As someone who follows a kosher diet and strives for healthier snack options, I am always on the hunt to find the best kosher snacks foods that don’t compromise on taste and health. It can be quite surprising to discover the large amount of unhealthy kosher snack options available on the market. While kosher snacks are meant to adhere to specific Jewish dietary laws, they often fall short when it comes to nutritional value and hidden ingredients.
Being Mindful of Ingredients
Many popular kosher Israeli snacks like Bissili, Bamba, and Kitov include unhealthy additives, preservatives, and hidden ingredients like MSG and seed oils. These ingredients can have negative effects on our health, such as contributing to inflammation, digestive issues, and other health concerns. It’s disheartening to see that even snacks labeled as kosher can sometimes prioritize convenience and taste over our well-being.
So for me and my family, it’s important to be vigilant and seek out healthier alternatives. By being mindful of the ingredients and nutritional facts, we can make choices that align with our dietary restrictions or preferences and support our overall health goals.
Healthier Kosher Snack Alternatives
Fortunately, there are healthier kosher snack alternatives available that can satisfy our cravings without compromising on taste or nutritional value. These snacks are not only delicious but also offer better ingredients and nutritional profiles. By opting for these alternatives, we can enjoy guilt-free snacking while nourishing our bodies.
So if you’re looking for healthy kosher snack alternatives, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be sharing my favorite kosher snacks as well as non-kosher brands (that happen to be kosher!) that I buy for my family and that I always keep stocked in my kitchen.
Important to Be Aware and Read Labels
So before we dive in, let’s take a moment to emphasize the importance of reading labels and being aware of what we’re putting into our bodies. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to grab a packaged snack without giving much thought to its ingredients. However, many of these snacks, even those labeled as kosher, can be loaded with unhealthy additives, preservatives, and hidden ingredients.
When it comes to kosher snacks, reading labels becomes even more crucial. While kosher certification ensures that the food meets specific requirements, it doesn’t guarantee that the snack is necessarily healthy. Some kosher snacks may still contain excessive amounts of sodium, artificial flavors, or other additives that may not align with our personal health goals.
Kosher Certified Brands
While there are kosher snack brands I avoid due to their unhealthy ingredients, there are also plenty of healthier kosher brand options that I love. These brands prioritize quality ingredients and offer delicious snacks that are both kosher and nutritious. Some of my personal favorites are below.
Heaven & Earth
This brand has an amazing range of snacks to choose from. They have fruit leather strips, root veggie chips, and even a sweet treat like chocolate to cater to that sweet tooth and more. These snacks are all-natural, made with real fruits and vegetables. They also cater to those who are health conscious and looking for wholesome products.
Sea Castle Seaweed Snacks
I love this kosher seaweed snack that comes in a wide range of flavors like sea salt, Korean BBQ, and Roasted spicy seaweed.
Aufschnitt Beef Jerky
Aufschnitt products are amazing as they use all-natural ingredients, high-quality, premium grass fed beef and focus on artisanal, small-batch production. Their kosher meat also offers a variety of flavored jerky like Teriyaki, Spicy, BBQ, and original.
Non-Kosher brands That Meet Kosher Requirements
In addition to kosher snack brands, it’s worth mentioning that there are also healthier, non-kosher foods that happen to meet kosher requirements that my whole family enjoys. These brands and products may not have the official kosher certification but are still suitable for those following a kosher diet and can be found at your local grocery store:
Boulder Potato Chips
These crunchy snack chips not only meet the kosher requirements but also offer a delicious and healthier alternative to traditional potato chips. Boulder Potato Chips are made with non-GMO potatoes and use “better-for-you oils”, like olive oil or avocado oil. I love the avocado oil and sea salt flavor.
Skinny Pop
A great alternative to the traditional, butter-covered movie popcorn. Skinny Pop is kosher friendly, non-GMO and made with no artificial ingredients.
Trader Joe’s Marinated Artichokes On The Go and Olives
Another great salty snack option made with fresh ingredients.
GoGo Squeez Apple Sauce
A great nutritious snack option, I love this apple sauce because it’s made from pure apple with no sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Hippeas
These crunchy snacks are delicious, with different options like chips, puffs and straws. They come in flavors like White Cheddar, Nacho Vibes, Bohemian Barbecue, and Sriracha Sunshine in their puffs. Not only are they using sustainably sourced ingredients, but chickpeas have great health benefits as a great source of protein and fiber. Additionally, all Hippeas products are vegan for those who have a plant-based diet.
Kroger’s Simple Truth Organic Brand Products
Simple Truth has a great array of products and nutritious options including kosher beverages like almond milk, kosher pickles, dairy products like cow’s milk and Greek yogurt, and dry ingredients like kosher pasta. They also have a range of kosher baby food products. With Kroger owning the brand, it can easily be a one-stop-shop for all your kosher groceries.
Don’t For Whole Foods
And let’s not forget – many whole foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are naturally kosher and you can enjoy without any concerns!
By exploring both kosher snack brands and non-kosher-branded foods that meet kosher requirements, we can expand our options and enjoy a wider variety of delicious and healthy snack options. So I hope you can check out a few of these brands I love. I would also love to hear if there are other brands to try!