Kids Food Reviews
👀 Check your breadcrumbs!
😡 Some brands have 20+ ingredients with additives and preservatives.. and then there are some are simple and healthy!
👋 I like these breadcrumbs because they have a simple ingredients list, with no nasties.
✅ No additives or preservatives
✅ Low in salt
✅ Very low in added sugar
✅ Reasonable source of protein
✅ Dairy, egg and nut free
These are an easy affordable option to use for nuggets or schnitzels.
✅ iron and zinc fortified
✅ no artificial flavours colours (no additives)
✅ low in fat
❌ Highly processed (fast release sugar)
❌ low in fibre
❌ second ingredient is sugar
❌ salt is a little high
These aren’t a great breakfast option…save them for the school holidays!
If your kids really love them, try to serve them with some fruit on the side!
This is a yummy dairy free ice cream!!!
✅ No added nasties- no artificial colours or flavours.
✅ Dairy, egg and gluten free for those needing it (does contain soy)
✅ Lower in sugar than many other chocolate ice creams
❌ Does contain some added sugar (but almost ALL do!)
This is a great option…and reasonably priced for a pack of four in the supermarket!
I’m a little torn with this one and here is why:
Fortified with iron and 2 slices theoretically provides about 50% of a child’s daily intake (need to eat with Vitamin C rich food to maximise absorption)
✅ Well accepted by kids especially picky eaters
✅ Good source of fibre- very high fibre
✅ Low in added sugar
✅ Added iodine and folate
❌ Contains 3 Emulsifiees
Whilst the emulsifiers are deemed safe for consumption (by our narional food standards) some prefer not to consume them as they are chemically produced (like many food additives).
If you want to avoid emulsifiers you need to get a fresh loaf ie bakers delight wholemeal bread which had no emulsifiers. Fresh wholemeal bread will still contain iron but not as much as the fortified version.
If iron is the priority, then this fortified bread is a good option for everyday lunches.
One of my Nourishing Kids members has asked me to review this, so here goes!
✅ 74% wholegrain
✅ Low in salt
✅ Low in fat
✅ High in fibre
✅ Iron fortified
✅ No preservatives or colours
❌ 19% added sugar
❌ Contains additives - flavour and a natural sweetener (steviol gycosides)
👉👉 On the whole this breakfast cereal is a reasonable option - not the best and not the worst.
🥣 Weetbix, porridge, granola and Sultana Bran are better options... and Nutrigrain, cocopops, Frootloops are worst options!
This is one of my favourite soy milks!
Despite what you may have heard, fortified soy milk provides a good amount of nutrients such as Protein, calcium, Vitamin D and B vitamins. It is safe and healthy for kids and adults to drink!
It is a great option for those with a milk allergy or those looking to minimise animal foods/dairy.
This Vitasoy Calci Plus is a great option because:
✅ It tastes good
✅ Its very high in calcium
✅ Good source of high quality protein
✅ Organic soy beans
✅ Healthy fat (not saturated like cows milk)
✅ Fortified with B2, B12
✅ Fortified with Vitamin D
✅ Low in salt
✅ Australian made
❌ Not gluten free for those needing it
❌ Contains 3% added sugar - similar carbohydrate content to regular milk
An even more nutritious option would be to go for an unsweetened soy milk that is also fortified!
Save these for movie nights as they aren’t as good as the plain version.
✅ Wholegrain and source of fibre
✅ Source of iron
✅ Gluten, soy, egg, nut and dairy free for those needing it
✅ No artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners
✅ Made in Australia with Australian ingredients
❌ High in salt (668 mg per 100g)
❌ 28% fat (but mainly the healthy monounsaturated fat)
❌ 24% added sugar
Choose a plain version like the @cobspopcorn lightly salted option instead which has much less salt, no added sugar and is a good source of wholegrain, fibre and iron.
While these are delicious and moorish, they are really a sometimes food. Why?
❌ too high in salt (over 687mg per 100g)
❌ flavour enhancer and additives
❌ too many ingredients
❌ over 5% saturated fat
❌ highly processed
❌ low in fibre
❌ unsure of the vegetable oil
Enjoy these, but only sometimes!!
My son loves these and they are a good muesli bar option!!
✅ whole grain (51% oats and 14% nuts & seeds)
✅ low in salt
✅ high in fibre
✅ simple ingredients list
✅ low in sugar for a muesli bar
✅ no milk or egg for those with allergies
✅ no artificial colours or flavours
👉 contains nuts so be careful with school lunchboxes
These are a “reasonable but not amazing” option.
✅ Real fruit
✅ Some fibre
✅ Low in salt
✅ No added sugar or fruit concentrates/pastes
✅ Non perishable and easy to transport
✅ Gluten, dairy, egg and soy free for those needing it
❌ Contains preservatives
❌ Contains Sulphites (for those sensitive)
❌ No skin (less nutrition and fibre)
❌ Not Australian apples
These are still a much better option than many of the processed kids snacks out there, however simply cutting an apple finely into “apple chips” with the skin on, will always be 100% better!
A new healthy snack for the adults + kids!
✅ 50% Almonds
✅ White beans
✅ Almond oil
✅ High in fibre
✅ High in quality protein
❌ Salt is comparable to regular chips
These are a brilliant chip alternative for the whole family!! So much more nutritious than fried potato.
They come in a variety of flavours including barbecue.
✅ 3 simple ingredients
✅ Salt (sodium) quite low for a chip
✅ No additives or flavours
✅ Taste good - crunchy!
✅ Gluten and dairy free for those needing.
✅ Low in saturated fat
❌ Still a processed fried potato!
In short, as a “sometimes food” this is a better option than many chips on the shelf!
Ceres Rice Crackers
✅ simple ingredients list
✅ no additives, artificial colours or flavours
✅ higher in fibre than most crackers (although still low!)
✅ healthy fat used (sunflower oil)
✅ reasonable salt (sodium) compared to most
✅ no added sugar
✅ gluten, egg, nut and dairy free for those who need it
❌ made in Thailand
❌ still heavily processed
These are still a higher GI “fast release” snack, so it’s important to put it with a healthy partner such as hommus, pesto, avocado/guacamole, nut butter or salsa dip.
Having said that, these are a good one to grab from the cracker aisle!
Apple Slices
These are a “reasonable but not amazing” option.
