I've been a member of Thrive Market for the past couple of years and have always loved the way it curates food products that are sustainable, healthy, and tasty. If you're not familiar with the website, members pay a yearly fee ($60) that gives them access to purchase products at relatively low prices, sort of like an online-only, healthy Costco. And for every membership created, Thrive gives one to a family in need, which I love.
I don't currently live very close to a natural food place like Whole Foods, so Thrive's nonperishable options like pasta, sauces, and of course, snacks help me fill in the gaps after I grocery shop in store. But my favorite thing about Thrive? Their awesome snack collection full of hundreds of tasty goods that often cater to dietary restrictions. Everything on this list tastes great, and a lot of them are surprisingly free of gluten, keto-friendly, or plant-based.
I love eating pickles, but it's hard to take them as an on-the-go snack. Here, the popular pickle brand Rick's Picks offers little snack-size pickles in travel-size, single-serve packaging. The pickles taste sour, with a nice salty and acidic bite, and I gobble these up whenever I have them on hand. I've even thought about pouring some of the leftover brine into a cocktail. And they're low calorie, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher.
I'm a huge fan of Swedish Fish, but I'm trying to kick added sugar, as it can contribute to all kinds of health problems, from acne to anxiety. When I saw that a serving of SmartSweets Sweet Fish contains only 3 grams of sugar, I was immediately skeptical. How could they pull off a treat that tastes like candy with only 3 grams of sugar? It does contain stevia, but since they include a good amount of fruit flavoring, the candy doesn't have that aftertaste common with sugar substitutes. The flavor reminds me of a more natural-tasting Swedish Fish. And these vegan sweets are free of gluten, cholesterol, added colors, and GMOs.
If you're nostalgic for Oreos but don't love that they contain a bunch of ingredients you can't pronounce, you'll love Newman O's. Did you know that Oreos, a cookie that is supposed to be chocolate-flavored, contains so little dairy that they're actually vegan? The Newman O's taste more like actual chocolate and vanilla than Oreos but still feel like an indulgent treat. Plus they're kosher, organic, and dairy-free, and their proceeds go to charity.
I love these because they give you the crunch of a chip and the health factor of eating an apple. I've read that it's relatively easy to dehydrate apples and make them into chips — you can literally just stick a tray into your oven. But when I don't have time to do that (which is often), I go for these organic snacks that are organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO. Plus, you get both Fuji and red apples in every pack.
I always loved Pirate's Booty when I was a kid and these taste just like them, but with a way more amped-up flavor. There's a salty tang to these, probably because buttermilk is one of the ingredients in this gluten-free, non-GMO snack.
These fruit bars are sweet without being cloying, and they only contain apples and cherries — absolutely no other ingredients added. I love to grab one of these bars for breakfast when I want to start off my day with fiber, vitamin C, and a little natural sugar. They're small enough to feel like a snack, but substantial enough to stave off my hunger pangs at the beginning of the day. They come in other delicious flavors as well, including Apple and Coconut, Apple and Strawberry, Apple and Mango, and Apple and Blueberry.
I've eaten many a potato chip in my day, but I've never seen potato chips fried in coconut oil. I was worried there'd be too much of a coconut taste, you know, like I'd be eating sunscreen. But I was surprised to find that they tasted pleasant. Coconut oil is known to have "good fats" aka unsaturated fats that help you be heart-healthy. I love that these chips only have three ingredients: potatoes, salt, and coconut oil. Plus, they're made from non-GMO, locally sourced ingredients and are kosher.
Chickpeas are incredibly high in protein and fiber, so having that added to a puffed snack feels a lot healthier than eating corn puffs. These vegan, gluten-free puffs also keep me feeling full longer than if I were eating potato chips — must be all the fiber! The sriracha flavor gives a nice amount of heat to these. I also love the other vegan(!) flavors, which include White Cheddar, Barbecue, and Nacho Vibes.
If I had to describe Zellee's Fruit Jel in three words it would be "Jell-O, but healthy." These tasty snacks come in those individual containers you usually used for baby food or applesauce, so they're convenient to take on the go. They taste like real fruit, and since they get their jelly-ness from konjac root, there's no gelatin and therefore no bovine hooves harmed in the making of this product. They're vegan, gluten-free, and organic.
I never really considered dragon fruit as a snack or smoothie addition until I tried Starbucks' Mango Dragonfruit Refresher. I loved that the dried dragon fruit pieces were sweet with a little tang, and of course, they turned my drink pink. I bought these fruit chips looking for a similar experience, and I've found it's a fun fruit to snack on when I'm looking to mix things up. They have a good amount of fiber and vitamin C, and since they only contain one ingredient, they are a great snack addition for those who are looking for something paleo, gluten-free, or vegan.
