Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! OP here- so is the consensus that organic packaged snacks are only marginally better than their non-organic counterparts?

Poptarts that don't have preservatives or artificial flavors or colors are certainly better than ones that do. But that doesn't make them healthy or mean they have any nutritional value. My DD loves dried seaweed, clementines, hard-boiled eggs, red peppers, apple sauce, honey sticks, bananas, cheese, pb&j sandwiches, etc. All these things work as snacks.

Yes, that is still junk food.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! OP here- so is the consensus that organic packaged snacks are only marginally better than their non-organic counterparts?

I don't think they are any better at all! Organic is not "healthier" as in less processed or more nutrients - it is marginally less toxic. It still has all the packaging, weird ingredients, and added sugar, sodium, preservatives.

Granola is processed unless you make it yourself. How strict do you want to be? Toaster pastries of any kind are seriously processed.

How about getting different dried fruits and nuts and seeds and letting your kids make their own trail mix? Or get the pre-made mixes in big jar/tubs at Target

Also get some small reusable containers and try eating -
Carrot sticks, pepper sticks with hummus or Greek yogurt "ranch", guacamole
Peanut butter
Hard boiled eggs - you can get a bag of them cooked and peeled in the egg section.
Cheese cubes (not string / processed cheese)
Peaches, nectarines, berries, kiwis - see what is in season or on sale, buy a bunch and cut it and put it in snack bags/packages twice a week

If it comes in a box, it's processed. But why not allow some crackers or pretzels in moderation with good stuff like hummus, guacamole, cheese?

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! OP here- so is the consensus that organic packaged snacks are only marginally better than their non-organic counterparts?

I'm to the extreme and do not do any processed foods (except of course baking supplies and a few things here and there). So no, I would not get organic pop-tarts. I do not necessarily equate even organic with more healthy. I'm most concerned with simple ingredients.

I think in order to eat primarily whole foods, you have to really have a passion for cooking and being creative in the kitchen. I absolutely love to cook and create food and I like the taste of my food much better than what can be purchased in the stores.

If you are trying for a healthier diet, don't try to go hard core. Make small, manageable steps. Expect change to occur over a year or two. Your taste buds will have to adjust to new foods and new concepts.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! OP here- so is the consensus that organic packaged snacks are only marginally better than their non-organic counterparts?

Processed is shorthand for other problems. Your kids don't need added sugar or lots of wheat products. If you just avoid products with added sugar, that cuts down on a lot, and I include in "added sugar" things that are sweetened with apple juice, agave nectar, honey, etc. That doesn't mean you can't have those things some times (yougurt with honey, yum) but much less often than Americans currently do.

Agree with cheese and hummus plus other vegetables like carrots and cucumbers. You don't need to have 20 types of snacks. Processed foods come in 1000 types but "real" food doesn't lend itself to eating 30 varieties in a week. We've been lead to think we need variety but the variety we need is more like types of vegetables than forms of wheat mixed with salt and sugar.

Thanks everyone! OP here- so is the consensus that organic packaged snacks are only marginally better than their non-organic counterparts?

Anonymous wrote:We try to eat non processed foods but I definitely run out of ideas for snacks on the go after "banana" "apple" and "granola."
So for example, if I give the kids organic toaster pastries instead of Pop Tarts am I still giving them "processed foods"?

What's wrong with process foods?

Without process we wouldn't have things like beer and wine. Or butter. Or bread. Or yogurt. Or any number of staples.

Processed isn't necessarily the end of the world. Humus and pita or carrots, unsweetened applesauce and toast, crackers and cheese are all fine snacks.

If you are hard-core, then it's really nothing in a "package", so everything fresh, in it's whole state. Fruits, nuts, fresh veggies, homemade hummus, hard bolied eggs, etc. My across the street neighbor makes EVERYTHING herself, like even granola, cereals, etc. She's a SAHM so she has the time and the patience for it.

almonds, other nuts, clementines, cheese cubes (processed but real food), beans, apple slices with nut butter

we do a lot of nuts and fruits (berries, grapes, apples, pears)

Anonymous wrote:We try to eat non processed foods but I definitely run out of ideas for snacks on the go after "banana" "apple" and "granola."
So for example, if I give the kids organic toaster pastries instead of Pop Tarts am I still giving them "processed foods"?

unless you are killing a cow in the backyard, most of what you eat will be processed. Your goal should be minimally processed, look for foods that have ingredient lists you can understand. And give yourself a break, if over the long haul you are eating a primarily h ealthy diet...some crap or almost crap thrown in sometimes is not going to kill anyone.

We try to eat non processed foods but I definitely run out of ideas for snacks on the go after "banana" "apple" and "granola."
So for example, if I give the kids organic toaster pastries instead of Pop Tarts am I still giving them "processed foods"?