10 Healthy Snacks from Your Local Fusion

Low on healthy supermarket snacks for you and the family? We’ve got you sorted, mamas!

Although we have good intentions to provide healthy snacks for the family, it’s easy to stroll down the confectionary aisle for some grab-and-go options, especially when we’re flat out. There’s no need to resort to junk food though, with these 10 convenient, nutritionist-approved snacks that you can grab from Fusion today!

1. Fage Yoghurt

While most yoghurts aren’t high in protein, thick-strained Greek Fage (pronounced “fa-yay’”) is an exception; a 200g container of plain Fage Total has a whopping 18g of protein! There is also a plain 0% fat variety, but I like the original Fage for filling fats and extra creaminess. And with no thickeners, preservatives, or milk powders, this brand is the real deal.

Skip the high-sugar fruit syrup and honey varieties so you can control the amount of sweetness; I like to add a pinch of cinnamon and/or a teaspoon of almond butter to my Fage. For the kids, try adding a little mashed banana and/or a teaspoon of honey for a calcium-rich snack.

2. Bananas

A no-brainer, I know, but bananas are really nature’s very own packaged snack that you can’t go wrong with, providing an instant energy hit to keep you and your little one going. Rich in potassium, it’s also an easy pre-workout snack for on-the-go mamas.

3. Raw Nuts

One for mamas and papas: a handful or two of your favourite raw nuts will give you some good fats, a little protein and fibre, all of which will help stabilise your blood sugar and tide you over until lunch or dinner. If you’ve overdone the raw almonds, try creamy, slightly sweet cashews or macadamias, or omega-3 rich walnuts for healthy skin and hair.

4. Lindt 85% Dark Chocolate

If the sweet-toothed-monster in you has kicked in, it’s probably not the best idea to buy a family sized block of milk chocolate. Buy a 35g portion-controlled mini bar of Lindt 85% Dark Chocolate just for YOU instead; the high cocoa percentage means more anti-ageing antioxidants and minimal sugar, with an intense bittersweet flavour that really satisfies… a chocolate treat you can feel good about.

5. Asian Pear

AKA ‘Nashi Pear’, this is the one kind of pear that won’t get squashed in your handbag or gym bag, or your little one’s lunch box. If you haven’t tried an Asian pear before, texture and taste-wise it’s like a cross between an apple and a pear. Crisp, juicy and refreshing, its high water content can help you rehydrate in the Hong Kong heat, too.

6. Carman’s Nut Free Muesli Bites

The perfect lunchbox snack for kids with nut allergies, you’ll find these Aussie muesli bites at several Fusion branches, in flavours like fruit or apricot. Energising, fibre-rich wholegrain oats are the main ingredient, so one of these makes a healthier substitute for a biscuit with your cup of tea, too.

Despite a little added sugar (from honey and glucose), these are still one of the better muesli bar options on the market, with one bite having less than a teaspoon of sugar. I love the addition of seeds for some crunch factor, and the cinnamon and vanilla, for spice and sweetness, sans the extra sugar.

7. Emma & Tom’s Life Bars

These all natural Australian dried fruit and nut bars are starting to pop up at Fusion, and make the perfect portable snack to keep in your handbag… so you don’t end up grabbing a brownie with your coffee. And in flavours like Banana & Chia and Cacao & Coffee Bean, kids and mamas alike love these.

If your little one’s school has a nut-free policy (and provided they don’t have a nut allergy) – an Emma & Tom’s bar makes an easy after-school snack before they rush off to their extra-curricular activities.

8. Meko Coconut Water

Made from authentic, 100% young coconut water from Thailand, Meko doesn’t taste sickly sweet like other bottled coconut waters tend to, and that’s because it doesn’t sneak in any extra unnecessary sugar. A much more nutritious option to cool down with than stick-to-your-teeth soft drink or juice, plus kids love it. Rich in electrolytes too, you may want to scull this post-workout, mamas!

9. Rice Cakes or Corn Thins

Although straight-up rice cakes and corn thins have a high GI (making your blood sugar and energy levels soar and then drop), when paired with some fat or protein, a couple of these can make a healthy at-home snack for mamas and kids. Some topping ideas:

• A couple slices cheddar cheese and tomato… Cheddar and smashed or sliced avo is another good combo!
• Natural peanut or almond butter with sliced strawberries or banana
• Cottage cheese and cinnamon, with a drizzle of honey if you’d like a little extra sweetness

10. Jax Coconut Water with Chocolate

You read that right, mamas! Electrolyte-rich coconut water and cocoa powder join forces here for the ultimate pick-me-up. There’s nothing else in this but coconut cream and coconut sugar (an unrefined, more nutritious sweetener), the flavour reminding me of chocolate milk. A healthier sweet treat if you or your child are lactose intolerant or on a dairy free diet… yay!

Read more: 5 Healthy Snacks from 7-Eleven