✅ Real fruit
✅ Some fibre
✅ Low in salt
✅ No added sugar or fruit concentrates/pastes
✅ Non perishable and easy to transport
✅ Gluten, dairy, egg and soy free for those needing it
❌ Contains preservatives
❌ Contains Sulphites (for those sensitive)
❌No skin (less nutrition and fibre)
❌ Not Australian apples
These are still a much better option than many of the processed kids snacks out there, however simply cutting an apple finely into “apple chips” with the skin on, will always be 100% better!
This veggie powder is a reasonable addition to smoothies or your child’s meal if they are a super fussy eater.
✅ LSuitable from 12 months.
✅ 2 teaspoons powder per serve provides approx 15% of RDI for nutrients such as zinc, iron, Vit D
✅ Can be added to smoothies, veggies, pasta, eggs or whatever you like really.
✅ Plant based
✅ No additives or preservatives
✅ Mostly organic ingredients
✅ Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free
❌ Expensive- $1 per serve ($27 for 25 serves)
This supplement is not needed if your child eats a regular intake including protein food and veg at dinner, however if your child struggles with protein foods (such as meat , eggs), or vegies, then this may make you feel a little better about what they eat.
✅ only 3 ingredients
✅ organic brown rice
✅ salt reasonable (less than 400mg per 100g)
✅ kids like them!
✅ no nasties- no additives and preservatives.
❌ still highly processed/ fast sugar
❌ low fibre
Include these with other protein and fibre containing foods, to help slow down the release of sugar (makes it a bit lower GI). I include these in my sons’s lunchbox currently and he enjoys them.
This cereal often gets a bad wrap because of the sugar content. The thing is, over 2/3 of the sugar comes from natural fruit- the sultanas.
👉 Did you know that the sugars line includes the sugar from the fruit and any added sugar, which makes it super confusing to work out how much added sugar is in a product (vs fruit sugar).
👉 You then have to check the ingredients list (listed from the largest ingredient to the smallest ingredient)
✅ sultana bran is low in added sugar
✅ low in salt
✅ high in fibre
✅ fortified with iron and zinc (and other vitamins and minerals)
✅ good source of protein
✅ low in saturated fat
✅ smallish ingredients list
✅ no nasties (added flavours or preservatives)
👋 This one gets the green light for everyday! It’s also a great snack eaten dry - pop it in a snack box for on the run!
These could be summarised as a healthier version of a choc chip cookie!
✅ less than 5g sugar per serve
✅ Moderate source of fibre
✅ Low in salt
❌ Vegetable Oil- unsure which
❌ 20% fat, 5% saturated fat (which is less than regular choc chip biscuits which are 10-15% saturated fat)
❌ contains additives and sweeteners (maltitol)
In summary, these are much healthier than something like an Oreo or a regular choc chip cookie, but not as good as a homemade version!
A great way to boost protein and fibre in your child’s day.
✅ contains a variety of plant and legume powders
✅ higher in protein than regular pasta and the types of proteins are good sources of nutrients such as iron and zinc and other Vitamins
✅ higher in fibre
✅ no artificial colours or flavours
✅ low in salt
✅ gluten and dairy free for those needing it.
This is a great substitute for regular pasta if you want to boost the protein and fibre content of your child’s day.
Not all “veggie pastas” are truly vegetable containing, but this one is legitimate!
✅46 % nuts (mainly peanuts)
✅ low- moderate in salt
✅ moderate source of protein
✅ good source of healthy fats
❌ 30% sugar
❌ low in fibre
❌ lots of ingredients
These are not gluten or dairy free for those needing it.
I would include these “sometimes” ….whilst the nuts are beneficial, they are eating 2 teaspoons of sugar per bar.
👉 Aim for 5g sugar (or less) per bar where possible. For example the @niceandnatural.nz choc nut bar have 50% less sugar (5g per serve) and 64% nuts! They also contain much less salt too!
These are a good quick option for a busy night.
No they aren’t as good as making them yourself but…
✅ 66% chicken
✅ garlic, dehydrated veg and herbs used for most of flavouring
✅ Salt (sodium) content is reasonable for a crumbed meat product like this
✅ low in saturated fat
✅ low in sugar
✅ RSPCA approved chicken
✅ No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives
✅ good option for picky eaters
❌ has a few natural additives (vegetable gum and mineral salts) but they are seemingly harmless according to our food authorities.
❌ contains milk in case you need to avoid it.
On the whole, these are a good option for a supermarket bought crumbed chicken meal!
Don’t be deceived by the “no added fruit”. This bar is not as healthy as it looks.
❌ Above the recommended sodium content for toddlers (which is 50mg sodium per 100g)
❌ it contains Fruit juice concentrate and sugar, rather than real apple (yes companies can currently get away with this and still say no added sugar)
❌ Not Australian made
❌ Contains additives
❌ Way too many ingredients
I would stick to something that is 100% real food ingredients like dates or cashews in the ingredients list…like the bars from @tasti_australia.
Better still make some of my homemade recipes- cookies, brownies or banana bread- some are free on my website
These get the tick of approval for a fruit and veggie boost for fussy eaters.
✅ Nothing fake, only natural ingredients
✅ No added sugar
✅ Low in salt
❌ Low fibre and low protein, but that isn’t the focus of these little sachets.
👉 Overall these are a healthy addition to food or drink to boost the vitamins usually found in fruit and veg.
They come in a variety of flavours /options.
Label reading for Muesli bars- what a minefield!!
✅these Carman’s ones are a pretty good option as they are quite low in added sugar and a good source of whole grains
✅compare muesli bars by looking at the sugar per 100g and generally go for the lowest option
✅remember though- if the muesli bar contains fruit, the natural fruit sugar is included in the sugars line
✅in this situation check out the ingredients list and see whether fruit sits before sugar in the ingredients list (ingredients are listed from largest to smallest ingredient)
❌generally avoid those with 20g of sugar or more per 100g
✅check for whole grain content (in the ingredients list) and go for the highest
✅check fibre per serve (per bar) to see what benefit your child gets from the actual muesli bar - 3g of fibre or more per serve is good.
✅you don’t generally need to worry about fat or sodium (salt) in muesli bars
My kids love these but are they good for them? In short - NO
✅ Low in Salt
❌ Huge list of ingredients
❌ Highly processed
❌ Contains multiple sweeteners including erythritol
❌ High in saturated fat
❌ Not milk free
These are deceiving ad they come across healthy but they really aren’t that great. Definitely leave these on the shelf and pick something else!
