18 Consciously Delicious Snacks From Companies That Care
Snacks you can feel good about devouring from brands you love to support.
We all know the most sustainable way to snack on the go is to prepare food at home to carry with you. Reusable silicone bags from Stasher are perfect for this, as is Bee’s Wrap, an eco-friendly version of plastic wrap made from wax covered cotton.
But life is, well, life. We don’t always have time to prepare healthy snacks ahead of time. For days when you are stretched thin or want to try something new, we’ve put together a list of our favorite snack options from companies that care about people and the planet.
Karma Nuts are truly delicious “minimally processed” cashews. Their specialty is the wrapped cashew, which keeps the natural skin on, adding an extra crunchy layer and retaining antioxidants that would normally be discarded. Leaving the skin on also provides 2x the fiber and reduces food waste.
From sweet to savory, they have all the flavor bases covered. While we love savory flavors like Sea Salt and Lime Twist, we literally can’t keep our hands off of the Sweet Matcha, Cocoa Dusted and Toasted Coconut flavored cashews. They have just the right amount of sweetness so you feel like you’re getting a treat but without the guilt because, hey, they’re cashews after all.
Karma Nuts is also passionate about their mission “Eat good, do good, feel good”. Every year,10% of profits or 1% of sales (whichever is greater), is donated to charities supporting health and nutrition for children.
Moonshot is a Black female-founded business that makes wildly tasty crackers and has been carbon neutral since day 1. To achieve this, Moonshot sources ingredients from local small farms and mills, using only regeneratively grown, non-GMO wheat and sunflower oil and 100% organic spices.
Honestly, it’s hard to choose a favorite. All three cracker flavors, Rosemary Garlic, Sourdough Sea Salt and Margherita Pizza, are outstanding and pair perfectly with cheese, hummus, fruit or veggies. Plus, you can now buy Moonshot at Target so it’s even easier to keep them on hand.
Read more about Moonshot, regenerative farming and how founder Julia Collins is helping other food producers become carbon neutral through her sister company Planet FWD here.
Tosi
Tosi means true in Finnish and the name couldn’t be more fitting. True ingredients lead to true flavors and Tosi delivers with each variety in their lineup. From Super Pops (bite-size snacks) to Super Bites (full-size snack bars), scrumptious flavors like Cashew Coconut, PB & J, Peanut Dark Chocolate, Almond Blueberry are sure to satisfy the pickiest snacker.
Mother and daughter duo Stef and Chels set out to create low sugar, organic, nutrient-rich, gluten-free snacks. What started in their home kitchen has grown into a brand now carried in over 5,000 retail and online stores.
Commonly discarded, the rinds and skin of fruit greatly contribute to the 30% - 40% of food wasted in America. Thankfully, RIND is on a mission to change that. Since inception, they have helped eliminate over 500,000 pounds of unnecessary food waste.
Not to mention, the rinds of fruit contains more vitamins, fiber and antioxidants than the rest of the fruit, so it makes sense that we would want to include these in a healthy diet. RIND makes it easy to maximize nutrition and minimize waste. Now that’s a real win-win!
These zero-waste, no sugar added snacks have forever replaced other dried fruit brands in our pantry. We love the mission and of course flavors like strawberry and pear blend or tropical pineapple, orange and kiwi blend make them super snackable.
What do we like best about Snacklins? The sweet and savory flavors? Yes. The entire bag is only 90 calories? Yes. They are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and kosher? Yes, yes and yes!!
Snacklins are a plant-based take on the classic pork rind - light and airy with a killer crunch. Made from a combination of yuca, mushrooms and onions, these crisps come in 6 mouthwatering flavors: Sea Salt & Vinegar, Barbeque, Teriyaki, Nacho, Chesapeake Bay, and Cinnamon Churro.
Having Snacklins around the office is a great way to cure that late afternoon craving for a crunchy, salty snack without any of the icky stuff that is usually found in a bag of chips. With a motto like “Eat the Whole Bag” how can you resist?
Founded by Claire Olshan, a mother, New Yorker, and the visionary mind behind the infamous Fivestory boutique in New York City, DADA is an aesthetically strong, luxury leaning, healthy snack brand specializing in vegan and gluten-free options.
Whether you’re popping a couple Cheesy Cauliflower Popcorn Florets into your mouth at a red light or indulging in a Matcha Latte Truffle at the end of a long day, we think you’ll find something to love.
DADA also gives back by collaborating with Cult Gaia and donating a portion of proceeds to The Women’s Empowerment Center to benefit Mount Sinai Hospital’s frontline workers during the Covid-19 crisis.
Why didn’t anyone tell us about Bohana popped water lily seeds sooner? We were seriously blown away by these deceivingly delicious puffs. Light and airy with mouth watering flavors have turned Bohana into a favorite go-to late night snack. Ok fine, a favorite anytime snack. Hard to resist flavors include Zesty Ranch, Hickory BBQ, Himalayan Sea Salt and Wild White Cheddar.
A traditional Indian snack, popped water lily seeds are rich in amino acids, antioxidants, are gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher. If that’s not enough, they pack 3 grams of protein into a 120 calorie serving and make a great salad or buddha bowl topper but are also perfection on their own.
Actors Kristen Bell, Ryan Devlin, Todd Grinnell and Ravi Patel founded This Saves Lives, a healthy snack company with a focus on ending hunger and malnutrition. By partnering with organizations like Action Against Hunger, each time a purchase is made, a box of food is sent to a child battling hunger in one of the many developing countries they work with.
