Okay, friends.

I know you always find the time to milk your own legumes, churn your own yogurt, and bake your own granola bars from organic oats, orchard apples and freshly-pestled cinnamon – but I on the other hand could use some help around here. Between us two working parents, a tight budget, and a feral toddler with a stubborn (and mostly non-sensical) to-do list, our family has had to find some middle ground between getting it perfect, and simply getting by. I needed a go-to reserve of healthy, store-bought packaged snacks I could grab on the go, pop in my beach bag, or send my daughter off with and still feel good about. And with that, the following list was born.

Benchmarks to Shoot For in a Nutritious Snack:

When choosing a vegan packaged snack, the Dietitian in me wants 5 things:

1. A decent source of protein (ideally 3+ grams)

2. Minimal added sugar (6 or less grams)

3. Dietary fiber (at least 2-3 grams per serving)

4. Low in sodium (200mg or less per serving)

5. A health-promoting fatty acid profile (0g trans fat, <2g saturated fats, + healthy nuts & seeds)