There Are Some Healthy Snacks
That Your Kids Will Actually Eat

Kids clamor for "kid food" -- those fun, portable, ready-made and nugget-sized treats designed to tempt young taste buds.

And though kid foods are usually loaded with sugar and fat, busy parents often give in. Kid foods are just so convenient, and it's easy to get kids to eat them. The list is obvious to any parent -- macaroni and cheese, sandwich pockets, chicken nuggets, crackers, Pop-Tarts, fruit snacks and chips, among others.

But with a little effort, parents can find regular kid foods they don't have to feel guilty about. Armed with advice from experts at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition, I went to my regular grocery store looking for kid foods with less sugar, moderate fat, more fiber and no trans fats, which are the hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils found on the ingredient list.

But be warned, it's easy to be duped by healthful-sounding claims. Many foods promise "all-natural" ingredients or real fruit, when a check of the label shows it's mostly sugar or fat. And artery-clogging trans fats can show up in surprising places. I was stunned that Jell-O Pudding Snacks, "made with wholesome skim milk," also contain trans fats.

BETTER CHOICES

Here are some tips for finding healthier kid foods.

• AVOID TRANS FATS which show up as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils on the label.

• LOOK FOR 2 GRAMS OF FIBER which indicates whole-grain ingredients.

• CHOOSE WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOODS like raisins, fruit, natural peanut butter and milk.

• BUY SIMILARLY PACKAGED SUBSTITUTES that will be "fun to eat."

• LOOK FOR BALANCE. No-fat isn't always best if it means an all-carb snack.

• SEE A LIST of alternatives to popular snacks.




Here's how to make some healthier food choices that still have plenty of kid appeal.

Quick breakfasts. The new popular milk-and-cereal bars promise "the nutrition of a bowl of cereal with real milk." But check the label -- Honey Nut Cheerios bars, for example, get 40% of their calories from the 16 grams of sugar, and there's barely a hint of milk. A Kellogg's Pop-Tart is loaded with 20 grams of sugar. And both contain trans fats. Instead, consider Amy's Toaster Pops. Compared with Pop-Tarts, they have half the fat, no trans fats and less than a third of the sugar. Whole-grain waffles are a better choice, as are low-fat granola and breakfast bars, but check the labels for trans fats.

Snacks and chips. Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers, "baked with real cheese," were always a staple at my house. But they're 40% fat, have little fiber and contain trans fats. Indeed, the chip-and-cracker aisle is a minefield of high-fat, trans-fat-laden food. After shopping around, I guessed that low-fat, Baked Lays was a better choice. But surprisingly, Tufts University nutritionist Susan Roberts was lukewarm on low-fat baked chips and pretzels. Her concern -- taking away the fat leaves you with an unbalanced, all-carbohydrate snack, which a child's body will quickly convert to sugar.

Instead, Dr. Roberts suggests a reasonable portion of corn chips cooked in oil. "Fried chips at least split your calories between fat and carb, so you don't get all carb," she says. Add a mild salsa or bean dip and "the combined nutrition is positively healthy." Frito-Lay's Tostitos are trans-fat-free, as are Newman's Own organic yellow corn tortilla chips.

Nutritionist Christina Economos, also at Tufts and a mother of a pre-schooler, likes Veggie Booty snacks from Robert's American Gourmet and low-fat microwave popcorn, which is high in fiber.

Fruit snacks. Fruit snacks are a huge hit with kids, and parents like the idea of giving their kids fruit. But the truth is, most of these products are just candy with a healthy-sounding name. Betty Crocker's popular Fruit Roll-Ups and Gushers are made with fruit concentrate (which is basically sugar), corn syrup and sugar and they even contain trans fats. Even Sunkist fruit snacks, which promise 100% of your recommended vitamin C and real fruit juice, are mostly just a concoction of sugar.

Instead, switch to mini boxes of raisins -- kids love them and they contain one ingredient. Or try frozen fruit and juice bars. Even the fruitiest-sounding bars can be made mostly from sugar, corn syrup and concentrate, so compare labels and limit quantity.

