The Healthy Snack Time Guide We always advocate for fresh and unpackaged food for both health and environmental reasons, but, snacks in packages that are well labeled and full of good, healthy ingredients can ensure everyone’s safety and health, and satisfy our occasional cravings, too. Content, product testing and layout by Borden Communications + Design
“If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't.” is one of the many Food Rules by Michael Pollan we should all be following. And, although we can all agree that it's a good rule, and that we should be eating real food that we made ourselves above all else, rules are also meant to be bent and even broken. An acceptable packaged product stands on their own goodness, not on a self-proclaimed claim, and offers FULL DISCLOSURE of all ingredients and activity. Please judge your food by what's IN the box, not by what's promised across the outside in big, fabulous exciting words. The bigger the claim, the more Healthwashed the product typically is. Of course, the snack stuff that doesn't have packaging and labels is the best -- like an organic apple! In a day and age where allergies are increasing, it is even more important to have clear labeling, and to trust companies that know where their ingredients come from and care about them being good for your health. In the pages following, I share some of my favourite packaged snacks that my family enjoys. Most are vegan, gluten-free, and organic, all of them taste great, are gmo-free, and are nut-free (but some are “may contain traces of nuts.” Please read the label each and every time you purchase if you have severe allergies, or are serving someone who does). If you have some (or all) of the products in this guide in your pantry at all times, you'll be able to accommodate any guests with allergies, nutritional requirements, dietary restrictions and lifestyle choices, even if it's a last minute playdate, picnic or dinner date. Happy, healthy snacking!
Salty Snacks
What do you get when you add sprouted whole
Luke was diagnosed with celiac disease at 7 years
grains & seeds to a tortilla chip? A Way Better
old, and couldn’t find a chip he loved, so he
Snack! Each of their six flavours are delicious,
created his own. Gluten-free, organic, and nut-
and are low in sodium and saturated fat,
free, these snacks are not just great tasting,
relatively speaking of course!
they’re also a great source of fiber and protein!
WAY BETTER SNACKS TORTILLA CHIPS www.gowaybetter.com
LUKE’S ORGANIC www.lukesorganic.com
Extremely tasty organic blue corn chips get a
Everyone loves a good pretzel, and Happy
little added health and flavour from added
Herbert’s has mastered making the delicious,
organic flax seeds. Don’t forget to pair this
crunchy snack. Bonus? The company states their
crunchy and salty tortilla with Neal Brothers
organic kamut pretzels are the only pretzels in
Organic Salsa in a glass jar.
the universe to be made with kamut grain.
NEAL BROTHERS TORTILLAS www.nealbrothersfoods.com
HAPPY HERBERT’S PRETZELS www.happyherberts.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Cookie Cravings
The entire Mary’s Gone Crackers line is made
Sweets from the Earth cakes, cupcakes and
with low glycemic sweeteners that still satisfy
cookies are not only made with safe and healthy
your sweet tooth, in 4 great flavours. Their
ingredients, it’s what’s NOT in them that will
“N’Oatmeal Raisin” cookie will remind you of
impress you even more - with every bite! Enjoy
your childhood oatmeal cookie, without the oats!
sweet, natural and sinfully delicious desserts!
MARY’S GONE CRACKERS COOKIES www.marysgonecrackers.com
SWEETS FROM THE EARTH COOKIES www.sweetsfromtheearth.com
Lovingly hand made for over a decade, these
Gogo Quinoa’s Chocolate Chip cookies are
cookies taste and feel like you baked them
absolutely incredible. They have a really crunchy
yourself right in your very own kitchen! They
texture thanks to the delicious and nutritious
have over eight different flavours so you’ll be
quinoa. One warning: they claim the serving size
sure to please any cookie lover.
is 2 cookies, we think it’s more like 8.
NEW MOON KITCHEN COOKIES www.newmoonkitchen.com
GOGO QUINOA COOKIES www.gogoquinoa.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Bustling Bars
Organic seeds dehydrated at a low temperature,
Hand crafted chocolate bars that are made to
making it LIVE, raw granola! Go Raw’s pledge is
enhance feel good moods and emotions in the
to provide the healthiest, most flavourful foods
hopes of one day changing the world (changing
ever made. No nonsense. No gimmicks. Makes
the world through raw, vegan chocolate…now
the perfect snack or meal replacement.
there's something to get giddy about!).
GO RAW BARS www.goraw.com
GIDDY YOYO RAW CHOCOLATE BARS www.giddyyoyo.com
Combining their passion for raw food and ethical
This sweet and crunchy, candy-like bar only has
living, Zimt offers delicious raw chocolate with
four ingredients, so you won’t find anything
tons of different nutritious & delicious organic
hidden in here. Made with Quinoa, a whole grain
ingredients, all wrapped up in beautifully
that’s high in fibre and filled with protein, makes
designed post consumer, compostable packaging!
this a great energy boosting snack.
