Editor’s Picks: Healthy snacks the kids will actually eat.

There are three things you can count on in life. Death, taxes and that the kids will want a snack in about half an hour.

And since snacking is such a constant, I often find myself facing tough decisions between convenience, health and things the kids will actually eat. Believe me, if individually wrapped chocolates had nutritional value, I would happily give them to my small people five times a day.

Sadly, life has never been that easy. But it also doesn’t have to be as hard as rocket ships made out of chopped fruit or smiley face mini pizzas (thank GOD). Here are my picks for convenient snacks that won’t cause a spike in your dental costs.

1. New Daily Balance.

I don’t know about you but I love the taste of juice just not a fan of the sugar. In fact, I’ve always given my four-year-old watered down juice, to reduce some of the sugar content.

Happily, the Daily Juice Company’s Daily Balance is a pre-prepared water and juice based beverage. It’s got half the sugar of their regular Daily Juice Orange and unlike watering down our juice at home, Daily Balance also has a hint of the natural sweetener Stevia, so it tastes just as delicious. One serve of Daily Balance can also be an occasional alternative to a piece of fruit, making it a very convenient and healthy option. It also serves up 100% of your daily vitamin C requirements, so it’s another bonus when I need a healthy refreshing treat for my kids.

2. Bellamy’s organic apple snacks.

Look, I won’t lie to you. I try so hard to be organised and make sure I have fresh fruit snacks for the kids while we’re out. Strangely, that’s not the bit I find difficult – I can chop an apple, right. It’s the part where you don’t leave the apple slices in their Tupperware container in the nappy bag for weeks on end to become a mouldy smelly mess that I find difficult.

These snap dried apple slices are the next best thing to a crunchy fresh apple. I throw the whole packet into the nappy bag and I’m good to go. I just have to remember to clear out the empty bag when it’s done.

3. Frozen peas.

I have rule at home. If you ask for a snack while I’m making dinner, you get frozen peas. In a bowl. Straight from the freezer. Does that sound harsh?

Maybe it’s harsh, but I figure that if one of my small people has ruined their appetite, they did with vegetables, while I am left in peace to do the cooking with the least amount of effort possible.

4. Only Organic Yogurt Kindy Rice Cakes.

I’m not above bribery, especially when it comes to bedtime. Hey – whatever you gotta do, right?

I have somehow tricked my four-year-old into thinking these organic rice cakes with yogurt are a lolly and I can use them as inducement for anything from having a bath, to being a good boy at the store to going to be at bed time. I’ll be stuffed when he works out the truth, but until then, I’m milking this for all it’s worth.

5. Vaalia My First Yogurt.

I am a huge fan of these pots of yogurt. They’re full fat, which I prefer for the baby. They’re a little smaller, so the serving size is more appropriate, and there’s no added sugar. Yogurt is supposed to be sour, and I like that my kids are developing a taste for natural, unsweetened yogurt.

6. Bega Cheese Tasty Cheese Sticks.

These cheese sticks are fantastic. They have a robust cheese flavour, and they come individually wrapped which makes them easy for taking out and about.

7. A teddy bear bikkie (or two).

When all else fails, and it’s too early for a wine, a teddy bear biscuit is sure to keep the kids occupied for at least a minute.

What are your go-to healthy snacks?