tree nuts. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax Chips
(plain, garlic, barbecue, cheese or cinnamon) – These are SUPER tasty!!! Be aware, the garlic is super strong. Sami’s has a lot of great snack options that you can only get through their website or if you are lucky, from a local store.
Ingredients (plain): Millet Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Rice Bran ,Ground Flax ,Water,Quinoa Flour Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Non Aluminum Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophophate, Soduim Bicarbonate, Potato Starch, Monocalcuim Phosphate) Cultured Brown Rice Flour, Ascorbic acid. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Ruby Rockets Ice Pops – We love these because they offer great fruit and veggie combinations. My kids like the Galaxy Green and Planetary Pink Lemonade the best, but they haven’t tried every flavor yet. I do wish that some of the newer flavors were easier to find in stores.
Ingredients (Galaxy Green Flavor): organic kiwi fruit, avocados, green apples, bananas, and spinach. NON-GMO and organic. VEGAN. 4 grams of sugar per pop. Please note, Ruby Rockets also offers a non-dairy yogurt pouch. I didn’t include it separately as sadly, my kids don’t like it. It’s a tad bit gritty. However, maybe your kids will like it! They are healthy!
Back to Nature Granola We love putting this in our Acai bowls. Also good with almond milk or in yogurt.
Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate (Pineapple Syrup, Pear Concentrate, Pineapple Concentrate, Peach Concentrate, Pectin), Cane Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Mix Tocopherols (for Freshness). We also like the Bear Naked brand. VEGAN. 10 grams sugar per serving.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – Everyone in my family loves these. We like the plain, sea salt one the best followed by the cheddar. We are not as found of the rosemary flavor.
Ingredients: Nut and Seed Flour Blend (Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax), Tapioca, Cassava, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Organic Onion, Organic Garlic, Rosemary Extract (For Freshness). NON-GMO. VEGAN. Less than 1 gram sugar per serving.
Forager Chips – a GREAT alternative to corn for dipping in salsa! These come in three different varieties. I especially love that they sprout their grains, making the nutrients bio-available.
Ingredients: Fresh pressed vegetables (cucumbers, celery, kale, Romaine, fennel, basil, parsley), high oleic sunflower/safflower oil, millet flour, sweet potato, sprouted brown rice flour, red lentil flour, white sesame seeds, ground onion, sea salt. Organic and NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams or less sugar per serving.
S’moreables (Graham Crackers) by Kinnikkinnick – These are great tasting and low in sugar. They also sell a version of it pulsed up into crumbs that I use for making the crust of a gluten free key lime pie.
Ingredients: Pea starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), potato starch, brown rice flour, brown sugar, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, water, rice bran, sugar, blackstrap molasses, honey, glucose, salt, sodium bicarbonate, pea protein, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, pea fiber, guar gum, inulin, soy lecithin, mono calcium phosphate. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per serving.
Kinni Kritters by Kinnikkinnick (Animal Cookies) – My kids LOVE these and there are three different flavors – chocolate, vanilla and snickerdoodle. I love that they are low in sugar.
Ingredients for the vanilla: Sugar, pea starch, potato starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, glucose, pea protein, salt, pea fiber, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, inulin, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, beta-carotene (color). VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Absolutely Gluten Free Flatbread – A nice alternative to crackers. Great to spread nut butters or for cheese.
Ingredients: Tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, salt. 0.2 grams sugar per serving.
Terra Chips
– come in multiple varieties and seasonings.
Ingredients to their basic one: a seasonal mix of root vegetables (taro, sweet potato, batata, yuca, parsnip), expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, sea salt, beet juice concentrate (for color). NON GMO. VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Quinoa Cookies by Andean Dream – These are nice for a healthy version of a cookie when you don’t have time to make any homemade. They come in 4 flavors – Cocoa Orange, Chocolate Chip, Coconut and Cafe Mocha. We have only had the chocolate chip.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip: Organic Royal Quinoa flour, tapioca flour, non-hydrogenated palm fruit oil, organic raw sugar, dark chocolate chips (dairy and soy free), organic sugar cane syrup, organic white rice flour, organic quinoa pop grains, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and natural vanilla and chocolate extract (soy and corn free). NON GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar in two cookies.
Cappello’s Cookie Dough – This comes in a few varieties – chocolate chip, ginger, double chocolate and lemon zest. Luckily 2 local stores carry them here. They are not cheap. They are good, my kids love them, but it will not be like biting into a tollhouse fresh baked cookie lol.