ZIMT CHOCOLATE BARS www.zimt.ca
OSKRI QUINOA BARS www.oskri.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Fruity Fun
Enjoy this tasty snack while getting your daily
Level Ground sulphite-free dried fruit is loved by
serving of fruit. You wouldn’t know it from
all! What’s also impressive and exciting is that
tasting it, but the only ingredient is banana! No
they are Direct Fair Trade and operate in a zero
added sugar, and it’s naturally gluten-free, vegan
waste facility, encouraging consumers to send
and delicious.
back their packaging so it can be upcycled.
IPANEMA VALLEY http://ipanemavalley.com
LEVEL GROUND DRIED FRUIT www.levelground.com
Bare Fruit is just that. Fruit undressed. You get
These aren’t your ordinary fruit strips or leathers.
the benefit of the fiber, vitamins, and energy fruit
These ones are made with organic whole fruits
provides, with nothing nasty added. Their bake-
AND veggies, and have no added sugars or
dried solution creates a crispy chip that gives you
preservatives. These tasty treats are sure to
a fruity crunch!
please even the pickiest of eaters.
BARE FRUIT DRIED FRUIT www.barefruitsnacks.com
VEGGIE-GO’S www.nakededgesnacks.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Justifiable Junk
An all natural chewing gum that comes packaged
The Surf Sweets line of candies are made with
in a box, not in plastic! No aspartame, BHT or
Organic Fruit Juice instead of conventional corn
other toxic chemicals, just real, vegan, and
syrup and doesn’t use anything fake to colour or
organic ingredients. Available in 5 great flavours,
flavour their gummy bears or worms. Great
you can enjoy this seriously good chew.
decoration for ice cream sundaes & cupcakes!
SIMPLY GUM www.simplygum.com
SURF SWEETS GUMMY BEARS www.surfsweets.com
Yummy Earth began with two dads who cared
Freshen your breath with the crisp, natural
about what their kids were eating. Only the
flavours of spearmint and peppermint. The
finest ingredients go into their candy - they even
natural green tea adds antioxidants and boosts
use black carrots and organic pumpkin for
your brain power to help you focus and get back
fabulous colour in their organic lollipops!
to work after your lunch break.
YUMMY EARTH LOLLIPOPS www.yummyearth.com
SENCHA GREEN TEA MINTS www.senchanaturals.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Healthy Handfuls
These sacha inchi seeds are the richest plant-
Satisfy your craving for something sweet or
based source of Omega-3 on the planet! Savi Seed
savory with these crunchy, raw, vegan, gmo-free,
is a complete protein so just a handful of any of
gluten-free snacks. Various superfood flavours
the three varieties (one being chocolate covered
taste great with some avocado, seed butter,
ones!) Can fill your tummy for hours.
coconut jam, or just enjoy plain on their own!
SAVI SEEDS www.myvega.com
NUD FUD www.nudfud.com
Kale chips are the perfect snack. If made properly,
You don’t need to wait for Halloween to enjoy
they taste like the most delicious chip, but with
tasty dehydrated pumpkin seeds. Go Raw’s
all the health benefits of a kale salad. Make your
sprouted organic seeds are as alive as any sprout.
own, or pick up chef-inspired flavours from chef
Eat them by the handful or sprinkle them on
Doug McNish’s Public Kitchen in Toronto.
salads, in soups or add to trail mix.
DOUG MCNISH’S PUBLIC KITCHEN www.dougmcnish.com
GO RAW SEEDS www.goraw.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Seaweed contains up to 10 times more calcium
Navitas Natural Mulberries are a true superfood -
than milk and purifies our blood. Seasnax is
being one of the few fruits to be considered a
made with three basic ingredients - seaweed,
protein source, boasting 3 grams of protein per
100% olive oil and a pinch of seasalt. This treat
ounce. Chewy, with a bit of a crunch, these dried
is not only super healthy, but strangely addictive!
berries are nature’s version of candy.
SEASNAX www.seasnax.com
NAVITAS NATURALS SUPERFOODS www.navitasnaturals.com
Mungbeans are well known for their high
Rockwell’s took the amazing benefits of organic
nutritional value and combine vitamins and
coconut and toasted it with a little sweetness,
other healthy nutrients into a delicious crunchy
into coconut chips - an incredibly delicious snack!
chip by naturally baking them. Their Green Pea
Eat them straight from the bag or pour them on
chips are equally as tasty!
top of your favourite ice cream!
MUSO FROM JAPAN www.muso-intl.com
ROCKWELL’S WHOLE FOODS www.rockwellswholefoods.com
www.lisabordenworks.com
Where's the “FOOD” Certification Symbol?! THIS IS REAL
FOOD Instead of organic or all-natural, shouldn't we really brand a label that simply defines something as “FOOD”? Author, and Activist Michael Pollan recommends that we create a Federal Definition of "food”. "We need to stop flattering nutritionally worthless food-like substances by calling them "junk food"and instead make it clear that such products are not in fact food of any kind.” JOIN THE HEALTHWASHING WALL OF SHAME
http://ow.ly/ewLp0