The Boom in ‘Better for You’ Kid Snacks Is Worse for Parents
They’re pricier. Nutritional claims are often laughable. And there’s no guarantee your children will eat them.
Few people understand the importance of always having a snack at the ready like a mom. Lunch box? Of course—nobody can live on sandwiches alone. Before homework or practice? Sure, the kids need an energy jolt (or a bribe) to power through. Expecting to be in the car for more than an hour? Pack a few.
As American adults continue to enjoy snackified diets, so do children, whose small tummies at least make a better case for eating all day long. Grocers are responding by overstuffing their snack aisles with supposedly “better for you” options, which is lucky for parents—or at least it seems that way at first. There are Cheetos-like chickpea puffs and organic granola bars and nine-ingredient cookies and naturally colored fruit roll-ups. But guess what? After decades of food companies peddling high-fat, high-sugar, high-sodium offerings, the bar for “better” is low.