Ingredients (chocolate chip): Almond flour, organic Vermont maple syrup, dark chocolate morsels (unsweetened chocolate, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter), arrowroot flour, organic unrefined coconut oil, organic vanilla extract, coarse sea salt, baking soda. Contains tree nuts. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk and eggs. VEGAN. 2 grams sugar in one cookie.
Nut Free
**Please note, I am listing foods that do not contain nuts listed in the ingredients. If a company notes that it is made in a facility containing nuts, I list it after the ingredients.
Beanitos Bean Chips – Black Bean, Pinto or Navy.
Ingredients vary depending on the bean and flavor, but here’s’ a basic list: Whole Black Beans, Pure Sunflower Oil, Long Grain Rice, Sea Salt. NON GMO. VEGAN (most flavors). 0 sugars.
Beanitos White Bean Crunch – A much healthier version of cheese doodle type snacks. They are addicting.
Ingredients: Whole Navy Beans, Long Grain Rice, Mac n’ Cheese Seasoning (Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Buttermilk, Sea Salt, Annatto, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Black Pepper), Pure Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Flour. NON GMO. It is made in a facility that may also use soy, wheat, corn and tree nuts. 1 gram sugar per serving.
EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars – These come in 5 different flavors, Berry Blast, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, and Peanut Choco. **Berry Blast, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip and nut free.
Berry Blast Ingredients: Brown rice flour, brown rice syrup, honey, sunflower oil, invert cane syrup, cane sugar, corn starch, acacia gum, freeze-dried raspberries, freeze-dried blueberries, natural flavor, sea salt, molasses. NON GMO, USDA Organic. VEGAN. (Besides for the Peanut Butter and Peanut Choco versions, the bars are nut free and made in a nut free facility.) 6 grams sugar per serving.
Made Good Granola Bars –These come in five varieties, chocolate chip, mixed berry, chocolate banana, apple cinnamon and strawberry granola.
Ingredients (for chocolate chip): Gluten free oats*, agave nectar*, chocolate chips* (cocoa liquor*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*), brown rice syrup*, sunflower oil*, whole grain crisp brown rice*, agave inulin*, molasses*, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavour*. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 6 grams sugar per bar.
Made Good Vanilla Crispy Squares – A great alternative to the processed rice crispy treats, with added nutrition of veggie powder.
Ingredients: Crisp rice*, cane sugar syrup*, sustainable palm fruit oil*, vegetable glycerin*, inulin*, cane sugar*, sunflower oil blend* (sunflower oil*, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract*), sea salt, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavor*, agar*. *Organic. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Way Better Than Chips – These come in a few different varieties.
Ingredients (for the sweet potato): Stone ground Non-GMO corn, sunflower and or safflower oil, sweet potato, organic sprouted quinoa, sprouted Chia seed, pure sea salt. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Honey Rice Puffins (a cereal that I use dry as a snack)
Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, cane sugar, fructan, unsulfered molasses, sea salt, calcium carbonate, organic honey, tocopherols, natural flavor. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar per serving.
Annie’s Gluten Free Granola Bars
Ingredients: Gluten free toasted oats (whole grain oats, organic cane sugar, canola oil, mixed tocopherols [contains soy]), tapioca syrup, rice crisp, palm oil, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin,vanilla), organic cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup solids, organic inulin, rice fiber, cocoa, natural flavors, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin. VEGAN. Non GMO. Contains Soy Ingredients. Made on shared equipment that also processes tree nuts. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Barbara’s Cheese Puffs – I am not a fan of corn, but at least these are organic and GMO free, so that when my children’s friends are eating their Cheetos (yuck!) or genetically modified Pirate Booty, they have a similar snack that’s a lot better for them (honestly though, I prefer the Beanitos White Bean Crunch that I share above for this purpose)!
Ingredients: Non-GMO yellow cornmeal, Non-GMO expeller pressed (canola, sunflower or safflower oil), aged cheddar cheese, whey, buttermilk, salt, butter, blue cheese, lactic acid, annatto and paprika extracts. All dairy is rGBH/rBST free. NON-GMO. 1 gram sugar per serving.
Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax Chips (plain, garlic, barbecue, cheese or cinnamon) – These are SUPER tasty!!! Be aware, the garlic is super strong. Sami’s has a lot of great snack options that you can only get through their website or if you are lucky, from a local store.
Ingredients (plain): Millet Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Rice Bran ,Ground Flax ,Water,Quinoa Flour Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Non Aluminum Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophophate, Soduim Bicarbonate, Potato Starch, Monocalcuim Phosphate) Cultured Brown Rice Flour, Ascorbic acid. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Ruby Rockets Ice Pops – We love these because they offer great fruit and veggie combinations. My kids like the Galaxy Green and Planetary Pink Lemonade the best, but they haven’t tried every flavor yet. I do wish that some of the newer flavors were easier to find in stores.