I’d rather pick a Carmans bar with a little bit of sugar but far more “real ingredients” (and no sweeteners!), that are much more nutritious for your kids. Aim for less than 5g sugar per bar if possible.
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Beware of these, they are just like chocolate! In fact there is actually 7% LESS sugar in Cadbury milk chocolate compared to these!!!!
These are not the same as yoghurt, nor do the have nutritional properties of yoghurt.
They are basically chocolate.
Nothing good to say about these aside from great marketing!
✅ Reasonable source of fibre
✅ Low in sugar
✅ No artificial colours or flavours
✅ Gluten free for those needing it
✅ Low in Saturate Fat
❌ Salt is bit too high
❌ Quite processed
❌ Lots of ingredients
These are middle of the road, not amazing and not terrible! Ok to include as long as balanced out by other more plant based foods!
Whilst rice crackers aren’t a healthy snack on their own, they can bring nutrition through their toppings and dips that they are served with- such as hommus, guacamole and pesto.
Some rice crackers are loaded with additives…these are refreshingly simple!
✅ 3 ingredients
✅ no artificial colours or flavours
✅ No added sugar
✅ Low in saturated fat (and total fat)
❌ Still very processed and high GI
Whilst a brown rice cracker may be better (depending on the brand), These are good for a basic rice cracker to serve with other plant foods!
There are SO many muesli bars out there- it can be confusing to find a good option.
So what about these?
✅ 60% whole grain
✅ reasonable source of fibre
✅ low in saturated fat
✅ low in salt
✅ relatively short number of ingredients for a muesli bar
✅ No colours or preservatives
❌ 11g sugar per bar (27% sugar)
These are simpler in ingredients than others, but comes with a bit more sugar. I’d include these sometimes not every day
If you want to bake something like a cookie or black bean brownie - it would be a great addition for the lunch box!
A much loved lunch box item- but are they healthy?
✅ Wholegrain snack
✅ Good source of iron
✅ Low in sodium
✅ Less than 2g sugar per serve
✅ Healthy fat source
✅ Gluten free
They are 12.7% sugar, but when you look at the sugar per serve it’s quite low.
👉 The plain @cobspopcorn is even better than this one.
✅ So choose the plain popcorn option first, but if they want something a little sweeter, it’s ok to include these in the lunch box sometimes…just balance it out with something savoury and lots of colour.
🥥 Coconut water! Often used in smoothies or as a water substitute. Is it any good?
✅ Good source of potassium
✅ Low in sodium (salt)
✅ No added sugar
Be mindful
🥥 Contains 10g (2 tsp) natural sugar per 250ml serve
🥥 In terms of nutrition, it’s almost like a diluted fruit juice- does not contain any protein or fat
🥥 Whilst I wouldn’t be using it as a regular water substitute (due to the sugar), it’s fine to use instead of milk in smoothies to add a bit of natural sweetness!.
These seem like a healthy option and whilst it is certainly getting broccoli into them, you need to be mindful of the sugar content especially!
✅ 75% broccoli
✅ Low in salt
✅ No artificial colours or flavours
✅ Reasonable source of fibre and protein!
❌ 9% saturated fat
❌ Almost 40% sugar!!
❌ expensive
If your primary goal is to get veggies into you child then go for it…but be mindful of the sugar!
If your child’s snacks are often cookies or finger buns, I would go for these as a substitute even with the sugar! It really depends on where they are at- and there is no judgement! 🥰
These are a great find!!
✅ Rich in iron. zinc and magnesium
✅ Good source of protein
✅ Great source of healthy fats.
✅ Low in salt
✅ Low in added sugar
These are great as a topper on yogurt or cereal. They can be sprinkled onto a snack platter, or added with popcorn and sultanas. You could even incorporate into cookies!
Have fun with them because they are good for you! Hope your kids like them too!
This is another great dairy free/vegan yoghurt!
✅ Much lower in sugar than regular kids yoghurt
✅ Lactose and dairy free
✅ Low in salt
✅ Gluten (as most yoghurt is)
✅ Delicious!
It does contain 8% fat, but it is coconut oil (not a processed bad fat), so I don’t have a problem with this at all! In fact it makes it creamier which also means you don’t need to add as much sugar!
A great option to add to a breakfast smoothie, mix with granola or serve with some fruit for dessert!
One of my lovely membership mums was talking about these the other day and I thought they would be good to talk about!
✅ Organic ingredients
✅ No nasties / additives
✅ Iron fortified
✅ No added salt
✅ No added sugar (all the sweetness is from banana)
❌ Highly processed/ fast sugar
❌ Low in fibre
When you look at toddler packaged snacks, this would be one of the best- because it’s iron fortified, low salt and no added sugar!
A great replacement for the regular rice crackers, Potato sticks and veggie chips, however they are still a processed product low in fibre.
✅ Good source of fibre
✅ Moderate sugar content (6.3g per serve) - most of it is from fruit puree with some added sugar
✅ Natural colours and flavours
✅ Low in salt
✅ Low in saturated fat
❌ Lots of ingredients
❌ Does contain additives and emulsifiers
❌ Processed product
Overall I still think these Aldi fruit bars are an OK option -when you compare the junk out there in the world of muesli bars for kids.
There are definitely better ones- like the carmans range, or the Uncle Toby’s oat bars with apricot…but then there’s a lot worse too!
This is a great dairy free yoghurt option! 👏 👏
✅ Made with whole soy beans - high in quality protein
✅ Lower in sugar than many diary yoghurts
✅ Tastes good!
✅ Rich source of calcium
✅ Supplemented with B12 and Vitamin D
✅ Probiotics
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ Made in Australia
This gets 5 stars from me! I never have a food review that does not contain at least one …but I have nothing bad to say about this one!!
Well done @vitasoy_aus_nz
Yours in healthy happy kids,
Ok so I’m a little torn with this one…but the short answer is- still a very good option!
✅ 77% whole grains
✅ High fibre
✅ Slow release sugar (low GI)
✅ Good protein source
✅ Low in saturated fat
❌ Almost 20% sugar- mostly added sugar
This is still a far better option than most of the cereals out there on the supermarket shelf. The good aspects certainly outweighs the added sugar.
