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Our kids have a sixth sense for sugar. If there is something in the house that could possibly satisfy their sugar rush, they'll sniff it out. We could attempt to go cold turkey, or try and stem the sugary tide by not serving anything sweet. But that would lead to a mutiny, or at least a meltdown.
Luckily a few brands have mastered the art of making sweet products without all of the excess sugar. As a parent it serves as a win-win. We feel great about giving them food that tastes like dessert without all the downsides of dessert. And they feel great about getting a sweet fix, if not a sugar fix. From candy that has more fiber than sugar to snacks that pack protein and flavor minus the junk, the following are a few healthier ways to satisfy the insatiable cravings of your kids.
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Fruit snacks have been a fixture in our household since my kids could chew. If it’s squishy and fruity, it’s getting eaten. However most fruit snacks taste great because they are loaded with sugar. Not Blobs.
Blobs have only four grams of sugar per serving. They also have 12 grams of fiber. They are vegan and come in a variety of fun flavors, from sour watermelon-lychee to passionfruit-pineapple. Kids will gobble them up, and adults just might as well.
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Another winner in the gummy category is SmartSweets. My kids love the gummy worms in particular, though, the peach rings, sweet fish, and lollipops are also winners.
With only three grams of sugar per serving and two grams of fiber these are an excellent option for a lunchbox desert.
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Ah jelly beans. You can just pop them into your mouth and delight in the sugar rush…and then spend all afternoon picking them out of your teeth.
Yum Earth’s jelly beans are the answer to all that artificial flavor. They are organic, vegan, free of artificial dyes, free of allergens, and super delicious. At 11 grams of added sugar per serving they are a little higher in the sweet department, but that does come from organic cane sugar.
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Okay so you might not think of Icelandic yogurt as something that would satisfy sweet cravings, but Painterland Sisters Skyr Yogurt fits the bill thanks to the delicious flavors and creamy texture. With vanilla bean, blueberry-lemon, and Savannah peach as flavors, these definitely tantalize the taste buds of everyone in our household. And with tons of protein, billions of probiotics, and only seven grams of natural sugar per serving, these are a delectable delight.
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Lots of brands claim to make veggies delicious and I’ve watched countless veggie-infused products end up uneaten due to an underlying yuck factor. Yet Veggies Made Great lives up to the promise. My daughter had two banana chocolate chip muffins for dessert last night. She was excited to be eating a double dose of something sweet, and I was excited because the first ingredient is zucchini.
Indeed, these muffins only have six grams of sugar and also feature potassium, iron, protein, fiber, and other vitamins. The ease of storage and prep is also a huge convenience, as they come frozen and warm up to gooey chocolatiness with only 30 seconds in the microwave. The birthday cake and blueberry oat flavors are also popular.
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Sure our kids eat the occasional sugar bomb. And we’re fine with all things in balance. But knowing there are options they truly enjoy that pack way less sugar and way more of the good stuff makes feeding them healthy options so much easier. The above have all been vetted by two very picky eaters. Try them out and watch them disappear from your pantry, fridge, and freezer.
