Nutrient-Dense Swaps to Children’s Favorite Snacks
Aanchal Gera
Looking to enhance the nutrient density of your kids’ meals? Balanced macro and micronutrients? Here are some convenient and flavorsome swaps they’d appreciate.
Our reviews are research-based, and all trials and testings are conducted in-house over days and weeks. We have a strict no-free-sample policy to ensure our reviews are fair and impartial.
Snacking has gained a bad rap, but it isn’t the habit, it’s the choice of snacks that must be blamed. Generally, kids and adults need three meals and one-two snacks daily for optimal growth, functioning, and overall wellness.
While all parents want to please their children with their favorite snacks (especially if your little one is a picky eater), making some swaps would be better for the long-run.
And no, we do not recommend completely revising their eating habits. One to three swaps a day will go a long way. This list comprises some effortless, but equally tasty, nutrient-dense swaps to kids’ favorite snacks.
Table of Contents
1. Chocolate Spreads: Bye-Bye Palm Oil
The OG lunch box option, chocolate spread sandwich. While this is quick and convenient, we have a better option. Better in terms of ingredients and macronutrients.
Nut butter, specifically, peanut butter. There are unflavored and dark chocolate variants available.
2. Noodles: With No Maida
As a lunch box meal, after school/play snack, a bowl of instant noodles is something kids never say no to. Instead of completely eliminating this ‘cult favorite’, you can switch to a nutritionally better alternative.
As part of our Curated by Mishry series, we reviewed Kamaleya Organics and ordered five variants of their noodles. These noodles are made with millets and contain no refined wheat.
This means ingredient-wise, you get more micronutrients and fiber. These come with a tastemaker which lent a lip-smacking flavor. The texture was fairly good too.
For added fiber (and vibrancy) you can add some sauteed veggies.
3. Cakes: Introducing Millets Through Desserts
With hot chocolate, after meals, or during a study break, a slice of cake is bound to make everything better, instantly.
Imagine the soft, fluffy texture with the goodness of millets. Mishry reviewed two variants from Slurrp Farm Millet Cakes range and was impressed by the taste, texture, and ingredients.
In under an hour, we had two perfectly baked cakes that had bold flavors, balanced sweetness. Tough to believe these are devoid of nasty ingredients and are eggless too.
4. Pancakes: Made With Healthier Ingredients
Pancakes are another high-sugar, low-fiber breakfast meal kids often ask for. The only downside to consuming regular pancakes as breakfast is that if leads to a sugar spike which turns to an energy crash, hunger pangs, sugar cravings, and a lot more.
True Elements’ chocolate pancake mix is a truly healthier option for the following reasons-
- Clean ingredients
- Chocolate flavored
- No refined flour, no baking soda
You can add some blended cottage cheese (protein and good fats), yogurt, fruits (fiber), nuts, or other toppings of choice.
5. Cookies: No Nasties Here
When it comes to truly healthy biscuits/cookies/tea-time snacks, there are some commendable options you can go for.
Prepared with nuts, milk solids, grains, and sweeteners, Open Secret cookies are free of refined wheat flour and available in three delectable variants. Moreover, these are individually wrapped which makes them convenient to carry in backpacks.
When it comes to ensuring nourishment via nutrients into their tiny bodies, we understand the stress. In addition to making these switches, you could get the little ones involved in the cooking process and even lead by example. This is to say, if your children look at you eating right, in a timely manner, without gadgets around, they’d be inspired to do the same.
Apart from these recommendations, we’d suggest adding more whole foods (grains, pulses, legumes), vegetables and fruits to your children’s diet for overall betterment.