The only thing that would top it is plain oats with a drizzle of honey!
There are plenty of options out there in the tomato sauce world and this one is a reasonable option for tomato sauce.
So let’s review this one…
✅ Lower in sugar and salt than most
✅ No sweeteners
✅ High in Vit C
✅ Made in Australia
✅ Gluten free
✅ No artificial colours or preservatives.
❌ Still 16% sugar (but better than most)
❌ Salt is 600mg per 100g- still too high
I’m not a fan of sweeteners, so my recommendation would be to choose this one and limit the amount rather than change to the “sugar free” options.
If fresh fruit gets squished and left uneaten in your child’s school bag, then this is another option to get them eating fruit. Here’s my thoughts:
✅ 1 tub is 1 serving of fruit
✅ Good source of Vitamin C
✅ No added sugar (but does have fruit juice)
✅ Naturally occurring preservatives
✅ Low in salt
✅ Australian fruit (compared to some other brands)
❌ No fibre
❌ Only 60% fruit, 40% fruit juice
I would choose fresh fruit over these, but if your child is fussy and won’t eat fruit, then these are a good option to try.
These are also good as a dessert option on their own or served with custard or yoghurt or homemade apple crumble!
Thanks to Tanya for requesting this review!
✅ Contains lentil and chickpea flour
✅ Salt is reasonable (less than 400mg per 100g)
✅ Protein content is higher than most other packaged savoury crackers
✅ No added sugar
✅ No artificial colours or flavours
❌ Not sure of the vegetable oil used
❌ Still highly processed food/ carb
❌ Only 5% beetroot
Compared to most of the other puffed potato sticks, chips and rice crackers, these actually fair quite well!
👉 They are a better option to snacks like jumpy and Cheeto’s and many of those other packaged kids snacks.
👎 In my professional opinion, there’s not that much that’s good about them.
❌ A gazillion ingredients
❌ 15% sugar plus at lease two sweeteners ( can cause gut issues)
❌ Processed carbs (fast sugar!)
❌ Almost 10% saturated fat
❌ Very low in protein
✅ Reasonable source of fibre due to the addition of chicory root ✅ fibre and corn fibre
✅ Low salt
As you can see I don’t rate these, so try to make them a "sometimes food" rather than daily occurrence!
✅ Easy to prepare
✅ Lower in salt and sugar than other Pad Thai pastes
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ No nasties - artificial colours, flavours or preservatives
👉 Not made in Australia, but still a great option to throw together with some fresh vegies and chicken.
I like to use red capsicum, snow peas (or zucchini), coriander, bamboo sprouts, a squeeze of lemon and a good sprinkling of crushed peanuts on top!
Whilst there’s not much difference between the kids and regular Weetbix, the kids version does win….and I’ll tell you why:
✅ Whilst regular Weetbix is still low in salt, the kids version has basically no salt!
✅ Whilst both are fortified with vitamins and iron, the kids version is also fortified with zinc and calcium!
At the end of the day both are great options but the kids version wins!!
Aside from potato starch and vegetable oil, these are ONLY 1% actual vegetables!!!
Reading the ingredients list clearly gives this away.
❌ Highly processed
❌ High GI (fast sugar)
❌ Salt (sodium) too high- above 350mg per 100g
❌ 31% fat - vegetable oil
❌ You can’t call them vegetables
Look- the kids probably love them, so make these a sometimes snack. Just don’t think you are feeding them veggies aside from potato starch! 🥔🥔🥔
You will not believe how many ingredients go into a simple breadcrumb mix….seriously check it out!
❌ way too many additives and preservatives
❌ Sodium too high
❌ 5% sugar
❌ be careful as contain milk and fish for those allergic
✅ High in fibre
There are definitely better options for shop bought options such as Anchor breadcrumbs…(and homemade would be even better- but who has time!)
✅ 51% peanuts- healthy
✅ Good source of healthy fats
✅ Low in Salt
✅ Good source of fibre
✅ Relatively clean (from additives and preservatives)
❌ 25% sugar
If you haven’t had time to bake something, these are a nice “treat snack” for the kids after school or on the weekend.
Are they worth 4 stars? The short answer- no!
Are they ok in the lunchbox sometimes - yes!
My thoughts:
✅ Low in salt
✅ Moderate fibre
✅ iron and nutrient fortified
❌ Almost 20% sugar
❌ Way too many ingredients including additives
❌ Highly processed
❌ High GI (fast release sugar)
➡️ The summary- a sometimes food that doesn’t offer your kids much nutrition aside from a bit of iron and fast sugar!
Top them with peanut butter and banana for a yummy breakfast or snack option.
Some people view them as unhealthy, so are they?
✅ Low in added sugar
✅ Good source of carbohydrate
✅ Reasonable source of protein
✅ Some fibre (more in the wholemeal option)
✅ Uses Iodised salt
✅ Made in Australia
❌ Does contain preservatives 282 and 234
❌ Is higher in salt (sodium) compared to bread (700mg vs 400mg per 100g)
On the whole I think these are still ok to pop in the trolley from time to time….as long as they are part of a balanced intake and aren’t eaten 3 meals a day!
🐵 Messy Monkey Food review!🐵
❌ relatively low in whole grains at 36% and quite processed
❌ salt is a little too high (usually use cut off around 300mg per 100g)
❌ not a great source of fibre
✅ natural flavours
✅ nut free
✅ low in sugar
🔍 The verdict: as they would say in Italy “ cosi’ cosi’ “....meaning these are a “so so” snack- not amazing and not terrible!
These porridge sachets are a fantastic kids breakfast or healthy snack for morning or afternoon tea
….especially after school!
✅ High in whole grains
✅ Good source of protein and healthy fats High in fibre
✅ Basically no salt
✅ No added sugar
✅ Low GI- long lasting energy
✅ Low FODMAP
👏 These are a great addition to your trolley!
❌ Not suitable for people with coeliac disease
I was asked to review these- which is a great thing because these look like a pretty good breakfast option compared to many out there.
🥣 In a nutshell, plain oats, Weetbix/Vitabrix or the @carmanskitchen no added sugar porridge are still my first choice, however these are a good second option.
✅ High in wholegrains
✅ High in fibre
✅ Very low in salt
✅ Australian made
✅ Low GI
✅Fodmap friendly
🥣 Does have 13% sugar- but in my eyes, this is still fine and is less than 5g sugar per serve… and lower in sugar than many other cereal options out there!
