This list of no-added sugar snacks is a great reference of nutritious snacks for kids and parents looking for lower sugar options.
Sugar is a touchy subject for a lot of people. ESPECIALLY parents of young children. Do I notice my children behave a little less like angels when they’ve had a lot of sugar? You bet. Is sugar in a lot of foods we have in our house? Yep. And some of those foods just happen to be healthy too! In last week’s newsletter, I shared how I’m somewhat overhauling my family’s snacking game. And it starts by eliminating some processed snacks and looking for fresher, lower-in-sugar options.
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Now I’m not putting my family on a sugar elimination diet. And I’m not being the sugar police— especially when we are supposed to make Christmas cookies this week. Again, I’m just being more conscious of their diets, and the foods and choices I offer them. With that, here’s a quick list of 20 no sugar added snacks I think you might find useful! While there’s more than 20 I could have added to this list, here’s a snapshot of what the boys are enjoying at this moment in time [minus the chickpeas and dates].
Food Label Sugar Trick:
Every 4 Grams of Sugar = 1 Teaspoon measurement
The recommended amount of sugar for 2-3 year olds is 25 grams of sugar, or about 6 teaspoons.
The recommended amount of sugar for 4-8 year olds is 28-32 grams of sugar, or 7-8 teaspoons.
Note: Some of these foods still contain sugar naturally. Added sugar has been added to a food or product during the manufacturing process.
Food Label Ingredient List Trick: Look for words on a food label such as glucose, sucrose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, raw sugar, rice syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn syrup, can juice, can sugar, crystalline fructose, beet sugar, caramel, and barley malt to indicate sugar in a packaged food product.
20 No-Sugar Added Snacks
Fruit:
Fresh Fruit [apples, bananas, oranges, etc.]
Unsweetened Applesauce
Avocados [sliced]
Grains:
Pretzels [check the food label because some brands have added sugar]
Wasa Crackers [I like these with hummus or cheese spread on top!]
Popcorn [unsalted]
Dates [remove the pits!]
Veggies:
Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Homemade Salsa
Cucumber Slices
Carrot Sticks
Bell Pepper Slices
Edamame
Protein:
Hard Boiled Eggs [my go-to in a pinch]
Hummus
Chickpeas [try roasting for extra flavor]
Nuts [unflavored]
Natural Peanut Butter
Dairy:
Plain Greek Yogurt [a friend suggested mixing in honey or jam, so I did!]
Cheese Sticks/Babybel Cheese
Sugar-conscious?! Then grab this list of healthy snacks that are lower in sugar! Click To TweetHungry yet?! If your kids like to snack like mine, then you might also like this list of 25 toddler snacks. While I might have titled this post and others to be kid-centric, adults certainly love snacking on these too!
What’s something your kids are snacking on these days?! How do you handle the sugar craze in your house??
My son likes kale chips. If a kid will eat them it’s a good option! (They’re easy to make at home rather than buying, too.)
This is great and thanks for sharing.
Thank you Valerie! Glad you found it useful!
It’s important to note that the levels of recommended sugars are per day, not per snack. You’ll find that some popular choices have 18 15 or 18 grams per serving, so watch closely!
Great point Rebecca!!!
This is an awesome list! My boys love hummus and veggies! Here is a fun game we use to remind us of the differences between snacks and treats: http://survivingtoddlerhood.com/2016/10/11/teaching-your-children-the-difference-between-snacks-and-treats/
Thank you for sharing this tip!!! Us mom’s gotta lean on each other for inspiration!
Hey, very nice blog. I came across this on Google, and I am stoked that I did. I will definitely be coming back here more often. Wish I could add to the conversation and bring a bit more to the table, but am just taking in as much info as I can at the moment. Thanks for sharing.
Health Fitness Food
Hey is it 25g of “Added Sugar” or just 25 g of sugar in general? I can’t seem to find a clear answer online. You basically couldn’t eat anything if it was just sugar in general, so I hope not! Thank you for your post 🙂