All Treats, No Tricks
Treat Yourself to Healthy Snacks Year Round
Ahh, Halloween: the age-old celebration of racing around the neighborhood to collect and chow down on as much candy as humanly possible. It’s every kid’s dream and every parent’s nightmare. It may seem like one harmless day, but kick starting the holiday season with pounds of processed sugars leads to too many slices of pie at Thanksgiving and more cookies than you can count at Christmas. Soon, a year has passed and you’re stuck in a quagmire of unhealthy snack habits.
The fix to bad snacking isn’t cutting out every single snack from your kid’s day—it’s finding the right snacks! Believe it or not, there are plenty of readily available snacks that taste good and are good for you and your little ones. So, treat yourself, just without any of the tricks!
Fresh Fruit
There’s a reason they call it Nature’s Candy, after all! Noshing on a piece of fresh fruit (a banana before school, orange slices during soccer practice, etc.) is a great substitute for a candy bar and provides a slow-release of sugars and carbohydrates—a great way to avoid that dreaded sugar crash.
If you’re having a hard time convincing your third-grader that fruit is better than a candy bar, try a Pure Organic Fruit Bar. Pure Organic’s fruit bars are tangy and sweet, not to mention: non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and kosher! Reach for the real thing, instead of artificial juice box or a fruit-flavored candy.
Come Get Your Popcorn!
You’re settling down in a comfy seat, the lights dim, the projector starts up and the familiar jingle starts to play…we’re not saying movie theater popcorn is the healthiest snack in the world, but if you avoid overdoing it on the salt and butter, there are a surprising number of health benefits to popcorn! Popcorn is high in fiber, contains antioxidants and is a good source of whole grains.
Consider swapping out a bag of potato chips for Skinny Pop or Pirate’s Booty, you’ll be amazed at the calories and sodium you’re saving without skimping on taste. A pro-tip for those with dietary restrictions, popcorn is almost always gluten-free.
If you’re in search of healthy treats to give out at Halloween without being known as that house, hand out popcorn balls this year! This old-school treat only requires two ingredients and very little effort from the chef.
Chocolate
Wait, wait, chocolate!? I thought this was a list about healthy alternatives to candy! Let me check my notes…yes, chocolate can be a healthy option! Chocolate was originally made from the Amazonian superfood cacao and came absolutely loaded with good stuff. Just how good is cacao for you? Well, it has 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries, more calcium than cow’s milk and is the highest plant-based source of iron for all the vegetarians and vegans out there. Unfortunately, most modern day chocolate bars are jammed so full of artificial sugars that the cons outweigh the benefits.
However, there are some dark chocolate bars that can provide fiber, prebiotics and other goodies while being low in sugar and calories. Try a Rip van Wafel Chocolate Brownie for a delicious caramel filled snack that tastes too good to be true. Or, swap out your next chocolate bar with a protein bar and see if you can taste the difference.
Healthy Snacks for the Whole Family
If you’re looking for a quick snack and don’t want to stress about nutrition labels, SmartBox has you covered! You can find a variety of healthy, fruity, salty and sweet treats in our online store. Take advantage of our discounted pricing today and skip your next trip to the market!