Steer clear of this one.
❌ Contains added sugar for no reason- 8.5% sugar
❌ Too high in salt 576mg per 100g
❌ Contains antioxidant 320- petroleum based synthetic additive that may have health risks.
❌ Unsure of the vegetable oil quality
✅ Good source of protein (peanuts)
✅ Good source of fibre (peanuts
There are plenty of other healthier options- choose 100% peanut peanut butter and check the sodium- try to keep under 300mg per 100g!
A common party food, but are they any good??
Well in short - no. These are a “sometimes food”.
✅ Source of iron
✅ Low in added sugar
❌ Only 22% beef (mainly wheat)
❌ Contains many additives
❌ High in saturated fat
❌ Salt a little too high
❌ Highly processed
❌ Low in fibre
If you have an iron deficient fussy child who you give these too to boost their iron intake, I would choose the @herbertadamsau pies instead as they contain 27% beef and less additives!
A popular choice for the little ones, but are they healthy?
✅ Lower in salt compared to many others
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ Low in sugar
✅ No preservatives (common in frozen foods)
✅ Made in Australia
❌ 50% chicken and approx 50% wheat
❌ More costly than some other nuggets
Whilst it’s better to eat fresh chicken, overall these Dino nuggets are a reasonable option for a child that is still learning to like a range of protein foods.
Serve with a side of chopped raw veg (unless child is so young it’s a choking risk)
Peanut butter can be a healthy part of our day!.. and this is a good one!
Peanuts are rich in:
✅ Healthy fats
✅ Protein
✅ Fibre
✅ Minerals such as copper, magnesium, zinc and Iron
✅ B Vitamins
✅ Antioxidants
✅ Vitamin E
The most important thing to look for in a good peanut butter is
1. A maximum of two ingredients
2. Low in salt (less than 300mg per 100g)
👀 Some peanut butters (the ones targeted at kids) can be laden with refined oils, lots of salt and sugar…so avoid these where possible.
✅ This brand gets the tick of approval! 👋
My kids chose these at the shop yesterday. Takes me back!
So are they healthy?
✅ Small number of ingredients
✅ Mono unsaturated fats (no trans fat)
✅ Low in sugar
✅ No artificial colours or flavours
✅ Australian made
❌ Low in fibre
❌ High in salt
❌ very moorish!
Overall I think these are fine to include sometimes. The salt content is high so try to include on days they kids aren’t having other high salt foods such as chips….and use low salt Vegemite if you are thinking about spreading with the brown Aussie paste!! 🤎🤎
A favourite kids snack for many…but do I rate them?
Unfortunately not.
❌ Highly processed
❌ High in salt (>400mg/100g)
❌ Too many additives
❌ Low in fibre
❌ High GI (fast sugar)
Whilst my daughter bugged me to buy these the other day, I’ll only be buying them sometimes as they aren’t a great option.
Plain popcorn (such as @cobspopcorn ) is a heaps better alternative.
These @aldiaustralia muesli bars are actually quite low in sugar!
✅ Over 50% whole grain
✅ High in fibre (> 4g per serve)
✅ Low in sugar (< 5g per serve)
✅ Low in salt
❌ Does contain preservative ❌ lots of ingredients
I’m a little mixed about this one. It is low in sugar and high in fibre which is great …if you can get past the huge number of ingredients.
I would always go for a homemade snack over packaged, but you know- you just need those easy “go to’s”and this certainly isn’t the worst muesli bar I’ve seen!
Are they any good for a “cheat night” dinner?
✅ 91% potato
✅ Less than 5 % Fat
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ Less than 0.1g trans fat (bad fat)
✅ Lowish in salt - 251mg per 100g
✅ Some dietary fibre (2.1g per serve)
✅ They use paprika, onion and garlic powder and black pepper for natural flavour
✅ Low in sugar
✅ Made in Australia
❌ Not gluten free
🥔 I can’t find many faults in these aside from the canola oil, which some prefer not to use.
🥔 These are a good option for that quick easy “cheat” meal.
🥔 The natural flavourings mean they taste good without needing to add more salt into them.
We all need a quick and easy go to kids dinner don’t we! .....This is a good option for “that meal”
✅quick and easy- cooks in 5 mins
✅low GI carbohydrate
✅reasonable salt content
✅reasonable fibre content
✅has a “sniff” of added meat and veggies - ok for “that meal”
✅low in sugar
❌not a great source of added nutrients as very low in meat (10% beef) and vegetables (10% total) ....you can’t really count them as significant in terms of daily intake
🍝Bottom line - this is are good option for that “quick and easy” meal when the alternative is takeaway!
🍝serving with a tomato based sauce +/- a carrot grated in will further improve this dish!
🐠So what do we think about these little fishies?🐠
🐟The bottom line is they are a “sometimes” dinner
Good parts:
✅Salt and sugar not too high
✅have a sniff of veggies (21%- but mostly potato) for those super fussy eaters
✅has 28% fish (Hoki) in them -for those kids that are not big fish fans
✅MSC (sustainably caught)
Bad parts:
❌only 28% fish and almost 50% wheat ingredients
❌made from local and imported ingredients
❌most of the fat comes from the canola oil added, not the natural fish oils (EPA/DHA)
🐠to make this meal healthier, I served with:
a side of steamed broccoli (with lemon 🍋and EVOO),
🌶raw capsicum 🌶
🌽Steamed corn 🌽
A few potatoes (fried in EVOO) for my daughter- she’s a massive potato fan!
Easy, tasty but are they good for them? 🤔Unfortunately these little nuggets are not a great choice.
❌For me there are WAY too many ingredients in this product - too many numbers- preservatives and additives
❌ only 37% chicken
➡️ I would leave these in the supermarket freezer!
Karina x
My son hit me up for these in the supermarket and then proceeded to smash the whole box in 2 days without my daughter getting a look in 😳. Yep that went down well!! 🤣🤣
🤔 So what do I think of these?
