These 7 Snacks Transform Imperfect Produce into a Tasty Treat
From healthy snack puffs to the top packaged snacks for diabetes, there are endless options in the snack aisle, making it hard to narrow down the choices. So the next time you find yourself craving a snack, try one of these options that not only tastes good, but also cuts down on food waste. (Food waste makes up 30%-40% of the U.S. food supply, according to the FDA.) A growing number of companies are turning imperfect produce and other foods that would otherwise go to waste into seriously tasty snacks. Here's what we're buying.
Pulp Pantry Pulp Chips: Sea Salt
140 cal, 0g added sugar, 5g fiber, 130mg sodium
These crunchy, salty veggie chips are made from vegetable pulp that juice companies would otherwise toss, as well as okara flour (a byproduct of making soymilk and tofu).
Buy it: Pulp Pantry, $16 for a pack of three
Eat the Change Mushroom Jerky: Hickory Smokehouse
60 cal, 6g added sugar, 1g fiber, 220mg sodium
This chef-founded company turns imperfect organic cremini and portobello mushrooms (normally composted instead of sent to stores) into umami-packed strips that deliver plenty of chew.
Buy it: Eat the Change, $20 for a pack of three
Real Food Bar: Cherry Cashew
190 cal, 7g added sugar, 11g fiber, 130mg sodium
These plant-based protein bars really satisfy—and with dried kale, sweet potato and cauliflower (that grocery stores wouldn't take due to imperfections) in the mix, you also get a bit of potassium and iron.
Buy it: Walmart, $22 for 12 bars
Seconds Carrot Crackers: Original Crunch
120 cal, 0g added sugar, 5g fiber, 330mg sodium
Seconds upcycles carrot pulp and peels that go to waste at juice and produce companies and combines them with tapioca flour, flax, chia and sunflower seeds to make a nice all-purpose gluten-free cracker.
Buy it: Seconds, $15 for two boxes
Upcycled Grain Project Up Bites: Fruit & Nut
197 cal, 0g added sugar, 7g fiber, 7mg sodium
Made from spent barley grains from breweries, these date-and-fig-sweetened chewy energy balls deliver almost an egg's worth of protein (5 g).
Buy it: Bubble Goods, $30 for a pack of 10
The Ugly Company: Ugly Kiwis
119 cal, 0g added sugar, 6g fiber, 3 mg sodium
Tart, imperfect kiwi makes a not-too-sweet, satisfyingly chewy dried fruit snack, with a wonderfully short single ingredient list: kiwis. That's it. There are no added sulfites or sugars.
Buy it: The Ugly Company, $5
reHarvest Provisions Smoothie Pops
25-35 cal, 0g added sugar, <1-2g fiber, 0-10 mg sodium
These refreshing smoothie pops repurpose produce like pineapple, peaches and zucchini that would be otherwise discarded for their imperfections. We enjoyed all of the flavors, but Tropical Bliss was our favorite.
This article originally appeared in EatingWell Magazine, November 2021.
