Out with the Bad Snacks and In with a Flavorful Few

 

BY ARIELLE DISKIN and ERICA WAGNER

We are two Rye Neck moms with one simple goal: to offer healthy and quality snacks to help fuel families’ busy days. We created our business, SnackRiot, because we know first-hand that the struggle is real and moms can always use a good pro-tip, or twenty!

Our No. 1 priority is to introduce families to new ingredients, brands, and flavors with the goal of expanding snack cabinet offerings. So many innovative brands are figuring out how to make their offerings nut-free, vegan, and gluten-free while using all-natural delicious ingredients. We’re digging several West Coast brands, but a few of our favorites come from Rye’s very own backyard, in Connecticut.

Below are eight tasty and easy snack swaps that will keep your options fresh and your family satisfied. Many of these options are also nut-free so you can have confidence when packing lunchboxes.

1. Looking for healthier cheese cracker alternatives? Give Cheddies (high-protein, low- sugar, delish!) or Brooklyn-based Mustache Munchies (gluten-free, vegan, amazing!) a try.

2. Our favorite breakfast choices include Maple Crunch cereal, Smart Tart toaster pastries (8 grams protein each), or any set-it-and-forget-it Kodiak Cakes breakfast cups. They are all easy, no-prep options that are high in protein, contain no artificial flavors, and get you out the door quickly.

3. For your family’s busiest days, grab portable high-protein snacks like beef jerky, crunchy roasted chickpeas, or sprouted mung beans, instead of the usual, and sometimes boring, protein bar. A few of our favorite brands include Lorissa’s Kitchen, Biena Roasted Chickpeas, and Crunchsters. They are all high in protein and give your crew the perfect midday boost.

4. We love dried fruit snacks from Nature’s Bandits (Riverside), YUMEARTH (Stamford) and Zee Zees instead of the gummy fruit snacks you already know. Some of these brands even taste like candy and all are free from high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.

5. Take a break from traditional corn tortilla chips and give cauliflower, bean, or coconut chips a try. Our favorites are From the Ground Up, Beanfields, and The Real Coconut tortilla chips, all of which are gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO.

6. We love Puffs, especially Nutter Puffs, HIPPIES, and Biena Puffs, because they are protein-packed, taste amazing, and keep snacking options fresh.

7. Instead of crispy rice treats, give SMASH Crispies a try. They are not only delicious but also gluten-, soy-, dairy-, and nut-free.

8. Need an alternative to greasy potato chips? Try popchips and, yes, peas — they are crunchy, gluten-free, and never made with anything artificial.

Snacks serve such an important role in providing fuel throughout your family’s day. These easy swaps will not just keep your kids, but you, going strong from activity to activity, to and from school and while busy at the office. Invite everyone in your family to make better choices, expand flavor profiles, and keep options fresh in the new year.