✅ 3/4 natural fruit sugar (1/4 added sugar)
✅ Gluten free
✅ Allergy friendly (free from most allergens)
✅ Low in salt (aim <350mg per 100g)
❌ Highly processed
❌ Lots of ingredients
❌ Made in China
❌ Low in fibre
❌ Not great for kids teeth
🍓On the whole these are “so so” option for school lunch boxes. Ok to have sometimes, but it certainly doesn’t come close to the nutritional benefits of actual real fruit! Yep a simple 🍎 or 🍌 or even dried fruit, would be SO much better!….kids might not agree though 😜
🤔These packaged peas present as a healthy kids snack option…..but are they?
✅ 65% Green peas
✅ Salt content (sodium) isn’t too bad at 392mg per 100g
❌ Highly processed
❌ Not Australian made (made in Thailand)
❌Low in Dietary Fibre
❌ Moderate level of Saturated Fat (8.5g/100g). Ideally <3g/100g
➡️ On the whole these are a “so so” option.
🌿 Certainly not the worst packaged kids snack out there, but they cannot compare to the nutrition of actually eating green peas! 🌿
Our family tested out these new nuggets and they were a hit in our home!
✅ Allergy friendly- free from gluten/wheat, milk, soy, egg and nut
✅ No artificial colours or flavours
✅ Low in salt (sodium) for a nugget
✅ Low in Saturated fat.
✅ No added sugar.
✅ Contains some fibre (peas, lentils, psyllium, bamboo fibre).
❌ There are a lot of ingredients, however when you read through them, they are all natural.
🤔Summary:
Definitely worth a try! A great way to get more vegies into your children!
👩🏻🍳We cooked them in the oven and they were nice and crunchy. I’m also told the air fryer is another great way to cook them!
My kids like these and they aren’t a bad muesli bar option 💫
✅ High in fibre
✅ Low in sugar for a kids muesli bar (3.7g sugar per serve)
✅ Very low in salt
✅ 54% wholegrain oats
✅ GM free
❌ Lots of ingredients- but they are natural
❌ Does contain 4.2 % saturated fat
Overall I think these a one of the best kid muesli bar options that they enjoy and ask for. Certainly beats a chocolate bar!! …but these are allowed sometimes 🤣🍫
Rice crackers- kids love them, but are they good for them?
In short, they don’t offer much nutrition unless paired up with nutritious partners…such as hommus, raw veg, cheese, pesto or avocado.
There is a huge range on the market. The two things I would pay most attention to when you are comparing them (always compare per 100g) are:
1. Sugars per 100g (the lower the better)
2. Sodium per 100g (ideally less than 350mg)
So what do I think of these:
✅ These contain some seaweed which provides iodine
✅ Low in sugar
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ Gluten, milk, egg, nut free
✅ No palm oil (unlike some of their other flavours)
❌ Fast release carbs (high GI)
❌ Low in fibre
❌ Sodium (salt) too high (although not as high as some)
❌ Made in Vietnam
I have these in my cupboard but always try to serve up with other foods as a platter to boost the nutrition.
These are making a more regular appearance in my pantry these days so I thought I’d share my thoughts on them.
✅ 4 ingredients
✅ Salt (sodium) quite low for a chip
✅ Low in saturated fat
✅ Low in sugar
✅ Allergy friendly
✅ Palm oil free (but many Mission products are NOT)
✅ No artificial colours flavours or numbers
❌ I’m not sure what the vegetable oil is - not declared.
On the whole these are a reasonable kids snack/treat food, my kids (and hubby) quite like them….and they don’t have any nasties in them.
A common appearance on the supermarket shelf...but are they healthy?
Not really!
❌Super high in salt 1200mg/100g
❌ Highly processed, high GI
❌ Low in fibre
❌ 9% sugar
❌ 18.5% fat
✅sunflower oil
✅gluten, dairy and egg free
✅vegan
There are many better options for kids snacks. Compare the sodium per 100g...you will be so interested in what you find!
This is a fun simple swap to increase the nutritional value of kids pasta 💫
✅ Higher in fibre (added oat fibre)
✅ Low Salt
✅ Low Sugar
✅ Low Saturated Fat
✅ Good source of protein for a carbohydrate
Serve with a tomato based salsa drizzled with good amounts of Australian Extra virgin Olive oil - love love love!!
If you have a plain pasta lover / sauce dodger/ fussy eater, for a further protein boost you can stir through an egg with some butter and grated cheese. I would serve this with a side of chopped raw veggies. Just a fun way to mix up pasta night!
These aren’t amazing in my view.
🙈
Good parts:
✅ it’s not a high fibre snack, but does have some fibre added- so provides a moderate amount per serve.
✅ low in salt.
.
Not so good parts:
❌ refined carbohydrates- first ingredient is rice puffs. This snack is low in whole grains and won’t keep kids feeling full for long.
❌ High in added sugar
❌ A LOT of ingredients- the shorter the ingredients list the better in my opinion!
My kids are loving these at the moment.
🐠
For a quick easy kids dinner these are a reasonable option. I usually serve up with pasta, steamed broccoli and crunchy red capsicum.
In summary:
✅ Australian fish (although packaged offshore).
✅ sustainable sourced (MSC).
✅ good source of Omega 3’s (EPA/DHA).
✅ good source of Vitamin D.
✅ good source of protein.
✅ over 50% fish.
✅ basically no added sugar.
✅ salt (sodium) slightly higher than ideal but still likely to be lower than many other convenience foods.
.
Down side:
❌ still approx 45% batter
❌ packaged offshore
❌ sodium slightly high but not too dissimilar to the sodium content of bread.
After a recent play date, my daughter asked me to buy these...
She really enjoys them with lunch or dinner. 🌽 They are quick and easy...and healthy! For school, I will tip the drained corn into a plastic container.
✅ Good source of dietary fibre
✅ Contains B group vitamins , Vitamin C (antioxidant) as well as other nutrients
✅ Slow release carbohydrate (low GI)
✅ Gluten, egg, nut and dairy free for those needing it.
✅ Low in salt (when drained)
✅ No added sugar
✅ Australian corn
I can’t really find anything bad to say about this aside from the fact that it will be higher in salt if you drink the liquid.
Snacks don’t have to be complicated. This is a healthy addition to your supermarket trolley next time you go shopping! 😉
These are quite impressive for a humble crisp!
@tyrrellsofficial have come up with a crisp that has a reasonable nutrition profile!