Ingredients (Galaxy Green Flavor): organic kiwi fruit, avocados, green apples, bananas, and spinach. NON-GMO and organic. VEGAN. 4 grams of sugar per pop. Please note, Ruby Rockets also offers a non-dairy yogurt pouch. I didn’t include it separately as sadly, my kids don’t like it. It’s a tad bit gritty. However, maybe your kids will like it! They are healthy!
Back to Nature Granola We love putting this in our Acai bowls. Also good with almond milk or in yogurt.
Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate (Pineapple Syrup, Pear Concentrate, Pineapple Concentrate, Peach Concentrate, Pectin), Cane Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Mix Tocopherols (for Freshness). We also like the Bear Naked brand. VEGAN. 10 grams sugar per serving.
Forager Chips – a GREAT alternative to corn for dipping in salsa! These come in three different varieties. I especially love that they sprout their grains, making the nutrients bio-available.
Ingredients: Fresh pressed vegetables (cucumbers, celery, kale, Romaine, fennel, basil, parsley), high oleic sunflower/safflower oil, millet flour, sweet potato, sprouted brown rice flour, red lentil flour, white sesame seeds, ground onion, sea salt. Organic and NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams or less sugar per serving.
S’moreables (Graham Crackers) by Kinnikkinnick – These are great tasting and low in sugar. They also sell a version of it pulsed up into crumbs that I use for making the crust of a gluten free key lime pie.
Ingredients: Pea starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), potato starch, brown rice flour, brown sugar, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, water, rice bran, sugar, blackstrap molasses, honey, glucose, salt, sodium bicarbonate, pea protein, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, pea fiber, guar gum, inulin, soy lecithin, mono calcium phosphate. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per serving.
Kinni Kritters by Kinnikkinnick (Animal Cookies) – My kids LOVE these and there are three different flavors – chocolate, vanilla and snickerdoodle. I love that they are low in sugar.
Ingredients for the vanilla: Sugar, pea starch, potato starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, glucose, pea protein, salt, pea fiber, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, inulin, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, beta-carotene (color). VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Absolutely Gluten Free Flatbread – A nice alternative to crackers. Great to spread nut butters or for cheese.
Ingredients: Tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, salt. 0.2 grams sugar per serving.
Terra Chips
– come in multiple varieties and seasonings.
Ingredients to their basic one: a seasonal mix of root vegetables (taro, sweet potato, batata, yuca, parsnip), expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, sea salt, beet juice concentrate (for color). NON GMO. VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Quinoa Cookies by Andean Dream – These are nice for a healthy version of a cookie when you don’t have time to make any homemade. They come in 4 flavors – Cocoa Orange, Chocolate Chip, Coconut and Cafe Mocha. We have only had the chocolate chip.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip: Organic Royal Quinoa flour, tapioca flour, non-hydrogenated palm fruit oil, organic raw sugar, dark chocolate chips (dairy and soy free), organic sugar cane syrup, organic white rice flour, organic quinoa pop grains, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and natural vanilla and chocolate extract (soy and corn free). NON GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar in two cookies.
Corn Free
Beanitos Bean Chips – Black Bean, Pinto or Navy.
Ingredients vary depending on the bean and flavor, but here’s’ a basic list: Whole Black Beans, Pure Sunflower Oil, Long Grain Rice, Sea Salt. NON GMO. VEGAN (most flavors). 0 sugars.
Beanitos White Bean Crunch – A much healthier version of cheese doodle type snacks. They are addicting.
Ingredients: Whole Navy Beans, Long Grain Rice, Mac n’ Cheese Seasoning (Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Buttermilk, Sea Salt, Annatto, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Black Pepper), Pure Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Flour. NON GMO. It is made in a facility that may also use soy, wheat, corn and tree nuts. 1 gram sugar per serving.
Honey Rice Puffins (a cereal that I use dry as a snack)
Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, cane sugar, fructan, unsulfered molasses, sea salt, calcium carbonate, organic honey, tocopherols, natural flavor. NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar per serving.
Made Good Granola Bars –These come in five varieties, chocolate chip, mixed berry, chocolate banana, apple cinnamon and strawberry granola.