Whether you want to support the cause, or simply because you’re ready for a new snack option, the variety pack of snack bars which include flavors like Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter is a great place to start. Or, if you’re feeling whimsical, try the Unicorn Sparkle Treat. With so many classic and kids flavors it’s easy to help kids in need with every mid-morning or after school snack.
12 Tides was founded by ocean activists on a mission to transform the food system into a force for good for our oceans. Touting 100% compostable packaging, 12 Tides partners with regenerative ocean farmers to produce puffed Kelp chips that are good for you and great for the planet.
Kelp is a “zero input” crop, meaning it requires no fertilizers, pesticides, arable land, or fresh water to grow so it’s a tasty snack you can feel good about devouring.
12 Tides also donates 1% of all proceeds to help restore kelp forests in California. Try their Sea Salt, Chili, or Everything flavored kelp chips for a healthy, nutrient-rich and delicious snack on the go.
The founders of Maxine’s Heavenly set out to modify their mother Maxine’s famous recipe and re-create the most delicious cookie in the world using only good for you ingredients. The result is astounding! Tasty guilt-free bites of heaven Sweetened By Nature™.
Whether you prefer a soft-baked or crispy cookie, Maxine’s Heavenly delivers on all fronts. From traditional crispy Chocolate Chip to super-soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin or Snickerdoodle, every flavor will have you wondering how these can pack such healthy ingredients. The best part, not only are the cookies sweetened with unrefined sweeteners like date and coconut sugar, they are gluten, soy, egg and dairy-free so everyone can enjoy!
Lil Bucks founder Emily Griffith was served sprouted buckwheat as a grain free alternative to granola while traveling in Australia and fell instantly in love with the superfood. Since then she has been on a mission to share the wonders of buckwheat with the world. First came Lil Bucks - buckwheat toppings in flavors like matcha, cacao and cinnamon. Since then she’s added Clusterbucks and Everything SNZ-ing to the mix (think everything bagel deliciousness).
The nutritional benefits of sprouted buckwheat aren’t the only reason to try Lil Bucks (high fiber, gluten-free, a complete plant protein). The company also works exclusively with regenerative farmers for their buckwheat which helps improve U.S. farmlands with each harvest.
Kencko gumdrops are the perfect sweet treat to combat that midday slump. And the best part? They include one full serving of fruits and veggies in every pack. The unique flavor combos include Berrylicious, Bananarama, Passionista and Gingerella. They are 100% organic, gluten-free and vegan, with no added sugar and less than 100 calories per serving. We’ve always got a pack or two on hand - especially when traveling.
If you’d rather drink your snack, Kencko also has 15 nutrient-rich smoothie blends that help you get 2.5 servings of fruits and veggies in every serving. It’s never been easier to up your fruit and veggie intake.
When she couldn’t find delicious, healthy snacks that were also safe for her daughter’s severe food allergies, Denise Woodard quit her job and started making her own. Partake cookies are vegan and free from the top 8 allergens, including wheat (gluten). The Soft Baked Cookie Butter flavor is to die for but TBH, so are Birthday Cake and the classic Soft Baked Chocolate Chip.
As a Black female CEO and founder, Denise works to spread awareness about Black and female entrepreneurship. Partake also partners with the Food Equality Initiative which helps get food to food insecure families with food allergies.
Encouraging a mindful approach to snacking, Moku’s meat-free, plant-based jerky is made from mushrooms but you wouldn’t know it from the taste. With three varieties to choose from, Original, Hawaiian Teriyaki, and Sweet & Spicy, you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these tasty jerky bites.
While working to lessen their carbon footprint, Moku donates 1% from each purchase to the nonprofit of your choice.
Public Goods CEO Morgan Hirsch launched the company with the idea of collectively making a big impact through small choices. The brand offers an array of food and home goods all with ethical sourcing, minimal branding and low environmental impact.
The Public Goods membership option is offered at an accessible price point and for each new sign up, the company plants a tree.
The Veggie Chips and White Cheddar Popcorn really satisfy the craving for a salty crunchy snack and Chocolate Almonds have quickly become a favorite sweet treat. But, you really haven’t had a salad until you’ve had a salad with their Candied Pecans. Delish!
What if you could indulge your sweet tooth while getting a functional benefit as well? With Candy Can, you can! Whether you need a boost of energy or immunity or are looking for something to help you relax naturally at the end of a long day, there is a gummy pack for you.
Sleep, Focus and Immunity packs contain only 2 grams of sugar and 60 calories but are packed full of natural adaptogens, vitamins and amino acids. With fruity sour flavors and a nice gummy texture, these little bears deliver on all fronts.
For mornings when there is no time to make a healthy breakfast or your afternoon calls for a quick superfood snack, reach for a reHarvest Smoothie Pop.
Not only are these smoothie pops delicious and packed to the brim with nutrients, they are also reducing food waste by working with food manufacturers and farmers to get imperfect and surplus produce. Not sure which flavor to try? Super Greens, Tropical Bliss, Frosé All Day, Raspberry Lemonade and Very Berry all come in the multipack.
When it comes to sustainability, Sun + Swell prioritizes not only healthy snacks, but fair employment practices and philanthropy that funds regenerative farming and the removal of microplastics from our oceans. The snacks are packaged in completely compostable bags and the larger sizes are resealable, making them perfect for on-the-go snacking.
Sun + Swell’s Energy Bites Variety Packs are perfect for the whole family, free of additives and packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like organic dates, cashews, oats, cacao and cinnamon. Stash some away for yourself, or toss them in your kid’s lunchbox.
