Flavoring Healthy Snacks For Kids
It’s no secret, the growing “millennial mindset” has consumers in large searching for bolder flavors. The shift is continuing in the snack industry, particularly when it comes to innovative products to expand options for the littlest eaters. The focus on healthy snacks for kids continues to emerge and with it the possibilities for flavorists to develop sized down innovative flavors.
The industry is seeing an increase in flavors where the ingredients have associated health benefits. More than ever before, consumers are seeking foods that support healthy body functioning. This gives flavorists room for innovation in snacks that proclaim richness of probiotics – such as yogurt. Although this market has been volatile with a decrease in consumption per capita as a result of the health and sustainability credentials of dairy in general. However, as yogurt brands have focused their efforts on removing artificial additives and preservatives, the category offers clean and nutritious options for little eaters. The use of flowers, spices and herbs in food has grown in recent years and is increasingly being seen in yogurt. Flavor combinations like rose and cranberry, green tea and mint, and elderflower are seen in new product launches.
As parents search for an alternative to sugar-laden gummy vitamins, functional nutritional takes a dive into kids snacks. Juices boosted with vitamins grab the attention of consumers looking for benefits in their snacking. Unusual fruit flavors like Japanese Yuzu, whose flavor profile is a cross between grapefruit and lime, can be recreated with Advanced Biotech’s natural Grapefruit Extract WONF and natural Lime Extract WONF.
High protein snacks are a natural part of functional nutrition for kids. Nut butters like almond and peanut are not completely going away despite many school’s nut-free environment. Whether flavorists are looking to create a roasted nutty flavor or fun flavors like maple or vanilla spiced, nut bars created with natural sweetners like honey and dates continue to be a great snack option for kids. The opportunity for flavorists to be innovative in flavor creation in this category continues to grow as snacks transition from empty calorie fun to meal replacements.