Ingredients (for chocolate chip): Gluten free oats*, agave nectar*, chocolate chips* (cocoa liquor*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*), brown rice syrup*, sunflower oil*, whole grain crisp brown rice*, agave inulin*, molasses*, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavour*. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 6 gra
Annie’s Gluten Free Granola Bars
Ingredients: Gluten free toasted oats (whole grain oats, organic cane sugar, canola oil, mixed tocopherols [contains soy]), tapioca syrup, rice crisp, palm oil, chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin,vanilla), organic cane syrup, organic tapioca syrup solids, organic inulin, rice fiber, cocoa, natural flavors, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin. VEGAN. Non GMO. Contains Soy Ingredients. Made on shared equipment that also processes tree nuts. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Made Good Vanilla Crispy Squares – A great alternative to the processed rice crispy treats, with added nutrition of veggie powder.
Ingredients: Crisp rice*, cane sugar syrup*, sustainable palm fruit oil*, vegetable glycerin*, inulin*, cane sugar*, sunflower oil blend* (sunflower oil*, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract*), sea salt, vegetable powder (spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, shiitake mushrooms), vanilla flavor*, agar*. *Organic. NON-GMO. USDA Organic. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per bar.
Nut-Thins – My kids like these best with goat cheese spread on top. These aren’t the best ingredient wise, but when I am working with needing gluten free, it sometimes hard to find much better. We stick with the plain varieties, either the pecan or almond ones.
Ingredients (for the pecan): rice flour, pecan meal, potato starch, expeller pressed safflower oil, salt and natural flavors (contains milk).VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax Chips (plain, garlic, barbecue, cheese or cinnamon) – These are SUPER tasty!!! Be aware, the garlic is super strong. Sami’s has a lot of great snack options that you can only get through their website or if you are lucky, from a local store.
Ingredients (plain): Millet Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Rice Bran ,Ground Flax ,Water,Quinoa Flour Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Non Aluminum Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophophate, Soduim Bicarbonate, Potato Starch, Monocalcuim Phosphate) Cultured Brown Rice Flour, Ascorbic acid. VEGAN. 0 Sugars.
Ruby Rockets Ice Pops – We love these because they offer great fruit and veggie combinations. My kids like the Galaxy Green and Planetary Pink Lemonade the best, but they haven’t tried every flavor yet. I do wish that some of the newer flavors were easier to find in stores.
Ingredients (Galaxy Green Flavor): organic kiwi fruit, avocados, green apples, bananas, and spinach. NON-GMO and organic. VEGAN. 4 grams of sugar per pop. Please note, Ruby Rockets also offers a non-dairy yogurt pouch. I didn’t include it separately as sadly, my kids don’t like it. It’s a tad bit gritty. However, maybe your kids will like it! They are healthy!
Back to Nature Granola We love putting this in our Acai bowls. Also good with almond milk or in yogurt.
Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate (Pineapple Syrup, Pear Concentrate, Pineapple Concentrate, Peach Concentrate, Pectin), Cane Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Mix Tocopherols (for Freshness). We also like the Bear Naked brand. VEGAN. 10 grams sugar per serving.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – Everyone in my family loves these. We like the plain, sea salt one the best followed by the cheddar. We are not as found of the rosemary flavor.
Ingredients: Nut and Seed Flour Blend (Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax), Tapioca, Cassava, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Organic Onion, Organic Garlic, Rosemary Extract (For Freshness). NON-GMO. VEGAN. Less than 1 gram sugar per serving.
Forager Chips – a GREAT alternative to corn for dipping in salsa! These come in three different varieties. I especially love that they sprout their grains, making the nutrients bio-available.
Ingredients: Fresh pressed vegetables (cucumbers, celery, kale, Romaine, fennel, basil, parsley), high oleic sunflower/safflower oil, millet flour, sweet potato, sprouted brown rice flour, red lentil flour, white sesame seeds, ground onion, sea salt. Organic and NON-GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams or less sugar per serving.
S’moreables (Graham Crackers) by Kinnikkinnick – These are great tasting and low in sugar. They also sell a version of it pulsed up into crumbs that I use for making the crust of a gluten free key lime pie.
Ingredients: Pea starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), potato starch, brown rice flour, brown sugar, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, water, rice bran, sugar, blackstrap molasses, honey, glucose, salt, sodium bicarbonate, pea protein, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, pea fiber, guar gum, inulin, soy lecithin, mono calcium phosphate. VEGAN. 7 grams sugar per serving.
Kinni Kritters by Kinnikkinnick (Animal Cookies) – My kids LOVE these and there are three different flavors – chocolate, vanilla and snickerdoodle. I love that they are low in sugar.
