Whether you’re zipping through afternoon errands with your baby in tow or taking a cross-country trip as a family, bringing a stash of tasty, healthy snacks is key. Littles get hungry fast and frequently, so you want to have something on hand for quick and easy noshing. Bored of your usual nibbles? Here are 12 new treats for taking on the go, wherever you go!
1. Oatmeal on the Go
In an ideal world, you’d sit down to a bowl of warm oatmeal with your babe every morning. But in the real world, these Pure Growth Organic Oatmeal Bites will do the trick just fine. Whether you’re on your way to daycare drop-off or headed out the door to the playground in a big rush, a 150-calorie pack will fill little bellies without any artificial colors or flavors, high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, or GMO. Each little square is packed with rolled oats and whole wheat flour, and the chocolate chips make them feel like a real treat.
Available at amazon.com, $24.99 for 25 bags.
2. Snacks that Pack a Crunch
Throw a couple bags of the Happy Tot Love My Veggies Chickpea Straws into your car and you’ll always have a savory snack at the ready. These are perfect for active babies who can gum or chew the baked straws. They’re made with organic veggies and legumes, and a single-serve pack has more than 75% vegetables, plus wholesome ingredients like organic garbanzo beans and sweet potatoes, cheddar, and rosemary. No sugar or added sugar means parents can rest assured this is one packaged snack that won’t send babies into a hyper tailspin.
Available at happyfamilybrands.com, $23.94 for a case of 30 single-serve bags.
3. As Fresh as It Gets
Here’s a travel-friendly puree that doesn’t make any nutritional sacrifices. The cold-pressed, cold-packed purees from Pure Spoon are made with 100% fresh certified organic fruits and veggies and will last up to 6 weeks in the fridge. And unlike other shelf-stable products out there, Pure Spoon purées are never heat-pasteurized or cooked in their own packaging. Instead, the company uses high-pressure pasteurization (HPP) to maintain all those good nutrients. Flavors include apples, carrots, pears, avocado and apples, apples and broccoli, butternut squash, apples and oats, blueberry, banana and apples, carrots and zucchini, and spinach, pear and bananas. They also come in packs of resealable 10, 20, or 22 containers, so you can stock up for long trips.
Available at purespoon.com, $2.99 for 4.2 oz. container.
4. Mess-Free Snacking
Looking to keep things clean? Veggie-Go’s Strips are one of the neatest snacks we’ve ever seen. Babies can gnaw and suck on these handy rectangles of fruit and veggie mixes, keeping them busy and satisfied. Each strip is a full serving of USDA-certified organic fruits and vegetables, with zero added sugar. The goodies are all vegan, kosher and gluten-free—and, best of all, they take up little space and will never spill or explode in your bag. Let little hands choose from berry, apple and spinach, sweet potato, apple and spices, beet, apple and cinnamon, carrot, apple and ginger, or tropical fruit and kale.
Available at veggiegos.com, $24.99 for a case of 20 strips (or individually at Whole Foods).
5. Love These Spoonfuls
Keep some Yummy Spoonfuls pouches in your freezer so you can toss them into your cooler for fall picnics or other outings. They’ll keep other foods cold while maintaining their frozen fresh flavor. The ingredients in these pouches are all 100% organic fruits and veggies, gluten-free with no preservatives. And they’re perfect for stage 1 and stage 2 eating, with single-ingredient options and also blends like apple, strawberry and banana; pear, peach and oatmeal; and sweet potato, carrot and broccoli.
Available at Target, see store for price (not available on target.com).
6. Awesome Applesauce
There’s nothing quite as comforting as applesauce, and the cold-pressed versions from Once Upon a Farm just can’t be beat. Made with 100% non-GMO and certified organic ingredients and squeezed into BPA-free pouches, the four different apple varieties – Straight from the Tree Apple, Spiced Apple with ginger and vanilla, Sweet as Apple Pie with cinnamon and dates, and apple blueberry – cater to all kinds of tiny taste buds. You may even sneak a taste for yourself to see what a pouch without concentrates, purees, juice, or preservatives is like. And check out other adventurous pouch flavors like Magic Velvet Mango, Green Kale and Apples, and Wild Rumpus Avocado.
Available at onceuponafarmorganics.com, $2.99 for 3.2 oz. pouch.
7. Snack Like Old Times
Full of fiber and big on nostalgia, the Whole Wheat Vanilla Animal Cookies from NatureBox are nutritious, delicious and will remind you of your own childhood. These vegan cookies have very little sugar and sodium, and yet they taste just like the ones you grew up eating (which were filled with who knows what). Babies without teeth can gum and suck them so they’re easier to swallow, and littles with chompers can have at them. They come in convenient single-serve packs for perfect portions when you’re around town.
Available at naturebox.com, $5.99 for two 5-oz. packs
8. For Cheese Lovers
These baked cheese puffs by Snikiddy look and taste like a less healthy version of a popular snack, but they are made with non-GMO ingredients and don’t have any artificial colors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, or MSG. Good for gluten-free babes, they come in two melt-in-your-mouth flavors: Grilled Cheese and Mac n’ Cheese.
Available at target.com, $2.49 for 4 oz. bags.
9. Baby’s First Taste of PB
Peanut butter can be tricky for babies to eat, so here’s an easy, travel-friendly way to get that yummy treat. Crazy Richard’s Pure PB Single Serves are peanut powder packets you can mix with almost anything to get the rich flavor and protein of peanuts. Mash it with a banana, swirl some with breastmilk or formula, or add it to applesauce, yogurt, warm cereal, or a smoothie.
Available at crazyrichards.com, $9.98 for 8 packs.
10. Bowl and Go
Sprouted quinoa, gluten-free oats and super chia seeds. Fill your baby’s belly with the good stuff, right? The grab-and-go breakfast-inspired Happy Tot Super Morning Bowls have all the ingredients needed to make a snack satisfying, plus fiber and Omega-3 (ALA). And who says oatmeal has to be hot? You can add cool or room-temperature water on the go and help your little one eat it anywhere. Choose from two flavors: organic bananas and strawberries, and organic apples and blueberries.
Available at amazon.com, $25.13 for 8 bowls.
11. The Snack That Gives Back
It can be tough getting littles to eat quinoa, but these 100% Quinoa Squares from NurturMe make it much easier. The ancient grain-based organic snacks have zero common allergens – like gluten, dairy, soy, and egg – that can make tiny bellies turn. Plus, they’re packed with probiotics and all nine essential amino acids for good digestive function. Choose from banana and broccoli; pineapple and spinach; and sweet potato, apple, and cinnamon, and watch your little one gobble up the easily dissolvable puffed crackers. A portion of proceeds goes to the children of the cooperative farming communities in Peru where NuturMe sources its organic fair-trade quinoa.
Available at nuturme.com, $3.99 for 1.75 oz. bag.
12. The Sweetest Treat
What do you do when you want to share a treat with your kid that’s not a big, bad cookie? HannahMax Cookie Chips hit the sweet spot without going overboard. They’re thin and crispy but still taste like the chocolate chip cookies you love so much. Made with creamery butter, cage-free eggs and pure cane sugar and free of artificial flavors, ingredients or GMOs, these snacks are good for littles with teeth so they can bite off and chew little chunks. And you can give your kiddo 3 or 4 cookies for less than 100 calories, so they won’t fill up on these snacks. Then just gobble up the rest yourself!
Available at amazon.com, $15.96 for 4 bags.
What’s your favorite portable kids snack? Let us know in the comments!
— Whitney C. Harris
featured photo: dhanelle via Pixabay
