The other night while I was grocery shopping at Target I was thinking about all of the new goodies I've been trying out recently and how affordable organic foods really can be. Now, I'm not talking about organic produce or beef from grass-fed cows (although let me assure you that they do taste much better, are far healthier and are must-haves in our home), I'm referring to the plethora of amazing snacks in the organic world.
These are my new favorite, organic go-to snacks that I have fallen in love with. The best part? They are all under $4. In many cases I can purchase these great snacks for less that the traditional chemical-laden food choices available and they taste better because they are real, whole foods. The prices listed below were the regular prices at my local Target store before I used any coupons.
My Favorite Organic Snacks
1. Archer Farms Organic Blue Corn Chips with Flax $2.69
Although there are few ingredients in each bag, they are packed with crunch and flavor! It's almost hard to believe that there is no added artificial flavors or saturated fats, they taste that good. I've tried their organic blue chips with and without flax and the ones with flax are far better, crunchier and have an overall better flavor. I haven't missed regular potato chips after eating these and I love they come in a ziploc resealable bag too. These are a staple on our grocery list now.
2. Archer Farms Organic Cilantro Thick and Chunky Salsa -$2.69
AND
Archer Farms Organic Mango Peach Thick & Chunky Salsa
We love cilantro in our house so this was a natural choice. The Mango and peach salsa is great too if you like a little sweetness to switch it up. They are both chunky, thick salsas which I love, I'm not a fan of watery, runny salsas that lack flavor. These come packed with flavor but no chemicals, preservatives or excess sugar or salt. They are 100% delicious and I sometimes use some on top of chicken or fish for a garnish. As you can see from my photo, they've both been opened already. ;)
3. Green and Black's Organic Dark Chocolate and Cherry Chocolate Bar $2.99
This chocolate bar is actually kind of dangerous for me. I shared it with my hubby but I probably could have eaten the whole thing myself. It is made from 60% cocoa and is heavenly. This is a large, 100g and is divided into individual little squares for sharing. They have so many flavors but I happen to love dark chocolate (they also make milk chocolate) and it is filled with dried cherries which add so much flavor.
4. Cascadian Farms Chocolate Chip Granola Bars $2.59
I discovered these over a year ago and they are still my favorites. Sure there are other granola bars that taste like you're eating a chocolate bar, but they are filled with no-no ingredients that I don't want. These are chewy, yummy and they still have chocolate chips in them which I love. They offer other flavors too such as white chocolate chip.
5. StoneyField Farms French Vanilla Fat Free Organic Yogurt $2.89
I neglected this brand at first because it can be a bit pricey but it does not contain high fructose corn syrup and I know where the milk has come from, it's not treated and it's fat free to boot! It tastes really good and I love knowing that I'm not gobbling down loads of chemicals on a daily basis since yogurt is a staple in our house. They also have a plain greek style yogurt called Oikos which we love too since it's so thick and decadent.
6. Smucker's Organic Creamy Peanut Butter $3.29
First, I love that this product comes in glass, no BPA or Pthalates to worry about because it is not contained in plastic. Upon trying this after using all of the hydrogentated, chemical and preservative-filled peanut butter it will taste different. You have to mix it up with a spoon or butterknife as I do for a minute. Because it's natural, the oil settles to the top. Once it is stirred you'll see it tastes so pure and natural the way peanut butter was meant to taste not artificial and goopy. It contains peanuts and a very trivial amount of salt-that is it! No oils, no sugar, no preservatives! They also offer a non-organic Natural version at a cheaper pricepoint with the same ingredients minus organic peanuts, so that is a good place to start if you're concerned about price. If you like a little sweetness they make an all-natural with honey which is very addictive. That is where we started but I want to avoid the excess sugar.
7. Cascadian Farms Oats and Honey Cereal-$2.59
Not only is this a great cereal with organic milk or organic soy or almond milk, but it's also a wonderful little snack as-is for kids and adults too. You can also add in nuts, raisins or cranberries and put some in little snack bags. They make other flavors of their granola cereal too. On a side note my favorite brand of organic milk is Organic Valley's Lactose-free milk in 1% or skim. I rarely drink milk but when I do, it's this. I love that I can buy it for such a steal when I combine my grocery stores' sale price with my coupons. Another brand to try is Horizon Organics, some offer additional DHA which is great for kids' growing brains.
8. Organic Wholly Guacamole- $3.04
I am in love with this guacamole. I like to make my own but this is far cheaper and easier and I'm guaranteed to have a great snack for guests without the mess. It has some pieces of avacado but is mainly pretty smooth, if you don't like lumpy, thick avacado, this one is for you! I love it both ways, however this makes for a nice spread too for sandwiches, etc. It has just the right amount of everything and I could literally eat it everyday .
One of the best healthy options I know of for take out also happens to be one of my favorites-Chipotle Mexican Grill. They are in multiple states now and use meats that are hormone and antibiotic-free and the feed fed to animals is pesticide free and they were recently featured on Oprah! They take a slower approach to fast food using locally grown produce and work with local farmers. They have some of the best guacamole I've tasted. Their burrito bowls are amazing and are what I order every time! You choose from shredded beef, shredded pork, chicken or steak topped with salsas, beans, rice, cheese, corn, lettuce, sauteed onions and peppers, and the list goes on. It is one of the healthier meals to grab on the go.
They also sell Izze drinks by the bottle, the sparkling pink grapefruit is my favorite! These drinks are natural, made with fruit juice and beet juice for natural coloring, no additional sugar, no artificial sweeteners but enough fizz to be a great alternative to soda.
*Please note that I am in no way receiving compensation for my above mentioned recommendations on products or food chains. This is my personal experience and opinion.
These are a few of my favorite organic and natural treats! I love knowing that the selections I make are free of MSG, high sodium, saturated or trans fats, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, modified ingredients (anything with the word 'modified' on the ingredients label means it has been genetically modified from it's natural state), artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners like Splenda, Equal and Nutrasweet which damage the liver and kidneys (and often cause seizures and even death, epecially in small children).
I hope you will try out some of the snacks I listed above, they are all full of flavor and nutrients which are great healthy choices for your family and they won't empty your wallet. Target frequently has these items on sale and many coupons can be found online or attached to the products themselves on on shelf hangers.
If you like trying out new products or like reading other blogger's 'Favorites Lists' like I do, you might enjoy a post I did a few months ago on my favorite things from Whole Foods. You can also visit THIS LINK to see some of my all-time favorite things which include shoes, decor and kitchen appliances!
What are YOUR favorite organic foods or treats? I'd love to read about what they are so I can try something new too.
Happy Snacking!
