![17 new products that made Expo East all about the kids 17 new products that made Expo East all about the kids](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltfe14eaf83ae28268/64ff17c5bd53bff1c4820664/kids-snacks.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Red Pepper Hummus Kids of all ages will love these new, squeezable pouches of creamy, savory hummus in three flavors: plain, red pepper and beet. Each pouch boasts 7–8 grams of protein. Ithaca touts these squeeze pouches as lunchbox friendly because they are sesame free and contain simple ingredients. In addition, the pouches are Non-GMO Project Verified and a great way for kids to consume protein and fiber.
Brain Bars Chocolate Chip The bar aisle has become oversaturated with high protein bars that are high in calories and too much for kids’ smaller stomachs. Similarly, many Keto bars include sugar alcohols that also are unsuitable for growing tummies. Brainiac took notice and developed its Brain Bars to be functional snacks that the whole family can enjoy. Made from important brain-boosting and healthy-vision ingredients such as omega-3s, choline and lutein, this clean snack was created by nutritionists and neurologists. The bars also include prebiotics for a healthy gut. What’s more, Brainiac uses oats grown with 48% fewer carbon emissions than regular oats and pea crisps/syrups that are regeneratively grown.
Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins This perfect on-the-go snack is made from a seed-and-nut flour blend that includes watermelon seed. Simple Mills intentionally chose a cookie recipe that uses watermelon seed to create demand for more diverse crops. Watermelon seed helps to create a light crispy texture while packing a nutrient-dense punch of protein, good fats and micronutrients.
Chickpea-Breaded Chicken Nuggets A staple for most kids growing up in American households, chicken nuggets are beloved for their taste and easy preparation. Cooks Venture has gone above the conventional and created a delicious chicken nugget that is better for the planet. These 100% breast meat nuggets are made from pasture-raised, heirloom chicken and coated in chickpea flour. Cooks Venture is a vertically integrated pedigree breeding company that uses regenerative agriculture. The brand’s chickens are raised eating a more diverse mix of grains than most, which creates a more robust, healthier bird than conventional chicken brands offer.
Kids Gummies Calm & Chill Mood was a big topic on the supplement floor at Expo East, and Herbaland is making sure kids get in on the trend, too. Herbaland’s sugar-free, vegan gummy supplements come in lovely, re-designed, 100% compostable packaging. A calming blend of magnesium and chamomile help relieve restlessness and nervousness in little ones. In addition to Calm & Chill gummies, Herbaland supports a variety of children’s health conditions with multivitamins, omega-3 supplements, probiotics and adorable immunity bears.
Organic Cosmic Carrot Chews Orange Mango Moonbeam This new chewy kids’ snack from Eat the Change is sweetened only with fruit juice and contains one serving of carrots per pouch. Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A and children will love the veggie snack’s texture. Keeping sustainability in mind, the brand uses carrots because they require less water than other crops. The brand always uses the whole carrot to ensure no food is wasted.
Healthy Vision SoftMelt Gummies Compared with previous generations, kids today spend more time in front of screens, which can affect their eyesight. Healthy Vision SoftMelt Gummies contain concentrated levels of wild-grown bilberry extract, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin A to provide beneficial eye support. ChildLife is also introducing a new delivery format for kids’ supplements. The SoftMelts are easier to swallow and allow enhanced absorption, which helps ensure the long-term stability of nutrients.
KidsLife Roasted Pineapple Teriyaki PuraVida’s new line of kid-oriented meals is coming soon to the freezer aisle. Kids will love this chicken-and-rice meal, loaded with veggies and covered in a sweet, tangy sauce. PuraVida aims to create nutritious and delicious food while keeping whole ingredients pure and clean. These new products from PuraVida, which believes healthy food is the foundation for a healthy life, will make dinner and lunchtime convenient for the whole family. PuraVida’s new offerings for kids will also include white cheddar mac, fusilli tomato cream, the classic mac, super green burrito bowl and meatball marinara.
Kid's Bamboo Compostable Coconut Oil Adhesive Bandages Patch has taken its eco-friendly bandages and made them fun for anyone at any age. Our editors loved the panda pattern, as the bandages are made from bamboo. Other adorable designs—including a pink unicorn, elephants and lions—are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. Made from 100% bamboo fiber, these bandages are both biodegradable and compostable. Coconut oil helps aid the natural healing process.
Groovies Shroomtastic Fresh Bellies makes snacks for the whole family, from toddlers to adults. Groovies are a fun, vegetable-forward snack that introduces kids to new flavors. New Hope’s editors saw many mushroom snacks at Expo East, and this Shroomtastic flavor seasoned with sage, onion and garlic is a great way to get kids on board. These new veggie snacks also use sorghum, an ancient grain and drought-resistant crop. Sorghum is incredibly sustainable, minimally processed and an excellent source of protein high in antioxidants and vitamins.
