The ultimate list of healthy snacks for kids (and adults) – all are made from nutrient dense, real foods and are gluten free with no added sugars, no refined oils, and no artificial or natural flavors. Perfect for school lunch, on the go travel, or just for stocking your pantry. Includes a free download with links for easy shopping!
Click here to download the free list with clickable links to all products!
Snack foods bare around a $65 billion per year industry (Source), with “healthy” snacks making up an increasing percentage of that. Needless to say, there are a LOT of snacks to choose from., and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which ones are actually healthy. Health claims like “organic,” “gluten free,” and “natural” are slapped onto products that are loaded with refined oils, added sugars, and natural flavors – all things I aim to avoid.
So I’ve made it easy for you! I’ve compiled a huge list of the healthiest snacks for kids (and adults), all made from nutrient dense, real foods without all the added junk! I’ve divided them into categories: Snacks you can buy on Amazon, snacks you can buy at Costco, and snack recipes you can make yourself. I’ve even included a healthy drinks section as well as a few tips and snack organization gear at the end!
Packaged Healthy Snacks for Kids
Why I chose these packaged snacks:
- No added sugar
- Gluten free
- No artificial or natural flavors
- No refined oils (canola, sunflower, etc.) like you’ll find in lots of other “healthy” snack foods
- All are made from nutrient dense, real foods
- Most come in single serve packs kids can easily grab themselves, or that you can throw in their lunch box, backpack, or sports bag.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. By making purchases through these links, you pay the same amount for products, but a portion of the sale will be sent my way to help with blog expenses. Thanks!
Packaged Healthy Snacks on Amazon
Some of these items can be found in your local stores at cheaper prices but, if convenience is king, Amazon is one of the fastest and easiest ways to stock your snack pantry. – for purchase links to all of these items, download the free PDF version of this list! (Items are listed clockwise, starting at the top left in the graphic above)
- Rhythm Kale Chips (Original, Cool Ranch, Zesty Nacho, and others)
- Made in Nature Figgy Pops Supersnacks
- Quinn Just Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn
- Made in Nature Maple Vanilla Coconut Chips Supersnacks
- Inka Chips Plantain Chips
- SeaSnax Roasted Seaweed Grab and Go Packs (made with olive oil)
- Made in Nature Veggie Pops Supersnacks
- WholeMe Almond Coconut Grain-Free Clusters
- Wildway Grain Free Granola Snack Packs
- Veggie-Go’s Organic Fruit and Veggie Strips
- Roasted and Salted Pistachios snack bags
- Nick’s Sticks 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks
- Cello Whisps Cheese Crisps
- Bare Apple Chips
- Natierra Organic Beet Chips
- Double Joy Pineapple Coconut bars (100% fruit)
- Kind Pressed Bars (100% fruit)
- Veggiecopia Pitted Green Olives snack bags
- Justin’s Almond Butter squeeze packs
- Safe Catch Elite Wild Tuna pouches
- Mozzarella Moon Cheese
- Quad Pack Dry Roasted Mixed Nuts
- Terrasoul Superfoods Thrive Trail Mix
- Health Warrior Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein Bars
- Larabars
- That’s It Bars (100% fruit)
Packaged Healthy Snacks at Costco
I’ve tried to include individually packaged snacks when possible here but, obviously, that’s not always possible at bulk-buy stores like Costco. The entire list is gluten free and refined sugar free with no refined oils and no artificial or natural flavors. I’ve also included a few fresh fruits and veggies that are easy to grab and go since Costco has such great prices on them and since they’re so healthy. (Items are listed clockwise, starting at the top left in the graphic above)
- Organic Valley Stringles string cheese
- Wellabars
- Larabars
- Bare Organic Apple Chips
- Made in Nature dried mango
- Blue Moose Hummus
- Good Foods single serve guacamole packs
- Mini bell peppers
- Babybel Gouda cheese wheels
- GoRaw Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
- Cello Whisps Parmesan cheese crisps
- Grape tomatoes
- Hoody’s Dry Roasted Peanuts
- Made in Nature Figgy Pops
- Baby carrots
- GoGo Squeeze applesauce pouches
- Mary’s Gone Crackers Original Savory crackers
- Snap peas
- Kirklands Dry Roasted Almonds
- Kirklands Raw Pecans
- Fresh fruit tray
- Made in Nature dried figs
Healthy Snack Recipes for Kids
If you enjoy making homemade snacks, here are a few of my favorite kid-approved recipes. All gluten free and refined sugar free. (Items are listed clockwise, starting at the top left in the graphic above)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- Easy Probiotic Fermented Carrots
- Almond Butter Freezer Fudge
- Creamy Strawberry Beet Smoothie
- Orange Pineapple Green Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast cookies
- Easy Coconut Water and Fresh Berry Popsicles
Healthy Drinks for Kids
Obviously, water should be our main beverage, but all kids enjoy something different every now and then. Here are my favorite health drinks with no added sugars or flavors. (Items are listed clockwise, starting at the top left in the graphic above)
- Homemade Pineapple Lemonade
- Coconut water
- 100% juice boxes/pouches/cans – double check that they don’t have natural flavors (It’s harder than you think!)
- Homemade Cherry Limeade
- Homemade Mango Lemonade
- Milk – organic and raw (if possible) from a trusted source
- Perrier
- Kombucha – Brew Dr. (sold at Whole Foods) and Holy Kombucha (Sold at Whole Foods and Costco) are my favorites because they don’t add sugar after the fermentation process
- Spindrift
- Infused waters
Healthy Snack Organization at Home + On the Go
I’m a minimalist when it comes to snack storage and organization, but a few basic tips and products can really help keep your snacks organized at home and when you travel. (Items are listed clockwise, starting at the top left in the graphic above)
- Keeping healthy snacks visible is key – make sure kids can see and reach the snacks you want them to eat!
- Rotate them to keep things interesting – To avoid snack overhwelm and waste, bring out just a few packaged snack options at once.
- Buy extra chip clips – I prefer larger ones that kids can handle easily
- Reusable snack bags (I prefer washable bags made with organic cotton)
- Stainless water bottles
- Plastic storage bins that fit nicely on fridge and pantry shelves for easy access and organization
- A collapsible, hanging bin is great for the car – it can be used for snack storage or as a trash can
FREE DOWNLOAD – ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HEALTHY SNACKS FOR KIDS
Download this list with clickable links for easy reference and shopping!
This is so helpful! I am huge proponent for healthy snacks for kids. One day when I have grandkids I will refer back to this post!
Wow, what a great, organized list of snack items. I particularly appreciate that you excluded anything with refined oils like canola – so many people seem to think it’s a healthy oil (not me!).
Really helpful guide for healthy snacks, a difficult task especially with so much stuff available. Thank you so much for sharing this !
This is such a helpful guide for snacks, especially as back-to-school season is upon us (whatever that may look like this year!).
Such a fabulous guide for healthy snack ideas for kids. I sometimes find it difficult to chose the healthy snacks and end up buying my girls favourite crisp etc, Thanks for sharing this guide.
Wow this guide is so comprehensive! Definitely super cool to share!
Thanks for sharing Jen!
This would come in handy for the coming school year. I surely need help so appreciate this helpful post! Thank you!
I love this post. You have made this so easy to find some great, healthy options for kiddos! I love that you broke this down by location. Very helpful!
This is a great list for stocking up with back to school coming up. I hate having to figure out what to feed the little people in my house.
Love this snack list. I’ve been trying to come up with more of a variety of snacks for my kids and this post came at the perfect time. Thank you for sharing and your download is the perfect all in one list.