Ingredients for the vanilla: Sugar, pea starch, potato starch, non-hydrogenated shortening (palm oil and/or canola oil), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, glucose, pea protein, salt, pea fiber, vanilla extract, modified cellulose, inulin, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, beta-carotene (color). VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Absolutely Gluten Free Flatbread – A nice alternative to crackers. Great to spread nut butters or for cheese.
Ingredients: Tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, salt. 0.2 grams sugar per serving.
Terra Chips
– come in multiple varieties and seasonings.
Ingredients to their basic one: a seasonal mix of root vegetables (taro, sweet potato, batata, yuca, parsnip), expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, sea salt, beet juice concentrate (for color). NON GMO. VEGAN. 3 grams sugar per serving.
Quinoa Cookies by Andean Dream – These are nice for a healthy version of a cookie when you don’t have time to make any homemade. They come in 4 flavors – Cocoa Orange, Chocolate Chip, Coconut and Cafe Mocha. We have only had the chocolate chip.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip: Organic Royal Quinoa flour, tapioca flour, non-hydrogenated palm fruit oil, organic raw sugar, dark chocolate chips (dairy and soy free), organic sugar cane syrup, organic white rice flour, organic quinoa pop grains, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and natural vanilla and chocolate extract (soy and corn free). NON GMO. VEGAN. 5 grams sugar in two cookies.
Cappello’s Cookie Dough – This comes in a few varieties – chocolate chip, ginger, double chocolate and lemon zest. Luckily 2 local stores carry them here. They are not cheap. They are good, my kids love them, but it will not be like biting into a tollhouse fresh baked cookie lol.
Ingredients (chocolate chip): Almond flour, organic Vermont maple syrup, dark chocolate morsels (unsweetened chocolate, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter), arrowroot flour, organic unrefined coconut oil, organic vanilla extract, coarse sea salt, baking soda. Contains tree nuts. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk and eggs. VEGAN. 2 grams sugar in one cookie.
Whole Food Ideas
(sample recipes linked, any of these can be made with modifications for allergies)
Homemade Muffins
– these can be made in advance and put in the freezer. Pull one out to place in a lunch box and have it ready to eat by lunch or snack time. I usually put pumpkin, butternut squash, banana or apple puree in mine, a mix of gluten free flours, very little sugar, ground flax seed and ground pecans or walnuts for added nutrition and protein. Here’s a great recipe: Homemade Muffins.
Blueberry Pistachio Apple Sandwiches
Homemade Cookies – again, a mix of gluten free flours, low sugar and oats, raisins, sometimes some dark chocolate chips, flax seeds, and ground nuts.
Homemade Granola – plain, strawberry, pumpkin
Plain Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
Cut up apples to dip in a nut butter
Hummus – Sprouted Hummus, Paleo Hummus
Getting in Those Greens
I’d love to say that my kids are awesome eaters, only eating healthy foods and eating every vegetable that I cook. They’re not. They do eat pretty well. They probably eat much better than a majority of kids. We don’t do fast food ever. We eat almost all homemade. We don’t do much gluten – almost none. My kids don’t eat enough vegetables, no matter how hard I try. They eat too many grains. That being said, we do a green drink each morning so that I KNOW they get what they need.
What We Use
I switch between 2 products – Harmonia and Green Spectrum. Harmonia is something that my mother, a naturopath of twenty years, sells in her store and uses herself. She bases much of her practice on eating for one’s genetic type, as each individual does better with different foods based on their genetic makeup. This particular product is formulated for all blood-types. Green Spectrum is a great product by Purium, a company that processes on low heat to maintain nutrients and sprouts and/or ferments ingredients that need to be in order to make the nutrients available to the body. I love Purium’s range of products so much that I signed on as a consultant. If you’d like to try their Green Spectrum, you can use code RaisingNaturalKids for $50 off your first order. They also have a great kids protein, an immune boost remedy and a great plant based C.
Dawn, thank you so much for including Ruby Rockets in your product round-up. We just wanted to let you know that we’ve reformulated the Dairy Free Yogurts to improve the taste and texture, available in stores starting in May. We’d love to know what you think after the launch.
Awesome! I can’t wait to try then! ALSO, there is now a new certification that companies can get to show that they are glyphosate free – you can read all about it here: https://www.facebook.com/detoxproject.org/ hoping you will consider it! The companies getting the cert will also be shared by myself and Mamavation!
We also like Bare organic apple/cinnamon chips. I mix these with raisins for my son’s school snack. Late July organic sweet potato chips are good too. They do have corn but it’s organic at least.
Thank you! I will check those out!