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With kids going back to school all over the St. Louis region, we know that many of them will come home and declare starvation. So you aren't caught without snacks at the ready, here are a few of our favorite Best Bites, perfect for after-school munchies.
* Note: These items were available at the time we wrote about them (2022 or late 2021). Check stores before making a special trip.
My teenage son opened one of these bars and exclaimed that they taste like a Rice Krispies treat, but better. He’s right, only I’d say way better. The bottom is like a very dense Rice Krispies treat but then on top you find pretzels, Chex Mix, rainbow sprinkles and a sweet confectionary coating. The bars are so full of flavor and so packed with goodies, it’s hard to believe they are only 140 calories.
Available • Schnucks and other grocers
If you look on the internet, you’ll find plenty of recipe for ranch-flavored Ritz crackers. Save yourself the trouble, and buy these Ritz Toasted Chips Ranch Crackers. Though the toasted nature of them makes them lighter and crisper than a Ritz cracker, the creamy ranch flavor combines savory onion and garlic paired with garden herbs.
Available • Walmart and other grocers
These gummy fruit snacks are just as good as Welch’s classic snacks, just with a little bit of juice, emphasis on “little.” Juicefuls is a bit of a misnomer — there’s no pocket of liquid in the snack, just a delicious jam. But it works. Mostly a fruit puree, the jam filling is more of a tasteful surprise than an overload of flowing sugary goop. Welch’s mixed fruit flavor is made with real fruit puree, and of course loaded with cane sugar. This is a sweet snack, but the sugar from the fruit and the corn syrup is delicious either way.
Low-carb diets are back in fashion, and with them have come a slew of new high-protein snacks. Out of Gallatin, Missouri, Apex Protein Snacks has made its fair share of these, including four varieties of “Meat Sticks.” Its newest flavor, Jalapeño & Cheese, combines beef and wild boar with subtle spice and tanginess. However its original Beef and Venison flavor benefits from simplicity. Packing 11 grams of protein, this snack is good for keto dieters or folks who want to take their meat on the go.
Whether they are in a giant bag or soft-served, you can’t go wrong with a pretzel. Especially with cheese dip. Mister Salty’s Hand-Snacks Pretzels ‘n Cheesy Dip mixes the best of both worlds, making individual-sized packs of pretzel sticks and cheese dip. It isn’t too salty, it’s quick, and it satisfies the in-between hunger of lunch and dinner. The box comes with six packages, so if one wasn’t enough, you can have another. And another.
Available • Target, Walmart and Schnucks
There is nothing super special about these pickles themselves. They taste like a good dill pickle chip. What is special is the packaging. They are fresh-packed in an easy-to-open pouch, so they stay super crunchy. And they are packed with no brine (though there is a touch of liquid at the bottom), so they are perfect for on-the-go snacking. Best of all: They are vegetables your kids will eat and at only 15 calories a pack, you may make them your go-to snack, too.
Available • Schnucks and other grocers
Cinnabon is one of the more divisive topics in fast food — some love it, others are disgusted by it. For those who love the gooey confections, sugary cinnamon treats have become a lot more portable and a lot less messy.
Kellogg’s Bakery Inspired Cinnabon Jumbo Snax have miniaturized the classic cinnamon roll into crunchy cereal pieces, packaged into convenient snack packs. These sweet swirls are great for a midday dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Available • Schnucks and other grocers
Are you constantly disappointed by jalapeño snacks that lack both spice and flavor? If so, you need look no further than the Pretzel Kravings Jalapeño Homestyle Pretzels. Each one of these pretzel twists packs a surprising amount of flavor; incredibly, they actually have the flavor of the pepper itself, unlike most other so-called jalapeño snacks. Once you open the bag, it is hard to stop yourself from finishing these addictive snacks.
Available • Grocery store snack aisles
Quick and easy, Nature Valley has a new snack to satisfy you between meals. This chocolate biscuit has peanut butter sandwiched in between the two delightful squares, making the snack a blend of salty and savory. The bar is a healthy alternative to your mid-day candy bar and is sure to satisfy the craving.
