For parents, making a snack for their child every day can be time consuming and monotonous. Besides, most children are very fussy eaters and the parents will have to think of something new every day. Thankfully, today there are a variety of individually wrapped snacks for school, many of which are nutritious, healthy, and contain essential vitamins and minerals. This allows busy parents to purchase affordable pre-packaged snacks for classroom treats and for daily consumption. To ensure that your child snacks healthy, here’s the inside track on some key parenting wins:

4 Tips for Getting the Best Individually Wrapped Snacks for School 

  1. Know the school “nut policy”: Over the past two decades, the rising incidence of nut allergies has led many schools to ban nuts. So, before you prepare or purchase individually wrapped snacks for school, make sure you know the school’s policy. In addition, read the labels of the foods that you buy for your children. Even if they don’t have nut allergies, their classmates could – which could require your children to bring only nut-free snacks to school.
  2. Send individually wrapped portions: Children tend to waste a lot of food. To avoid this problem, no matter what food you send to school as a snack, make sure it is individually wrapped. Single-serving snacks are not only easy to handle but also convenient. Furthermore, many schools do not permit foods that have been partially eaten, opened, or homemade (again – check the school’s policy). 
  3. Ask your child: To avoid food waste, ask the child what he or she would prefer as a snack. Hopefully, this will also encourage the child to help prepare or pack the snack!
  4. Avoid foods that are messy: Schools usually do not like it when parents send greasy or sticky foods, as they can cause a mess in the classroom and stain clothes. These snacks can also cause embarrassment for the child. So, err on the side of caution by choosing individually wrapped snacks for school that are mess-free.
  5. Consider reusable containers: You may want to pack the snack in an insulated snack bag, stainless steel container, cloth snack bag, or a BPA-free plastic snack box. It can help save money and the environment!

Top 7 Pre-Packaged Snacks for Classroom Treats

Now that you’ve explored the logic behind your snack selection, let’s get to the actual snacks! Our favorite individually wrapped snacks for school are:

  1. Muffins: There are dozens of flavors of muffins and most children like them. They can be individually wrapped and the size can be adjusted. Muffins can be quite healthy and provide fuel for the school day ahead. Some favorite flavors include apricot, cherry, banana, lemon, and coconut. If there are no chocolate allergies, add a few chocolate chips for a sweet boost.
  2. Veggie Slices: Some of the healthiest snacks for children include slices of carrots, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, and broccoli. You can individually wrap these veggies and have a dip of choice in a separate container. To increase the palatability, add some whole wheat crackers (there are several options on the market that taste so good that kids will power them down – while powering up).
  3. Yogurt: As long as the right option is selected, most children love yogurt. There are many flavored yogurts on the market. Some come with extra pieces of fruit, a variety of seeds, and even chocolate crumbs. The key is to select the right size container so that the food is not wasted. Also try to opt for low sugar options – and better yet, a low fat Greek yogurt. Yum!
  4. Trail Mix: Hands down, most children love trail mix. If the school policy bans nuts you can make your own trail mix in individually wrapped packets that include raisins, pretzels, wheat crackers, sesame or pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, corn, popcorn, Cheetos, etc.
  5. Sandwiches: The universal snack that most children take to school is the sandwich. But input from the child is vital. The sandwich can be made from cheese, ham, chicken, peanut butter, eggs. To make the sandwich taste superb, use a different type of bread every week. Choices include wraps, baguettes, pita, rye, ciabatta, whole grain, etc. 
  6. Fruit Slices: Another great snack for the school includes a variety of fruit slices which may include a combination of apples, bananas, apricot, mango, pineapple, pears, oranges, tangerine, cantaloupe, papaya, etc. These fruit slices can be combined with yogurt, corn chips, or trail mix.
  7. Healthy Meat Snacks: Finally, if you have little time to make homemade snacks and want something healthy, consider buying individually wrapped jerky pouches and smoked meat sticks online from Sweetwood Smokehouse. We offer a variety of all-natural meat treats in many delicious, kid-friendly flavors like Teriyaki and Honey BBQ. Also, our meat snacks do not contain junk sweeteners, artificial ingredients, additives, or chemicals. Our healthy meat sticks and jerky taste great and are sure to relieve any hunger pangs.

Sending your kids to school with the right fuel makes all the difference. Whether you’re trying to decide what to put in the lunch box or planning for the next birthday or holiday party, pick the best pre-packaged snacks for classroom treats. Your life will be much easier with these kid-friendly snack options. Be sure to make Sweetwood.com your first stop, as our healthy meat snacks are a breath of fresh air available in a variety of flavors!

>> Shop Sweetwood.com now.