6 top picks for off-the-shelf snacks

3. Nordica Single-Serve Cottage Cheese with Real Fruit, Peach
Why we picked it:
This compact little snack cup has lots of chunks of peaches at the bottom. Low in fat and high in protein, this cottage cheese snack has received a Health Check symbol from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The peach snack contains 130 calories, two grams of fat, no trans fats and is a source of calcium. The cups are also available in Tropical Fruit and Strawberry.

4. Danone's Petit Danimals Drinkable Yogurt, Raspberry
Why we picked it: This nutrient-rich drink comes in a 93-millilitre, kid-friendly bottle that's easy to hold and to open. It contains 90 calories and only 1.5 grams of fat. It has three grams of protein and is a good source of bone-friendly calcium and vitamin D, providing 10 per cent of a child's daily requirement of both nutrients. It also contains vitamins B2 and B12, phosphorous and magnesium, not to mention real raspberry purée. Other delicious flavours include Banana, Strawberry and Strawberry-Banana. In our books, it's a great alternative to sugary empty-calorie soft drinks.

5. Jell-O Refrigerated Fat-Free Chocolate Vanilla Pudding Snack
Why we picked it: What kid doesn't like pudding? This one -- Chocolate Vanilla -- tastes rich even though it contains just 100 calories and 0.3 grams of fat and no trans fats. It also has some calcium and vitamin D.

6. PC Blue Menu Sour Cream and Onion Rice Chips
Why we picked it: For a tasty crispy snack, these chips can't be beat. They are baked, not fried, are trans fat–free, low in saturated fat, and are lower in both sodium and calories than regular potato chips. A serving of 33 chips (50 grams) has 210 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of fibre and 360 milligrams of sodium. Compare this with 50 grams (25 chips) of regular chips, which contains 290 calories, 16 grams of fat and 350 milligrams of sodium.