Size • 1.35 ounces, five snacks per box
Available • Target, Walmart and Schnucks.
Created by chef Ming Tsai of Food Network fame, MingsBings are tasty burrito-like wraps filled with goodies. And all are vegan. Every variety we tried (buffalo cauliflower, sausage and peppers and veggie-filled patty) was full of flavor. The veggies are wrapped in a delicious tortilla-like pocket and come pre-oiled, so all you do is cook and eat. Try them in the air fryer, oven or in a pan. The box doesn’t give directions for microwaving them, but I did it, and they tasted amazing.
Size • Each box contains two and is 8.8 ounces
Price • $74.99 for the variety pack shown here (two boxes each of three flavors)
Available • Order online at mingbings.com or on amazon.com
We love pistachios. Everyone loves pistachios, more or less. But sometimes shelled pistachios can taste a little dull, a bit flat. What they need is salt, and plenty of it. The folks at Wonderful Pistachios have satisfyingly addressed this problem by giving their nuts a bright, sour-salty boost from a dash of vinegar and sea salt. And shelled pistachios will never be dull again.
Available • Schnucks and other grocery stores
If you’re making muffins or cookies or need the perfect topping for your parfait, Bear Naked’s Honey Almond granola is a great selection. This blend of whole grain oats, almonds and honey makes a crunchy and sweet combination that will suit an array of recipes. Adding a serving of this granola blend to your meal will also integrate 11 grams of protein to your day.
Available • Schnucks and other grocers
Pop-Tarts are essentially flat pies with filling. So it makes perfect sense to create an apple fritter version of them. Apple flavors with hints of cinnamon and molasses fill the inside of the pastry layer. White frosting is drizzled over the top — not too little, not too much. They are great straight out of the packaging but warming them (in the oven or the toaster) takes them to a whole new level.
Available • Target and other grocers
If you like Kit Kats but have an issue with gluten, these Glutino wafers are for you. They taste remarkably similar to the popular candy bar, perhaps with more air to them, but are made with potato starch instead of wheat flour. The chocolate that surrounds them is delicious, and at 160 calories for four bars, they come in a little healthier than the 210-calorie Kit Kat.
Available • Walmart, Dierberg’s and other grocers
Protein bars are often tasteless, chalky “treats” you choke down because you know you need more protein in your diet. I’ve never been a fan, until my son found these Think! bars with 20 grams of protein. The flavor we like best, Creamy Peanut Butter, is a delicious mix of peanut butter covered with chocolate. There is no added sugar, but they are just the right amount of sweet without being chalky or having that strange aftertaste you find in many protein bars. For him, they are a great after-workout snack. For his middle-aged mom, they work great as a meal replacement.
Available • Walmart, Target and other retailers
These are so good, I need to banish them from my house. Bites of cookie dough in an easy-to-access zip-close pouch that stays in the freezer means it’s all-too-tempting to grab a few bites here and there. And these aren’t just any chunks, they are based on Ben & Jerry’s popular Tonight Dough, a mixture of chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolatey coated peanut butter cookie dough chunks.
Available • Dierberg’s, other grocers
For me, Cheez-Its are one of those snacks I can take or leave. But when I do have them, I really can’t stop eating them. They are addictive. These new-ish baked Grooves offer a bold hit of cheese and crunchy ridges to help trap in all the goodness — but not the mess; your hands will still be covered in cheese dust afterward.
Available • Dierberg’s, other grocers
I’ve never had a Kinder Bueno bar, but I hear they are quite popular. When the sample folks at Walmart gave me a little pack of these mini versions, I was excited to give them a try. Now I see why they are so popular. Light and crispy hazelnut wafers are covered by milk and dark chocolate but inside there’s a surprise: a creamy caramel center. They taste a lot like a Ferrero Rocher, but perhaps more decadent.
Available • Walmart and other grocery stores
Amy Bertrand is the Features editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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