Raising a child is no easy feat. As a parent, you may find yourself compromising on certain aspects of your life to look after your kids. Maybe you’re no longer able to make last-minute plans with your friends. Perhaps you’re not able to keep up with your fitness routine. But most worryingly – maybe you’re not eating proper meals.
Sitting down to have a full meal can be impossible when your hands are full with a crying baby or a hyperactive toddler. So instead you might reach for snacks you have around the house such as chips or chocolates. However, it’s important to snack healthily, especially if you’re already not having time to eat normal meals.
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Below we have collated a list of places to get healthy snacks. While they will not serve as substitutes for a proper meal, they should tide you until you are able to take a rest and have one.
If you want to be surprised every month with a curated selection of healthy snacks, Munchees’ Personal Wholesome Box ($32.50) is a great choice. Munchees is dedicated to delivering delicious, better-for-you snacks to up your snack game and change the way you munch between meals.
With the Personal Wholesome Box, you will receive 12 different snacks every month from six categories – crisps and popcorn, cookies and biscuits, bars and balls, fruits and nuts, sweet treats, and superfood drink mixes.
All snacks are free of trans fat, MSG, and artificial sweeteners so you can enjoy snacking to your heart’s content without feeling guilty.
If you want to also enjoy some classic snacks (think Hello Panda and Pola Snack) with your healthier choices, the Personal Balance Snack Box ($28.50) is, well, a great balance between the two! You can expect local favourites that you may not have thought of in a long time. It’s basically a box full of nostalgia.
Find out more here.
A local artisan gourmet snacks producer, Renew offers a wide range of different types of options to choose from.
Its artisan nuts, in particular, are bound to make you feel at home with its local flavours. Enjoy nuts coated with spices to remind you of familiar dishes. Our favourites include Briyani ($7.90) with lightly-baked cashew and blackcurrants and Sweet Sambal ($7.90) with almonds, gula Melaka (palm sugar), chilli, onion, and kaffir lime leaves. If you love savoury snacks, be sure to snatch these up.
For those who fancy a simple sandwich while your little one sleeps, gourmet nut butters are an upgrade from the usual peanut butter. Indulge in the Dark Chocolate Seasalt Butter ($13.90) which only contains 181kcal for 180grams. For a more dynamic flavour, try the Orange Walnut Nut Butters ($13.90) which has coconut sap sugar and Himalayan Pink Salt. It contains 165kcal for 180grams.
If none of those options appeals to you, how about creating your own snack? At $22.80 per 300gram pack, you can choose from three bases – sweet, savoury, and spicy. You can then choose two flavours, nuts, seeds, and any fruits you’d like.
Find out more here.
At Boxgreen, all their snacks are below 200grams per serving, with some under 150grams! Without the use of artificial sweeteners or flavourings, the company depends on spices and herbs to create munch-ables that rival those with high sodium and loads of preservatives.
If you are vegan, Boxgreen’s Plant Based Crunchies are viable candidates to add to your diet. We recommend the Crunchies Umami Shiitake Mushroom Chips ($65.90 for six packets) for a snack session filled with umami. It is halal certified as well as gluten- and nut-free as well.
If you are lacking in omega 3 fatty acids, you can make it up with the gluten-free Omega Booster ($3.90). It is packed full of ingredients high in omega 3 fatty acids such as sunflower seeds, baked almonds, and pecan. Eat guilt-free knowing that it doesn’t contain any trans fat and cholesterol.
Find out more here.
Snackright wants to revolutionize the snacking world. Its flavoured nuts are all roasted with real ingredients – which means no artificial flavouring is used to achieve the deliciousness of their goods. It’s well-known for its Salted Egg Cashew (from $5.90) which is salty, spicy, and creamy all in one. With a hint of curry leaves to give the nuts a spicy aroma, it is an all-rounded sensory experience.
If you are looking for some rice crackers, how about trying the Teriyaki Multigrain Rice Cracker ($6.50)? It is baked using wholesome ingredients such as black soybean, adzuki bean, black sesame seed, and quinoa. It promises to bring your tastebuds to Japan without the added calories.
For those who prefer fruits – we see you. Snackright offers dried fruits such as Dried Mango ($4.50) and Dried Cranberry ($3.90). The former is rich in Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, dietary fibre, and antioxidants. The latter is rich in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and can improve gut health and boost your metabolism. Both are halal-certified.
Now, how about cookies? Contrary to popular belief, cookies can indeed be a very healthy snack option. For example, the Dark Chocolate Cookies ($6.50) feature a deep chocolate flavour while only containing 144kcal per 30gram serving.
Find out more here.
Let’s take a step away from nuts and take a look at other kinds of healthy snacks. Amazin’ Graze offers instant oatmeals that are both nutritious and quick to make (and for parents dealing with a crying kid, time is key).
The Pink Berry Instant Oatmeal ($6.90 for six sachets) is rich in antioxidants with ingredients such as cranberries, goji berries, raisins, as well as oats, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. The pink shade of the oatmeal is all-natural and derived from beetroot. This is a dairy-free meal and is vegan friendly, though you can definitely eat it with milk.
If you are looking for a high-protein option, Amazin’ Grace offers the High Protein Chocolate Banana Instant Oatmeal ($7.90 for six sachets). With a mix of rolled oats, superfoods, freeze-dried bananas, and soy-milk powder, this product is good for your heart. It also contains soy protein isolate which helps to build muscles and contains all the necessary amino acids that your body cannot make on its own.
Find out more here.
Zenko Superfoods has a special product that sets them apart from the rest of the market: Water Lily Pops. They are an ancient superfood harvested from the Himalayan foothills for over 2,000 years. Zenko Superfoods likens it to popcorn except it has 50 per cent less fat and 20 per cent less calories. The Original Water Lily Pops ($3.50) are totally natural with just a touch of olive oil.
However, they have three other flavours that are worth checking out if you are on the lookout for unique savoury snacks. The flavours include Himalayan Pink Salt, Spicy (with notes of red chilli spices, garlic, and onion), and Cheddar Cheese. All three are priced at $3.50 for one pack.
Find out more here.
A version of this story first appeared on Young Parents.