The 30 All-Time Best Grocery Store Snacks for Kids

Across the board, 2020 has been a year when parents and children have spent more time together than pretty much ever before. Stay-at-home orders, lapses in safe childcare options, and transitions to online school have forced new routines that have taken family time to unprecedented levels (in both good and bad ways). A clear side effect: Parents having to field way more “I’m hungrys!” than usual.

With 2021 (and more at-home time) on the horizon, we decided to curate a list of the all-time best grocery store snacks for kiddos, calling on the expertise of Kitchn staffers with children, registered dietitians, and pro-level grocery shoppers. Here are our top picks for dairy-based snacks, bars, cereals, crackers, crisps, puffs, nuts, legumes, fruit- and veggie-based treats, and meaty snacks. Behold!

This particular brand of string cheese was far and away the first recommendation, receiving a unanimous vote from Kitchn editors. “The only string cheese worth buying is FRIGO. It actually tastes like cheese,” says Food Director, Nina Elder, whose 5-year-old son, Gus, is already a “Cheesehead.”

Buy: Frigo String Cheese, $3.49 for 12 at Target

Siggi’s Kids’ yogurt pouches are made with 50 percent less sugar than other brands, which is why busy parents should have these on hand at all times. They’re also loaded with important minerals like calcium that help support growing bones, says Lauren Manaker, a Kitchn contributor and a registered dietitian. Pro tip: They’re also a lifesaving solution to sandwich burnout.

Buy: Siggi’s Kids Yogurt Pouches, $6 for four at Instacart

According to Kitchn’s Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, “The nostalgic but hearty taste of Cheerios in all their oaten splendor is still my gold standard cereal.” Oh, and they’re great for kids, of course. “Their perfect clutch-able shape is still the best pick-up practice for tiny baby hands,” she argued in Kitchn Essentials. They’re also a great base for snack mixes, says Nina.

Buy: Cheerios, $3.79 for 18 ounces at Target

Clif Bar makes a kids’ version called Z Bar, which features a blend of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and fat — but never high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors. “My chocolate-hating kids prefer the iced oatmeal cookie option,” says Kitchn Contributor Patty Catalano.

Buy: Kids Zbars, $6.99 for 12 at Target

So many Kitchn editors swear by Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, which made them a no-brainer addition to our Kitchn Essentials list this summer. Food Editor Meghan Splawn, who hosts a podcast called Didn’t I Just Feed You?!, nominated them too.

Buy: Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, $5.35 for 12 twin packs

Amy Palanjian, the blogger behind Yummy Toddler Food and a member of the Kitchn Collective, loves to have Lärabar Kids on hand at all times. They’re an excellent snack break during Zoom school and contain just nine ingredients.

Buy: Lärabar Kids, $3.99 for six bars at Thrive Market

Fun to say and fun to eat — what’s not to love about Pirate’s Booty? These baked rice and corn puffs are dusted with aged white cheddar-y goodness and make a light (and delightful) snack.

Buy: Pirate’s Booty, $5.98 for 10 ounces at Walmart

“We went through more giant tubs of Goldfish in quarantine than I thought possible. I’m speaking as an adult, though, so I don’t know if kids still like them,” says Senior Contributing Food Editor, Sheela Prakash. (The parents on our staff were quick to tell Sheela that they do!)

Buy: Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, $7.48 for 30 ounces at Walmart

We love pretty much everything that Annie’s Homegrown has to offer (the gummies! The mac and cheese!), but perhaps what we (and our kids) love most are the classic Cheddar Bunnies.

Buy: Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, $4.49 for an 11.25-ounce box at Thrive Market

Smartfood has been around for ages and has been a kid favorite for just as long. In a reasonable serving size, this cheddar-dusted snack is perfectly acceptable — especially because popcorn counts as a whole grain. Note: Popcorn is a choking hazard for children under 5.

Buy: Smartfood, $4.79 for 9.5 ounces at Target

If your kids are bored by regular rice cakes, try this cheese-dusted version from Quaker. They have other flavors, too, including buttermilk ranch and apple cinnamon.

Buy: Quaker Cheddar Rice Crisps, $2.73 for 6.06 ounces

Thanks to the familiar shape of this snack, your child will have NO idea they’re eating a protein-packed chickpea puff. They taste just like Cheez Doodles but have far more protein and fiber, and are made with vegan white cheddar.

Buy: Hippeas, $3.49 for 5 ounces at Target

These brown rice puffs have just a hint of sweetness and a satisfying crunch that kids love. One pouch contains 50 calories — and you can buy them in bulk at Costco or on Amazon (where they have nearly 1,000 five-star reviews).

