Choosing the right meal to eat can be daunting. Let alone choosing the right healthy in-between a meal go-to snack. You know, that decedent sweet and salty, ooey gooey goodness that in one bite can take you back to that perfect childhood moment. Well, I’m not promising childhood ecstasy here, however, I have reviewed and ranked the 15 best healthy snacks for 2024, along with our top 5 choices and soon to be yours, but you can pick for yourself. Happy choosing!
Are you looking to completely avoid artificial ingredients? I’m sure you care about what you put in your body, right?
Well, it’s not such a bad idea given that these artificial dyes and chemicals may contain contaminants that are known to be cancer-causing substances.
With thousands of options to choose from, but limiting taste factors, you need to know what to add to your snack arsenal, so you don’t waste your time, money or taste bud reactions to lightly salted cardboard. In other words, don’t sacrifice taste for eating healthy… have your taste and eat (healthy) too!
This review covers the best healthy snacks based on the following categories:
- Price
- Flavor profile
- Packaging and Appearance
- Texture and Consistency
- Ingredients
Coming in at #5…
Sunnie (Fresh Snacks) Zesty Hummus Dipper
Ok, now if you love hummus, there is no way you should NOT be eating Sunnie! Especially if gluten-free is your jam (oooh, check out their jam dipper too!)! With gluten-free dipping chips made of cassava flour, avocado oil, flax seed and 2 other ingredients you can pronounce, Sunnie came in at number 5 on our list.
- Price–roughly $5 ea. Not bad for a filling healthy snack.
- Flavor profile–Not gonna lie, cassava chips take some getting used to, but once you’re in, you’re in.
- Packaging and Appearance–Paper and PETE 1, so super recyclable. The packaging is fun and whimsical and to add to that, the inside paper wrapping has fun company history as well as an area for you to write positive ways to make it a Sunnie day and a cute coloring area.
- Texture and Consistency–As mentioned, cassava chips take some getting use to, but give them a try! The hummus dip is tangy, smooth and delish!
- Ingredients–We love the easy to read list of ingredients including the high quality oils.
As a side note, Sunnie is a certified Women Owned Business…and what’s not to love about that!!
Ranked at #4:
Like Air-Puffcorn (Classic)
It’s corn! Need I say more? But really, corn is like the best snack ever, despite some of its unfavored qualities (which we will ignore for now, shhh). And puffed corn is the best! Lite, airy, melt in your mouth crunchy!! Yep, it’s the best!! And Like Air is in the game! With perks like non-GMO corn, being gluten free and no artificial ingredients, Like Air Classic is our number 4 choice.
- Price–Roughly $1.00 ea. Right there with your favorite chip pricing.
- Flavor profile–Clean corn taste and fun to eat.
- Packaging and Appearance–Not really crazy about the light blue color on the bag or the graphics, but it must be working for them. Also, packing has foil barrier vapor inside and although it is great for keeping moisture out, it is not recyclable. You can always save and repurpose a bunch of the bags and donate them to a local school for fun DIY projects like candy wrapper tote bags.
- Texture and Consistency–Crispy but light and melts in you mouth.
- Ingredients–love the non-GMO corn, however not crazy about there being sunflower or canola oil, but at least they are non-GMO (for whatever that’s worth). The Classic flavor does have dairy products in it and I suppose that’s what makes them taste so good!
Number 3
Nature’s Bakery Brownie-Salted Caramel
Nature’s Bakery has been around for a while. You know, the fig bars. They are really popular. However, when I was a kid, my dad tortured me with Fig Newtons instead of chocolate chip cookies, so you can imagine the fig trauma I now have!! But I digress, because THESE are not figs! They are brownies… and salted caramel at that. That’s why this brownie is coming in at number 3!
- Price–Roughly $3
- Flavor profile–GOOD! It’s chocolate!
- Packaging and Appearance–Typical bar packaging, sorry, not recyclable
- Texture and Consistency–Soft baked, sugary and moist
- Ingredients–All recognizable and plant based
Runner up #2:
Think Jerky- Sriracha Honey
- Price–Around $5
- Flavor profile–Sweet with some heat and moist
- Packaging and Appearance–Seemed to be a trend with the foil packed bags
- Texture and Consistency–chewy and not dry.
- Ingredients-Free range turkey, water, brown sugar, tamari sauce and the list goes on, but all readable by a 6th grader, except for maybe xanthan gum (which is plant based and is a thickener) and maltodextrin (which in some studies has been known to cause intestinal inflammation)
Drum roll please…Dun dun duuun, our #1 choice:
Hardbite Handcrafted-(Potato) Chip- Black Truffle Sea Salt
I have to be honest with you… these chips do not currently come in snack size! But who cares? They are some of the best potato chips you will ever have. Especially if you are a truffle lover. If you’re not, you will be.
- Price–roughly $3 ea. and worth it.
- Flavor profile-great bite, rich truffle note
- Packaging and Appearance–traditional chip bag
- Texture and Consistency–Crunchy
- Ingredients–Potatoes, Avocado Oil, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Yeast Extract, Black Truffle Mushroom Powder.
Thats it folks. Thats our list of best snacks for 2024. We would love to hear your thoughts on what snacks you tried and like (or didn’t) and why.
Until then, to your conscious life!