Published on Organic Gardening (http://www.organicgardening.com)
Snack Smarter
Snacks are not the nutritional devils we often make them out to be. Two well-timed snacks over the course of your day can stave off hunger with healthy fats and—yes, even ice cream—can keep you from diving into a junk-food binge, which helps you stick to a healthy diet.
But it's the quality of those snacks that matters most, and not just when it comes to calories. According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, approximately 80 percent of packaged foods contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that—among other health concerns—put you at greater risk for food allergies and gastrointestinal problems. Because GMOs aren't labeled as such, you can't protect yourself from these iffy ingredients and identify them in that lengthy list of ingredients you either can't pronounce or have never heard of. That's why we compiled this list of the best, healthy certified-organic snacks and snacks certified under the Non-GMO Project Verified program, which tests foods for residues of unhealthy, pesticide-riddled, GMO ingredients.
Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate Caramel Crunch with Sea Salt
Adding sea salt to a classic combination like chocolate and caramel delivers a crunch guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. Plus, this tasty bar is certified organic!
Per 9-piece serving size (about ½ bar):
Beanitos Chipotle BBQ Black Bean Chips
Free from corn or wheat—and GMOs—Beanitos chips are made with black or pinto beans and provide a satisfying snack that has twice the protein of genetically altered corn chips.
Per 1-ounce serving:
Peanut Butter & Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter
Most flavored nut butters are saddled with extra sugar and hydrogenated oils. This GMO-free spread has half the sugar of other flavored peanut butters, with the added bonus of cinnamon, which helps control blood sugar. Spread it on whole wheat crackers, or make the old snack standby, Ants on a Log, using organic celery.
Per 2-Tablespoon serving:
B'More Organic Mango-Banana Smoothie
If you want a powerful protein punch after your next workout, look no further than B'More Organic. The certified-organic smoothies contain skyr, an Icelandic yogurt made from skim milk that's rich in protein, which aids in muscle growth and recovery. It's also sweetened with stevia, a natural, zero-calorie sugar alternative.
Per 8-ounce bottle:
Late July Bite Size Cheddar Cheese Crackers
Back away from the Cheez-Its…. We've got a certified-organic alternative that will blow those processed cheddar chunks out of the water.
latejuly.com
Per 30 crackers:
Equal Exchange Apricot Geobars
Chewy fruit-filled bars are great for an on-the-go breakfast, dessert in your packed lunch, or a quick snack, and the fiber from the wheat and rice makes it a perfect midmorning hunger-killer.
Per bar:
Straus Family Creamery Brown Sugar Banana Ice Cream
Studies have shown that indulging in a little dessert every now and then actually helps you stick to a healthy diet. Just don't make it boring! Made with roasted banana, chocolate chunks, and dark brown sugar, this ice cream is loaded with banana-split-in-a-cup flavor. What could be better? And it's certified organic, to boot.
Per ½-cup serving:
Country Choice Organic Snacking Vanilla Wafers
Reminiscent of childhood snack time, these cookies don't disappoint, and they're the perfect addition to a homemade banana pudding.
Per 7-cookie serving:
Golden Valley Natural Sweet 'n' Spicy Beef Jerky
Nix the gas station jerky and check out this beefy snack. Like other forms of processed meats, jerky is typically chock-full of synthetic nitrites, which have been linked to cancer. But this certified-organic alternative has none of those, nor has the meat been injected with hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified feed. (Also available in turkey or buffalo.)
Per 1-ounce serving:
Nature's Path Macaroon Crunch Granola Bars
This crunchy certified-organic granola bar has the perfect amount of chocolate and a subtle hint of coconut to satisfy a sugar craving, without all the sugar. Two bars have just 8 grams of sugar, half the sugar of other candylike granola bars.
Per 2-bar package:
Clif Kid Strawberry Z Fruit Rope
Remember your old friend, the Fruit Roll-Up? A quick glance at its ingredients list will make you realize why the world needs an organic version: hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, and concentrated fruit juice, but no actual fruit. This organic spin on a childhood favorite contains said fruit and little else—not even sugar.
Per piece:
Late July Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
It's like an Oreo, only organic. Grab the milk and start dunking.