Snack cups. Pudding, applesauce and fruit cups are easy, but they are loaded with added sugars. But right next to the regular applesauce is Mott's Healthy Harvest brand. It's packed in the same cute cup, but contains half the sugar and calories. And Hidden Valley now makes single dipping cups filled with its light ranch dressing. While the 200 calories (150 from fat) would make most health-conscious eaters cringe, light-ranch dressing is a good way to encourage kids to eat fresh vegetables.

Hot, prepared meals. Don't give up on macaroni and cheese, just switch to a better brand, like Amy's. Instead of popular sandwich pocket brands, try Amy's or Trader Joe's brand burritos or Amy's cheese pizza snacks. None of these choices are low fat, but they usually have less fat than popular brands and no trans fats.

Skip the hot dogs and baloney, they contain nitrites, which have been linked to cancer. You can switch to nitrite-free chicken or turkey dogs or all-veg brands like Smart Dogs or Morningstar Farms' mini veggie-corn dogs. They don't taste the same, but many kids don't seem to notice.

Instead of fat-filled chicken nuggets, many of which also contain trans fats, look for all-natural brands like Bell & Evans, or switch to meatless varieties. Since it's the bite-sized nugget (not the chicken) that appeals to most kids, frozen Veggie Munchies from Health is Wealth, which are crispy and nugget-sized, also are a hit with kids.

But when buying kid food, don't go overboard by choosing tasteless foods. "It really backfires," says Dr. Roberts, "if you try to get kids to eat healthy but bad-tasting food."

• E-mail me at healthjournal@wsj.com.

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Toward Smarter Snacks
Sometimes it seems kids won't eat anything that isn't loaded with fat and sugar. But you can find healthier alternatives at the supermarket that will still satisfy kids' craving for their favorite snacks.

--Tara Parker-Pope

If your kid likes... Consider...
Goldfish or potato chips Corn chips with salsa are a balanced snack, but look for trans-fat-free brands like Tostitos or organic varieties. Or try Robert's American Gourmet Veggie Booty. Light popcorn has fiber but check the label for lurking trans fat.
Chocolate milk -A low-fat or skim chocolate milk. Even with the added sugar, the nutrition from milk makes this count as a healthful snack.
Cookies -Better to skip these hollow calories altogether, but for cookie cravings Newman's Own Newman-O's taste great without the trans fat found in most packaged baked goods.
Pudding cups -A surprising source of trans fat. Switch to fruit yogurt, Mott's Healthy Harvest applesauce cups or Walnut Acres Fruit Squeezies applesauce tubes. Or try 100% juice frozen juice bars.
Soft drinks/Juice boxes -If your kid can't live without soda, switch to a diet, caffeine-free variety. Many nutritionists don't worry about the fake sugar, but if you do, then try Vintage Raspberry Selzer or cut juice with selzer for a fizzy drink with half the sugar. And Tropicana makes a 100% orange juice mini-carton.
Chicken nuggets -Most brands are loaded with fat and chemicals. Some regular stores carry natural brands like Bell & Evans real chicken nuggets, or look for non-meat brands like Morningstar's Chik'n Nuggets. Or try other nugget-sized snacks like Amy's cheese pizza snacks or Health is Wealth Veggie Munchies.
Hot dogs -It's tough to turn a hot dog into a health food, but look for nitrite-free chicken and turkey dogs, Smart Dogs or make veggie dogs fun with Morningstar Farms Mini Corn Dogs.
Macaroni and cheese- Make your own with pasta and low-fat cheese or try Amy's mac and cheese -- still high in fat, but unlike most brands, doesn't contain trans fats.
Hot Pockets- They're high in fat and trans fat and may contain nitrites, so switch to a tasty cheesy burrito from Amy's, or a cheese pizza pocket sandwich. Most stores carry organic pizza bites that kids love.
Fruit Roll-Ups- At least switch to a trans-fat-free brand like Sunkist, but even those are still mostly sugar. Better yet, look for organic fruit leathers or raisins, which are still high in sugar but pack lots more real nutrition. Skim, mozzarella cheese sticks are a popular substitute.

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Updated July 29, 2003