Buy: Bamboo Lane Crunchy Rice Rollers, $14.50 for 16 packs

Another virtuous doodle-like snack! This one is made from egg whites and organic cassava flour and will surprise your kids in a good way. They come in Himalayan Pink Salt, Eggs & Cheese, and Huevos Rancheros flavors; are super crunchy and low calorie; and have six grams of protein per serving. That’s more than you can say about a regular ol’ cheese puff!

Buy: Lesser Evil Egg White Curls, $24 for six 4-ounce bags

Here’s another pick from Kitchn Essentials: Trader Joe’s Animal Crackers! They’re so good because they hit just the right notes of lemon and vanilla and are also fun (and educational) to eat.

Pretzel twists are just as great in a bowl on the couch or in a baggie in the car. Pretty much every time of day is a pretzel time of day.

Buy: Rold Gold Tiny Twists Pretzels, $2.99 for 16 ounces at Target

Meghan’s kids like to dip their graham crackers in nut butter during snack time, giving this sweet treat a filling protein boost.

Buy: Honey Maid Graham Crackers, $3.38 for 14.4 ounces at Walmart

These Sweet Potato Littles from Dr. Praeger’s are made with sweet potatoes for a boost of beta-caroten. The dino-shaped morsels are a great no-fuss afternoon snack. Just heat and serve. According to Caroline Schnapp, Kitchn’s Social Media Manager and mom of one, these are one of the groceries that got her and her toddler through 2020.

Buy: Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Littles, $4 at Instacart

Although aimed at school-aged kids, these applesauce-based fruit and veggie pouches would work for toddlers, too. What’s inside? Pretty much just apples! Parents (including our very own Faith) love them because they can be stored at room temperature until opened. The brand also makes yogurt pouches that made our list of Kitchn Essentials and are beloved for the same reason.

Buy: GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce, $14.84 for 18 3.2-ounce pouches

These pre-pitted dates are basically nature’s candy. Lauren buys these for her 5-year-old who gobbles them up when she’s looking for a sweet treat.

Buy: Joolies Organic Medjool Dates, $9 for 11 ounces at Thrive Market

Everyone wants their kid to eat more fruit. Bare Baked Crunchy Fruit Chips make accomplishing that easy and accessible. “Bare Apple Chips are so sweet and crunchy and the only ingredient is APPLES,” says Patty.

Buy: Bare Baked Crunchy Fruit Chips, $2.99 for 1.4 ounces at Target

These really are just green peas that have been baked to crispy perfection. They made Food Editor and mom of one Kelli Foster’s list of the 70+ Best Healthy Snack Ideas.

Buy: Harvest Snaps, $1.99 for 1 ounce at Target

Let’s give a round of applause for this no-sugar-added dried mango that’s bursting with vitamins and equals a serving of fruit, recommended by Caroline.

Buy: Peeled Snacks Dried Mango, $9.98 for 7 ounces

These plant-based crackers may look like Cheez-Its, but don’t be fooled — they’re made with butternut squash. Plus there’s a whopping 44 crackers in one serving (which isn’t the case with regular Cheez-Its).

Buy: From the Ground Up Butternut Squash Crackers, $22.50 for six 4-ounce boxes

Dare we say that these perfectly salted root vegetable chips are even crispier and crunchier than potato chips? They also boast a much better nutritional profile. So if your kids are looking for something chip-like, this is it.

Buy: Terra Chips, $3.78 for 6.8 ounces at Walmart

“My daughter loves these pistachios because they are kissed with sweet honey, and I love them because they offer 6 grams of plant-based protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving,” says Lauren. She also says this is the single ingredient that made her family fall in love with salad.

Buy: Wonderful No-Shell Honey Roasted Pistachios, $3 for 2.25 ounces at Target

These tricolor veggie straws are another excellent alternative to potato chips. Buy them in individual 1-ounce bags for an easy snack-time solution.

Buy: Sensible Portions Veggie Straws, $4.79 for six 1-ounce bags at Target

Here’s another Kelli pick, that’s also endorsed by Meghan (and her kids). Unlike lots of other honey-roasted snacks, these lightly sweetened, crisped chickpeas don’t skew too sweet. They also come packaged in individual pouches for lunch-box packing (when that’s a thing again).

Buy: Beina Honey-Roasted Chickpeas, $15.96 for four 5-ounce bags

Nina’s son, Gus, loves to snack on mini packs of nori, which are packed with vitamins and minerals. These chip-like sheets are also fun to eat.

Buy: Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack, $10.49 for 10 packs at Costco

Kalahari biltong, which is air-dried beef, is an easy, quick protein. Unlike jerky that sometimes contain nitrates or flavor fillers, this is a little more natural, says Lauren.

Buy: Kalahari Biltong, $8 at Instacart

What are your favorite grocery store kid snacks?

This post originally ran on Kitchn. See it there: The 30 All-Time Best Grocery Store Snacks for Kids