We get the Chobani Greek yoghurts, dried fruit, sultanas or the dried fruit punch one (can't remember the actual name) there's not a lot of 'healthy' ones out there though. I think the rice wheels are good or sesame snaps just my kids won't eat those.
I will have to go and see if our little IGA has any of this stuff. Another part of my problem is that we are in a remote town, with only a small IGA to shop in. Plus everything is heaps more expensive out here. I buy things here and then go to my mum's place in Sydney and get the same things, and they're so much cheaper!
The only prepackaged items I let in the lunch box are colby cheese sticks (Bega) and a half a mini-box of sultanas (even though it's a small box because too much sugar and my 4yo goes off the rails). I did buy some packaged plain mini rice cakes but they had more salt than the ones I usually buy and I didn't want to get the ones with added flavours so I reverted back and give him a couple of plain ones with a smear of jam (as a treat). I also put yoghurt into little containers and freeze them so they defrost before lunch. Other than that, make vegetmite cheese twists and these always go down well. He loves them! Just defrost a sheet of puff pastry, top with vegemite and parmesan, fold over, cut, twist and bake.
Oh, and your husband sounds like mine.....grrr - he'd put heaps of "no's" into the lunchbox if I let him.
My hubby would fill their lunch boxes with junk if he could! But I think I need to respect his view and be reasonable. Some people might think it silly, it's junk food and no-one needs that in their diets, but clearly to him, it's more than just about the food. He's 35 and it still bothers him that he didn't get packaged foods or treats in his lunch box when he was a kid. So it's more than food to him, and that makes it important to me too. But I will draw a line. One shop brought snack a day is fine. I don't mind, but too much more than that and I will turn crazy protective mumma bear!
Dried fruit is much sexier in the little individual serve boxes. They come in a variety of fruit combinations, so you might have dried apples in with the sultanas.
I use many of the ideas already suggested, but I also add an occasional rotation of plain potato chips (but only brands that contain nothing else except potatoes, oil, salt). It's not the maximum healthiest thing but the kids appreciate having it every so often.
In summer we freeze individual yoghurt pots, and on very hot days I send frozen fruit juice (the kids rip them open like icecups).
FWIW - I think lunch box "treats" have more to do with variety than whether it comes from a shop or not. I often send a container of savoury leftovers (eg pasta) or a small container of dip with things to dip into it. The kids love that kind of thing.
That's fair enough MrsF. I didn't get treats either so I know where he is coming from.
The occasional packet of crisps isn't going to damage your child.
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Re: What are the 'healthier' pre-packaged snacks?
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