Smart Snacks for Kids

The image of an exasperated mom walking through the grocery store as her child follows begging for a candy bar or bag of chips is a familiar one. 

However, today’s parents, especially Millennials, are looking for better-for-you options that will satisfy their children’s not-so-subtle demands. As the summer draws to a close and children are getting ready to go back to school, many parents begin to worry about packing healthy lunchboxes for their little ones. 

Health-conscious parents want organic snacks that have clean labels, less sugar and fewer allergens, industry observers say. As the better-for-you snack category grows, parents are more likely to pay a premium for these products, thus observers say retailers should not shy away from stocking pricier products that boast better-for-you qualities. 

“I think one of the challenges is not to underestimate the demands and the expectations that mom has for products for her children,” says Michael Watt, CEO of Chicago-based Go Gourmet, a producer of organic superfood smoothies made for kids. “Don’t be afraid of the price value shift that you will make in the category by bringing in a brand like Slammers that is more expensive than your base applesauce or fruit cup. Mom is demanding more. So when you do actually make that choice it creates a sense of urgency in the retailer’s community that this ship has left the port, it’s sailing on the waters, so jump on board.”

While the demand for better-for-you products increases, the need for convenient and nutritious snacks is on the rise. Research from Chicago-based research firm Mintel found about 30 percent of parents are serving healthier snacks to their children, and 33 percent of Millennial parents have health in mind when it comes to their children’s snacking. 

“The healthy snack industry is continuing to grow rapidly,” says Marc Seguin, chief marketing officer at Playa Vista, Calif.-based popchips. “Two trends are playing into this, the first being a shift in American eating habits. The second is the growth of the health and wellness category. As consumers’ lives get busier each year there has been a major shift away from traditional meals and an increase in regular snacking. Because people are snacking more than ever before, they are looking for responsible options.”

Despite parents’ desperate attempts to get healthy food into their children, kids are just as picky as ever. Therefore, parents need products that not only meet their own health expectations, but meet their children’s taste desires as well. 

“The No. 1 thing parents complain about and worry about is food waste. If the food is too big for your kids to finish or they don’t like the taste, then they throw it away,” says Julia Wing-Larson, vice president of marketing for Richmond, Va.-based Health Warrior, a producer of plant-based protein and chia seed bars. 

Health Warrior recently released a dark chocolate offering in their line of chia bars that contains nutritious ingredients such as chia seeds and is lower in sugar than many other chocolaty treats on the market. 

“Dark chocolate is a new flavor of chia bar and kids love chocolate, it’s very rare to find a kid that doesn’t like chocolate. It really tastes like a brownie but it’s much healthier than a brownie so it’s been a big hit,” Wing-Larson says. 

The bars are also easy for younger children to eat, so parents can be comfortable buying them for the whole family.

“A lot of the things that draw parents to our products for kids are the same things that draw them to the product for themselves—but it is a great size and texture for kids. Particularly for kids younger than five. For them it can be a little tricky because a lot of bars are kind of hard and chewy which doesn’t work for little mouths and little teeth,” Wing-Larson says. 

The demands are the same in the savory snacking sector—kids demand something that will satisfy their craving for a potato chip and parents are looking for better-for-you options that meet those needs. popchips recently rolled out a new line of ridges popchips. The snacks are gluten-free, kosher, contain no artificial preservatives, no synthetic colors, no cholesterol and zero grams of trans fat. 

“popchips is a better-for-you snack parents feel good about giving their kids because they’re never fried and there’s nothing fake in them,” says Seguin. 

As the move toward better-for-you snacks grows, consumers are turning toward new favorites as well as old classics.

“Many brands are using healthy snacking as a brand position,” says Robert Freeland, CEO of San Jose, Calif.-based Freeland Foods, which produces a variety of raw and sprouted snacks in kid-friendly flavors and manufactures the Go Raw brand. “As far as trends, watermelon is certainly a big trend. From watermelon juice, to flavors and seeds, it seems to be doing very well, which is very advantageous for us since we offer the only organic, sprouted watermelon seeds available. Popcorn has been making a resurgence at recent industry trade shows, while coconut is also still quite popular.” 

