What are healthy snacks?
One of the best parts of running a healthy snack box business is discovering all the wonderful healthy snack brands out there. Snack boxes are a great way of supporting smaller brands, many of whom can’t afford to pay supermarkets to stock in them.
There is much debate about what foods are actually healthy so at Treat Trunk we keep it simple by making sure every snack we include fit into lots of these categories:
Delicious
We taste test all of the snacks we are considering and only the winners make it into the boxes! Gone are the days of cardboard tasting healthy snacks – there are some seriously delicious healthier treats available now so we will keep munching through them to find the best ones.
Natural
Made up of real food ingredients, not chemicals created in a lab. Real foods contain beneficial nutrients and with the absence of harmful additives you’re getting double benefits when compared to regular sweets.
Healthier Sugars and Sugar Sensible
We prefer sugars that are lower GI and contain nutrients like coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, maple syrup or whole fruits which don’t spike your blood sugar as much as refined white sugar. This helps keep your mood stable and reduces cravings.
Convenient
Quick and easy snacks that save you time. They can be consumed without any preparation or needing to be chilled making them great snacks for grabbing on the go.
Macro Balanced
Sweet treats have their carbs balanced by a protein and/or fat which is thought to reduce the blood sugar spike when eaten. This helps to keep your mood and energy stable.
Gut Friendly
Foods that keep the good bacteria in our body happy and scare off the bad ones. There are even snacks made with pre and probiotics to give us even more good bacteria. Did you know we are made up of more bacteria than human cells?! And that scientists are looking into the gut microbiome to treat diseases including allergies, depression, obesity, bowel disorders and even
cancer?
Fun!
We seek out the most exciting snacks that feel like such a treat you don’t miss the unhealthier versions. This makes it easier to stick to a healthy diet.
1 of your 5 a day
Fresh fruit and vegetables are best. But in our modern way of eating, it can be a challenge to make sure you’ve met the 5 a day minimum so these snacks offer an easy way to include them.
Contain antioxidants
Some snacks have ingredients that help eliminate toxins and reduce our chance of serious illness such as cancer.
Supports healing/wellbeing
Snacks containing nutrients beneficial for improving our health and wellbeing – whether it’s maca for balancing hormones, guarana for energy or herbs for relaxation.
Varied
We explore many snack options trying to find a really adventurous range and try to get a diverse mix of snacks in each box. This stops you getting bored and introduces you to snacks you’ve never tried, helping you find new favourites!
Suitable for lunchboxes
We include some nut free snacks perfect for lunchboxes in every box. Child-friendly packaging means your children won’t feel like they’re missing out or have packed lunch envy when they look at what their friends are eating! (Who knows, they might start a trend!)
Ethical
Did you know we actually become healthier when we do good things?¹ We look into the ethics of the companies we work with and love to include brands that are Fair Trade, use biodegradeable or recyclable packaging and practice other ethical business practices. The smaller brands tend to care more and need the most help gaining exposure and we support small businesses.