✅ much lower in salt (over 50% lower) than many other regular crisps (only 244mg per 100g)
✅ vegan (egg/dairy free) for those needing it
✅ gluten free
✅ Australian made
Whilst these are still “sometimes” foods, they are a better option than most others in the chip aisle!! ☺️
I’ve got some in the cupboards for my kids!! As long as we don’t eat them first!! 🤣🤣
This is a good option for kids (or their mums!) that need a dairy free treat.
😍
In Summary:
✅ Almost half of the sugar comes from the mango purée so they are not too high in sugar compared to some others out there.
✅ gluten free for those needing it
✅ no artificial colours or flavours.
❌ doesn’t contain calcium
❌ not made in australia
👀 You can find them and other flavours in the supermarket aisle near the tinned fruit. 🍑🥭
My daughter is so fussy with bread at the moment!! Our compromise is this one... just!!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So what do I think about this bread?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✅ High in dietary fibre
✅ Good source of protein
✅ No added sugar
✅ Good source of nutrients - high in iron and zinc
✅ Dairy and egg free (not soy free) for those needing it
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❌ Not low GI... so this one will disappear into the blood stream a bit quicker than regular grainy bread.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Whilst my preference will always be wholegrain bread (with the bits in it!)......there aren't too many bad things I can say about this bread, and will be using it for now with my fussy pot!
✅ This a great salt reduced version!
Usually the definition of “salt reduced” means food manufacturers have reduced the salt content by 25%, but in this situation- it’s 40% lower and still tastes good!
Per 5g (1 teaspoon) the salt (sodium) is only has 99mg which is less than what you would find in a slice of bread.
Yes it’s still a high salt product, so you use it sparingly- but who can eat thick vegemite anyway!!?? Yuk!!
@vegemite has always had some B group vitamins added, but now they have also fortified it with Vitamin B12- which is great fro those avoiding meat products.
Great to see an Aussie staple new and improved!
The humble baked bean should not be overlooked! 💫
Loaded with nutrients, they are a quick and easy snack that can be used so many ways- straight out of a tin, in a toastie, with eggs in the morning, in a Mexican tortilla or simply on grainy toast!
🌮
What I like about them:
✅ high in fibre - feeds the good bugs. Baked beans (navy beans) are a “prebiotic”.
✅ low in sugar- less than 5g per 100g
✅ no saturated fat
✅ reasonable salt level- 360mg per 100g (this less than regular bread!).
✅navy beans are a good source of protein, folate, iron, magnesium and thiamine.
✅ gluten and dairy free for those needing it.
✅ great vegan/vegetarian food that can be easily incorporated into any meal of the day.
✅ good for your cholesterol! .
There aren’t too many bad parts- aside from the fact that it’s made in NZ not AUS. I’m also not sure what the flavours are- Heinz isn’t clear on what they are).
Had a special request to review this product, so here goes ☺️.
💫
In summary this is a nutrient dense healthy snack. 💫
✅ high in fibre
✅ high in good fats
✅ low in salt
✅ good source of iron, zinc and antioxidants
✅ gluten and dairy free for those that need it.
❌ only down side is 10% refined sugar- but that’s still not that high, so still a great snack option! .
These tasty little beauties are loaded with goodness, great for immune and gut health. 💫 Otherwise known in North America as pepitas, these are the edible seed of a pumpkin.
They are probably more of an adult snack, but if you can get your kids to eat them- amazing!! 🌈
The salt isn’t too high (399mg per 100g)- which is about the same as bread. 🍞
They are loaded with antioxidants, good fats, fibre, iron, zinc and magnesium! ⭐️
They are linked to all sorts of health benefits including improved cholesterol, blood sugar levels, possible reduced cancer risk, improved prostrate and bladder health.💫
They are great to eat straight out of the bag as a snack or can be sprinkled over salad or roasted veggies. 🥦 Can also be chopped or ground and added into biscuits, slices or bliss balls...or baked into breads. 🍞
I’m still working on getting my kids to like these, but I’m the meantime, I’ll just eat them in front of them! 😜 and hopefully one day they follow suit!
My daughter really likes these so I thought I should share what I though about them!
💫
Good parts:
✅ Australian potatoes.
✅ No added colours or flavours.
✅ Only a few ingredients (this is always a good thing!).
✅ Basically no added sugar (less than 1g).
✅ Salt (sodium) content is reasonable.
✅ No palm oil.
✅ Gluten, dairy and egg free for those who need it.
These hash browns are never going to compare to the nutrition of a freshly chopped potato (skin on) roasted in extra virgin olive oil.
There is quite a debate around canola oil and health. Most leading authorities say it’s a healthy choice of fat being high in unsaturated fats and omegas. As a first choice, I will still always choose Australian EVOO over any other fat- this is for cooking and BBQ’s too.
In SUMMARY, I think these are a good “sometimes option” to have in the freezer when needing those quick easy meals.
💫
PAN FRY quickly rather than oven bake as this is a better way to cook products with canola.
✅ Good source of fibre
✅ High in whole grains (oats)
✅ Good source of healthy fats
✅ Reasonably low in refined sugars
✅ Low GI
✅ Low salt (sodium)
👍 compared to many other kids cereal options, this is a good choice, unless they will also eat natural muesli or plain oats.
Whilst a homemade muesli bar is always going to win nutritionally, for a nut free school option these are actually better than I thought.
✅ high in fibre (50% whole grains).
✅ under 5g sugar per serve ( 15.6g per 100g).
✅ low salt (sodium).
✅ contains mainly good fats.
✅ no palm oil.
💥 whilst I don’t necessarily trust the health star rating, this time it’s not far off.
A muesli bar containing nuts would be far more nutritious, but can’t send these to school!!
Whilst you can’t pop this one in the lunch box as it contains almonds, it’s a nice “on the run sweet treat” for kids (and mums!)
✅ natural organic ingredients
✅ free from preservatives
✅ made in australia
✅ gluten and dairy free for those needing it
✅ low in salt
✅ less than 5% added sugar ( choc chips)
❌ 20% saturated fat- however mainly from coconut and cocoa butter
I use these with other snack foods on a platter, to add a bit of sweetness. I would limit to 2 squares in a sitting as they are still quite concentrated in natural sugar.
These are a pretty good snack option. Here’s what I think:
Good parts:
✅ high in a fibre - wholemeal
✅ lower in salt than most regular bread
✅ no added sugar
✅ 23% fruit
✅ low in saturated fat
✅ added thiamine and iodine
Not as good parts:
❌ unsure what vegetable oil is used.