In addition to taste, kids want “cool” packaging that will not get them made fun of on the playground. These kid-friendly packaging techniques will jump off the shelves and catch consumers’ eyes as they walk through the aisles looking for products that will satisfy their children, say observers.

“When we were developing Slammers we asked kids what they wanted, and the kids said they didn’t want to know about all of the good stuff that was in the product, but would eat it as long as it was cool for them to eat and tasted great,” says Watt. “That’s why Slammers created ‘too cool for school’ packaging that really jumps off the shelves and appeals to both parents and children.” The Slammers packaging features chalkboard characters including a skateboard dude and has names like Awesome Chill’N, Pumped and Epic. The packaging also slyly keeps vegetables out of sight. 

Keeping children’s taste buds in mind, retailers can utilize the back-to-school season by offering in-store demos that will allow children to try the product. That way parents can be sure the snack will not wind up in the garbage instead of their children’s stomachs. 

“We find retailers that offer demo programs and off-shelf merchandising programs do well,” says Joe Lupica, vice president of marketing for SuperSeedz, based in North Haven, Conn. “For brands like ours it is so important for consumers to try the product. Once they do, we see pretty high repeat purchases.” 

Retailers can also use the back-to-school season as an opportunity to get healthy lunchbox-friendly products off the shelves with strategic product placement. 

“Making the product accessible and highlighting the value are key elements,” says Lupica. “For example, taking them outside of the middle bulk aisle of the store to areas like the produce section. Near the deli or salad bar has also worked really well for our sprouted seeds because they are great salad toppers. Near checkout and healthy snacking sections near refrigerated beverage sets have done particularly well, too.” 

Watt agrees that putting better-for-you products next to other products of similar categories could make it more likely that mom will reach for the premium product. 

“There’s a lot written about Millennials; what they’re looking for and what they’re not,” he says. “The big trusted brands from the past are not necessarily the promised brands of the future in the eyes of Millennial parents—and Millennials in general.” 

Watt says he has seen retailers creating organic sections within actual sets, which has helped keep the premium products front and center in parents’ minds. 

“You really want to drive change and new consumer perceptions of what that retailer stands for,” he says. “Don’t leave it up to specialty retailers to win with Millennial moms and moms that are looking for great products.” 

On-the-Go Packaging

Mintel’s research shows that convenience is one of the most important factors when selecting a snack; 77 percent of snackers prefer ready-to-eat snacks versus those they have to prepare. Observers have found this trend to be especially prevalent among parents who need something to hand their child who is crying because they are hungry as the family rushes to school or an event. In that regard, re-sealable packaging has also been a huge hit among busy consumers, observers say. 

“People want more on-the-go sizes, something that can fit in their purse, or their car or their hand, says Michael Sands, CEO of Stamford, Conn.-based Yummy Earth. “And they might eat it over the course of two or three snack occasions as opposed to just one occasion, so you’ll have to make it re-sealable.” 

However, healthy on-the-go packs can often be hard to come by. While healthy snacking options are a win for parents, 42 percent of households with children agree there are not enough conveniently packaged snacks, such as individual portions or re-sealable packages, according to Mintel research. 

“There are too many fried options in the single-serve space that offer unnecessary fat and calories. Retailers should carry our multipack of single-serve bags in sea salt and BBQ as an option both parents and kids can feel good about,” says Seguin.

“Parents are attracted to the simple ingredient panels, a familiar yet wide range of flavor profiles, available in convenient and easy-to-eat forms, such as our cookies and bites. Our products are also almost completely allergen-free, which is a growing concern among parents,” Freeland says. 

Gluten-Free Isn’t Gone

Parents of gluten-intolerant children, or even those who just wish for their family to follow a gluten-free lifestyle, are looking for snacks that will not leave their children feeling jealous. Stocking products that “just happen to be” gluten-free will appeal to parents who do not want their children to be left out. Sands, says products that are a treat, rather than a compromise, have proved to be extremely successful with consumers. 

“We have a brand new gluten-free licorice line that is exceeding our expectations,” he says. “We have a strawberry flavor, a pomegranate and a peach flavor. The reaction to having gluten-free licorice is positive because most licorice is wheat-based. So if you suffer from celiac disease and you’ve had to go without licorice it’s a bummer. Now you don’t because what you’re finding is this is just a fantastic licorice that happens to be gluten-free.”