Sensible Snacks

I am always on the hunt for portable and nutritious snacks for my kids. Having something stashed away in my stroller or bag to stave off my children's hunger pains until mealtime, often keeps us away from the hot-dog stands that seemingly adorn every street corner here in NYC.

Our family recently tried out the Variety Pack of "crunch-dried" (essentially freeze-dried) fruit from Sensible Foods. My children have had freeze-dried fruit before, but this was the first time I had been able to find it packaged individually according to serving size. Previously, I had only been able to find it in larger containers that I had to portion out.

Hands-down my children's favorites from the variety pack were the Apple Harvest and the Sweet Corn. They quickly gobbled these varieties up. The Sweet Corn flavor is very good, and actually tastes like a crunchy corn on the cob. Very fresh tasting. They also really liked the Cherry Berry Mix, and the Orchard Blend.

The Soy Nuts were a hit with my 18 month-old son and my 4-year-old-daughter, but my six -year-old was not a fan. My personal favorite was the Tropical Mix, although I will say that none of my kids were too excited about it- claiming it was "too sour." Oh well, more for me:).

I really prefer to give my children freeze-dried fruit over the conventional "dried" fruit options. Dried fruit (with the exception of raisins and cranberries) tends to be preserved with Sulfur Dioxide-unless you buy organic. I am really not a fan of this preservative, which is one you really should especially stay away from if your child has asthma.

Another bonus is the fact that the shelf-life for freeze-dried fruit is longer than dried fruit. This makes it preferable for food storage, or for Emergency 72-hour-kits. Also, it is considerably more light weight than the dried fruit option- and every ounce counts in that diaper bag I am toting around town. Also, my children tend to like the texture of freeze-dried food more than "dried" fruit because the dried fruit can tend to be rubbery. Freeze dried fruit has a crispy chip-like texture which is easier for little ones to chew.

Every packet of the Sensible Foods line is all-natural (most are organic), Non-GMO, preservative free, and is equal to one serving of fruit/vegetable. I would recommend trying out the variety pack, to see what flavors your family prefers. Sensible Foods products are available at SensibleFoods.com and at Amazon.com

Who wants to tried some Sensible Foods Products? The folks at Sensible Foods are giving away a variety pack (16-pack) of their products to one lucky reader. Enter by Friday 3/28/08 at midnight by emailing me at citruscontest@gmail.com with the SENSIBLEFOODS in the Subject line. In the body of the email answer this question : "what four fruits can be found in the Cherry Berry packets?"