My top 8 picks for convenience, packaged snack foods.

I am pretty content with making the majority of my snack foods from scratch at home from whole foods, but sometimes you just want something different, convenient, tasty and healthy! Here is a list of products I have found that still offer the body real food, nutrients, amazing taste and don’t give you a nasty rise and fall in blood sugar. There are no copious amounts of processed sugar, soy, grains or dairy here.

1. Raw Coconut Butter

This is just pure 100% raw, ground coconut and it is divine! You can purchase the Artisana brand from iherb and Tropical Traditions also makes an equally amazing one you can purchase here. If you are lucky enough it may be stocked in your local health food store.

2. Kelp Noodles

Not exactly something you can just eat straight from the packet but after a quick soak or a blanch you can add some salad veg and/or some canned salmon etc for a snack. Get them off iherb or from other retailers.

3. Activated Nuts and seeds

Activated nuts and seeds are raw and have been soaked in purified water, salt and sometimes whey to activate them, then dehydrated at low temperature to retain all the enzymes and nutrients. This is an ancient, traditional preparation technique. Nut, seeds, grains and legumes are all essentially seeds and within them they contain various enzyme inhibitors which protect them from mold, insects and animals (including humans) until they have what they need to grow into a plant. When they are given plenty of water they release these toxic substances into the water and begin to sprout. The activation process neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of vital minerals is significantly reduced. I don’t know about you but if I have raw nuts I get a stomach ache and they taste slightly bitter.  Activated nuts are amazing! There are quite a few companies producing these now including Loving Earth and 2Die4 Live Foods.

4. Organic sweet potato chips

Organic sweet potato chips are AMAZING! One of my favourites. There are a few brands producing these all pretty much identical content these include Thompsons Chipman,  Absolute Organics and now Woolworths has one in the Macro range.

They are all organic and contain organic sweet potatoes, organic palm olein oil and sea salt. Palm olein oil is heat stable meaning the chips are not covered in rancid, damaged oil and there is not a bombardment of disease amplifying, aging free radicals that pose a challenge to the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system.

5. Sprouted/activated crackers

Raw crackers are delish and made from an assortment of sprouted seeds, sea vegetables, spices and vegetables. They are dehydrated to retain enzymes and nutrients. You can find some here and on iherb.

6. Raw Macadamia nut butter

This raw macadamia butter by Hand ‘N’ Hoe is so creamy. It is best to consume nuts and seeds that have been pre soaked/activated but if there is one you don’t occasionally make it the macadamia it is lower in enzyme inhibitors and has the best fatty acid profile. Find it here or google it for other retailers.

7. Kale Chips

Kale chips make a tasty nutritious treat. They are dehydrated at low temperatures to retain all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes and paired with a variety of flavours. I sometimes make these at home myself in the oven. Loving Earth produces these and iherb also stocks similar products.

8. Raw chocolate

Have you tried raw chocolate? If not, you have to give it a go. My favourite so far is the Loving Earth brand which just melts in your mouth, you would never guess how good it is for you. It contains organic raw cacao butter, org raw cacao, raw agave, Himalayan salt and vanilla bean. I can find this brand in a few of my local health food stores. There are other companies that produce similar products such as Rawganic,  Rawlife and Conscious Chocolate.

What are your favourite packaged treats?

Have you tried any of the above?