Fruit snacks are an extremely popular treat among schoolchildren. Whether in their lunch box or at a birthday party, fruit snacks for kids are always in demand. So, how healthy are these treats exactly? Or are they simply a treat? Let’s take a look at some facts that you should know about readymade fruit-based snacks for kids before handing your little one their next tasty treat:

1. Fruit snacks are often high in sugar
Most fruit snacks that you can buy off the shelves are prepared with generous amounts of sugar. In fact, one small packet of fruit snacks that contains seven to eight pieces has as much as two and a half teaspoons of sugar. Considering that kids also consume high amounts of sugar through other foods like cereals, bread, cookies, and more, the additional sugar from fruit snacks amounts to too much.

2. Fruit snacks have many unhealthy ingredients
Apart from sugar, there are many other unhealthy ingredients in fruit snacks, including preservatives, artificial fruit dyes, corn syrup, gelatin, and citric acid. These are not things you want your child to consume daily.

3. Fruit snacks may or may not contain real fruit
The title says “fruit snacks,” but does that mean there is real fruit? Not necessarily. In fact, a lot of fruit-based snacks just contain fruit juice concentrate, which is almost akin to a sweetener that has no nutritional value. There are very few fruit snacks that have a sizable portion of real fruit as an ingredient. So, parents are not feeding their kids fruits through these snacks; they are merely sugary treats.

4. Fruit snacks can lead to tooth decay and other health problems
Most readymade fruit-based snacks for kids have no nutritional value and can contribute to many health issues, including tooth decay. The sticky texture of these treats causes them to leave residue on the teeth, which leads to early tooth decay in children. Additionally, eating too many fruit-based snacks regularly can cause an early onset of obesity and diabetes in children when combined with a diet high in fat and sugar.

5. Ways for kids to enjoy fruit snacks
While the above-mentioned facts may be cause for concern for you as a parent, you do not need to worry about completely taking your kid off fruit snacks. Here are a few tips to ensure that your little one can indulge in these tasty treats the right way:

• Limit the consumption of store-bought fruit snacks as occasional desserts
• Insist that your child always brushes their teeth after eating these fruit snacks
• Look for fruit snacks for kids that have replaced artificial dyes with vegetable dyes
• Try to purchase organic fruit snacks as a healthier alternative
• Try to make fruit-based snacks at home instead of buying them

The aforementioned information should help you make a well-informed decision when picking up fruit-based snacks for kids off the shelf on your next trip to the supermarket.