Sweet Nothings Kids Squeezable Smoothie Strawberry with Beets New from Sweet Nothings is a kids’ line of ready-to-eat, squeezable smoothies made from organic fruits, nuts, veggies and seeds. Perfect for the lunchbox, these squeezables make it easy for kids to enjoy eating their daily fruits and veggies. The Strawberry with Beets flavor stood out for its fun color and for introducing kids to more veggies.
Sunflower Seed Butter Graham Cracker Sandwiches These certified organic and gluten-free sandwiches are a great allergen-free alternative to traditional sandwich cracker snacks. The easy, on-the-go snack is made of a blend of organic sorghum flour, oat flour and cassava flour and is hand-crafted in small batches. Once Again also uses sustainably sourced sunflower seed butter. In addition, Once Again’s Honest in Trade program promotes ethical sourcing of ingredients and ensures traceability.
Watermelon Blackberry Pouch Known for creating nutrient-enhanced waters rich in vitamin D, Shine Water now offers its beverages in a child-friendly pouch. Each pouch has no added sugar and is loaded with vitamins. Shine Water wants to help make it easy for children to not be vitamin D deficient or lack proper hydration. This pouch looks just like the juice pouches kids already are used to, but it offers so much more. Watermelon was a hot ingredient at Expo East, making this watermelon blackberry flavor particularly exciting.
Super-Child Cookies ChildLife is showing a lot of innovation this year with its kid’s health products. These cookies are a great superfood snack for kids, packed with Vitamin C, olive, elderberry, acerola and blueberry and are free of the top nine allergens. The number of children with allergies has drastically risen in the last 50 years, so ChildLife ensures these cookies are made in an allergy-free facility.
BrainJuice for Kids Dragon Berry According to our Next Data and Insights Team’s latest Trends & Innovations Report, brain health is the No. 1 trend consumers want to see more of on the shelf in the next year. This line is BrainJuice’s first product geared toward kids. The brand creates juice shots and powders loaded with antioxidants, superfoods and vitamins. BrainJuice also is moving all of the product’s packaging from plastic to aluminum bottles, a sustainability win.
Squeezable Instant Pancake Mix Whole Wheat Happy Grub is making breakfast time fun and creative. Just add water to this shelf stable mix, shake it in the bottle and squeeze. Cooking up pancakes in fun shapes or letters is easy with this squeeze bottle. Happy Grub uses only high-quality natural and organic ingredients that create fluffy pancakes and waffles. New Hope editors loved how this creates a fun way to get kids involved in making their food, and while the brand currently uses 100% recyclable PET bottles, it would be great to see reusable and refill options in the future to keep the fun going.
Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam There was a lot of buzz on the show floor around these nostalgic lunchtime treats. The cloud-shaped sandwiches resemble an Uncrustable, but have no added sugar and tons of protein. The snack brought many who stopped by Chubby Snacks’ booth a lot of feel-good joy. These "superfood PB&Js" are available with sunflower seed or almond butter with different jam varieties. In addition, Chubby adds chia seeds to its jams and uses whole wheat bread to increase the fiber intake. New Hope editors saw great potential for this easy-to-pack lunch snack; they hope the company makes sustainable moves in its packaging and tackling food waste.
Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam There was a lot of buzz on the show floor around these nostalgic lunchtime treats. The cloud-shaped sandwiches resemble an Uncrustable, but have no added sugar and tons of protein. The snack brought many who stopped by Chubby Snacks’ booth a lot of feel-good joy. These "superfood PB&Js" are available with sunflower seed or almond butter with different jam varieties. In addition, Chubby adds chia seeds to its jams and uses whole wheat bread to increase the fiber intake. New Hope editors saw great potential for this easy-to-pack lunch snack; they hope the company makes sustainable moves in its packaging and tackling food waste.
As kids return to school in person, parents and caretakers are paying more attention to kids’ health, immunity and overall well-being. While the natural products industry has always been good about supporting infants and babies, there’s been a gap in food, beverages and even supplements for the children and teens whose weekdays are filled with learning, playing and practicing.
Getting picky eaters on board on board with consuming natural foods can be difficult, especially when they are facing some of the more robust flavors we typically see in CPGs. However, as kids return to school and do more in-person activities, they are the perfect audience for quick grab-and-go snacks with a strong need for health and nutrition. Adults may have the purchasing power but they are not the only consumers natural brands are targeting.
At this year’s Natural Products Expo East, many brands demonstrated expanded product lines to nourish children. Parents will be pleased to see these options accessible to their not-so-little but not-quite-grown young ones. According to data in Nutrition Business Journal’s Condition-Specific Report, children’s health was the fastest-growing condition category in 2021 for supplements, with an 18.5% increase over 2021. Such growth shows that consumers are paying significant attention to—and paying for—their children’s daily wellness.
Click through this gallery to see what products the New Hope Network editors spotted at Natural Products Expo East for the younger set.
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