Per 3-cookie serving:
Nuts.com Organic Trail Mix
Nuts are a filling snack, not to mention a fantastic source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Add dried raisins, cranberries, banana chips, and a few pumpkin seeds and you get a dose of potassium and magnesium, which keep your mind sharp during those midafternoon slumps.
Per 1-ounce serving:
Pure Organic Cranberry Orange Bar
Prefer to get your nuts in bar form? Grab one of these bars, which mix walnuts, almonds, and cashews with real orange zest and antioxidant-rich cranberries. It's like Thanksgiving cranberry dressing—in bar form! And they're gluten-free.
Per bar:
Snyder's of Hanover Organic Honey Whole Wheat Pretzel Sticks
These sticks are a sweet zing on the classic crunchy favorite, and they're made with whole wheat, a more filling alternative to the refined white flour used in ordinary pretzels.
Per 1-ounce serving:
Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss Ginger Cookie Caramel Ice Cream
Ginger cookies mixed with caramel mixed with coconut ice cream…do we really need to say more? Actually, it gets better: Aside from the fact that it tastes fantastic, this decadent dessert is both certified organic and verified as non-GMO, and is made with Fair Trade–Certified vanilla. And because the ice cream is made from coconut milk, it contains all the heart- and immune-protective properties found in coconut fats and oils (though it still has a lot of sugar, so keep that in mind before you down the whole pint, tempting as that may be) and is a good dairy-free alternative for people who are lactose-intolerant.
Per ½-cup serving:
Rumiano Organic Mozzarella Cheese
The smoky taste of this mozzarella opens a whole new world for grilled-cheese lovers. Or cut up the block into individual string-cheese–style sticks for an easy snack—it's worth the effort. Rumiano's cheeses are certified both organic and Non-GMO, and are from animals raised entirely on grass, which means the products are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Per 1-ounce serving:
Lakewood Organic Lemonade
Try selling this at your next lemonade stand and see if sales suddenly skyrocket. Ironically, very few lemonades on the market can claim to contain nothing but fruit juice. Most are doctored up with artificial flavorings, high-fructose corn syrup, and other sugars. But this stuff is the real deal—lemons, fruit juice, and that's it.
Per 8-ounce serving:
Kettle Brand Organic Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Potato Chips
Kick your old pesticide-laden chips to the curb. These organic chips have just enough seasoning to spice up your life without the toxic pesticides used on conventional potatoes.\
Per 1-ounce serving:
Attune Foods Erewhon Organic Cinnamon Grahams
Dip them in milk, spread them with some of our recommended cinnamon-raisin-flavored peanut butter, or eat them plain. There is no wrong way to enjoy these classic crackers.
Per 2 full cracker sheets:
So Delicious Mint Marble Fudge Ice Cream
This creamy, cold treat doesn't disappoint—imagine eating a Girl Scout Cookie, but in soft-serve form. The added bonus? It's made from organic soy, so even those who prefer non-dairy can enjoy without worrying about the toxic pesticide residues that contaminate genetically modified soy products.
Per ½-cup serving:
Keep Reading: 11 Mood Boosting Foods!
Links:
[1] http://www.equalexchange.coop/
[2] http://www.beanitos.com/
[3] http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/
[4] http://www.bmoreorganic.com/
[5] http://www.latejuly.com/
[6] http://strausfamilycreamery.com/
[7] http://www.countrychoiceorganic.com/
[8] http://goldenvalleynatural.com/
[9] http://us.naturespath.com/
[10] http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_kid_twisted_fruit/
[11] http://nuts.com/snacks/trail-mix/organic-trail-mix.html
[12] http://thepurebar.com/pure-products/pure-organic/cranberry-orange/
[13] http://www.snydersofhanover.com/Products/Cid/8/Prid/258/
[14] http://www.coconutbliss.com/coconut-bliss-products/ginger-cookie-caramel
[15] http://www.rumianocheese.com/our-cheese/organic/item/organic-mozzarella?category_id=1
[16] http://www.lakewoodjuices.com/product_detail/id-13/
[17] http://www.attunefoods.com/products/New-Morning/new-morning-organic-graham-crackers-cinnamon
[18] http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/soy-milk-ice-creams/mint-marble-fudge
[19] http://www.organicgardening.com/cook/11-instant-mood-boosting-foods