❌ they won’t be as low GI as grainy bread, but still much better than white!
You could use these as a breakfast option topped with banana or use them as a good after school snack ☺️
Another fun option is a version of French toast- covered in egg/milk and fried with cinnamon and banana on top!
These are in the “so so” range of cereals - that aren’t amazing but aren’t terrible either.
Better options include Oats, Muesli, Weetbix, Carmen’s nut clusters, Sultana Bran, Guardian, All Bran.
Poorer options include: Cocopops, Nutrigrain, Frootloops, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes.
In Summary:
✅ Good source of whole grains (68%).
✅ Good source of fibre (4.1g per serve).
✅ Good source of B vitamins, folate and iron.
✅ Reasonable salt content (300mg per 100g).
✅ No trans fat.
✅ Milk and soy free (for those needing to avoid).
❌ Bit too high in added sugar (sugar is the second ingredient)
❌ Almost 20% added sugar.
Of all the frozen fish options that my kids will eat I think these are the healthiest.🐟
Of course home baked salmon or fresh fish definitely tops the packaged options, but the reason I like these is because:
✅ 65% fish (highest I could find).
✅ Wild caught New Zealand fish.
✅ MSC - responsibly sourced.
✅ relatively low in salt.
✅ good source of omegas.
✅ wholemeal crumb.
🐟 I usually bake these in the oven, but sometimes pop in the pan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil (depending on how much time I have!).
I think these are a pretty good muesli bar compared to many others out there on the shelves. They do contain some added sugar, but they do offer a fair amount of nutrition for a muesli bar.
🌟
Of course home baked is always going to trump any shop bought (find a great Anzac/WBix slice recipe a few posts down) but if you are time poor then grab these as an after school snack on the way to the next kids activity!
✅ 60% peanuts- loaded with nutrition.
✅ over 3g dietary fibre per bar (high fibre).
✅ Only 6g sugar per serve.
✅ incredibly low salt.
✅ gluten free for those that need.
✅ contains good fats and protein.
❌ only major downside is that they contain 15 % added sugar. However the protein and fat content will actually help to slow down the Glycaemic Index or GI (rate at which sugar goes into the blood stream).
🤔 I’m often told that people think this cereal is confusing as they think it’s high in added sugar........but is it???
✔️great source of whole grains and fibre to support gut health (3/4 insoluble 1/4 soluble fibre)
✔️reasonably low in salt (270mg/100g)
✔️low in added sugar - over 2/3 of the sugar in this product comes from the sultanas (yes the naturally occurring sugar from fruit gets bundled into the “sugars” line)
✔️has added iron, zinc and other B group vitamins
✔️provides 4.3g protein per 3/4 cup serve (would be 9g protein with 1/2 cup milk added)
Verdict: 👍
Aside from some of the standouts such as Oats, Muesli and Weetbix, Sultana Bran is a pretty good breakfast cereal option!
Bottom Line: try to put it with something nutritious, because it doesn’t have much going for it when eaten alone!
❌ highly processed (looks nothing like a grain of brown rice!)
❌ High GI (bad for blood sugar levels)
❌very very low in fibre (so low they don’t even declare it!) 🤔
❌Only 4% vegetables 😯.... which have then been highly processed.
❌salt (sodium) is getting a bit too high (445mg per 100g).
✅ Low in added sugar (but super refined/processed).
✅ Gluten free (if you need it).
✅ Free from palm oil
I would use these either dipped in hommus, or on a platter of chopped raw veg, cheese and other healthy food!
Everyday or sometimes?....the answer is sometimes.
My little man has been loving these for the past few weeks, however this will be the last box I buy for a little while, as they are just a bit too high in sugar for my liking.
❌over 20% added sugar (ie over 20g sugar per 100g)
❌ less than 50% whole grain - bit too processed.
✅ reasonable fibre intake (>3g per serve)
✅ added iron, zinc and other vitamins.
It does taste yummy and def. not the worst option out there by a long shot!
Better options for back to school include: porridge (oats), muesli (even Bircher), Weetbix, Sultana Bran, Guardian or All Bran.
🍦 Ice cream and summer go hand in hand, but how do you keep the sugar load low when the kids are nagging you for yet another ice cream on a hot summers day ☀️
❓ What is the best “shop freezer” ice cream option (aside from frozen yoghurt).
🍦 Comparing the options, Dixie cups are one of the best options as they are one of the lowest in sugar (per serve) and are a relatively small serve size. They are also gluten free.
🍦 Paddle pop ice creams are also one of the lower sugar options.
🍦 Best way to compare them yourself is to look at the sugar content “per serve”.
What do I think of these? .....👎
Good points: not many 😬..
✅ Not genetically modified
✅ Low in salt
Bad points:
❌ Loaded with added sugar (30%)
❌ High in saturated fat
❌ Processed refined carbs (even if it says brown rice)
❌ Low in fibre
❌ Low in nutrients
👍This lightly salted popcorn is a reasonable kids snack for some days of the week.
✅high in whole grains
✅reasonable source of fibre
✅reasonable salt content
✅contains other nutrients (in smaller quantities) such as B group vitamins, magnesium, zinc and iron
✅basically no trans fat
✅low in sugar
🍎Whilst it doesn’t compete with whole foods such as fruit, veggies and nuts as snacks, it beats most other packaged carbohydrate kids snacks on the shelves!
🐵Messy Monkey Food review!🐵
❌relatively low in whole grains at 36% and quite processed
❌salt is a little too high (usually use cut off around 300mg per 100g)
❌not a great source of fibre
✅natural flavours
✅nut free
✅low in sugar
🔍The verdict: as they would say in Italy “ cosi’ cosi’ “....meaning these are a “so so” snack- not amazing and not terrible!
👏its a yes for this one- good breakfast cereal option for the kids
✅high in wholegrains.
✅reasonably low sugar
✅super high in fibre- great for gut health
✅low GI.
✅low in salt.
✅tastes good.
✅added B group vitamins.
✅added iron- for those fussy eaters.
🏆These healthy snacks get five stars for a reason 🏆
✅they are dried legumes - high in fibre, good for gut health
✅reasonable salt content for a kids snack
✅natural flavourings
✅nut free for school
✅gluten free for people with Coeliac
✅made in australia
✅GMO free