If you live near a Trader Joe’s, you know it's stocked with delicious and nutritious foods that you’re unlikely to find in other grocery stores. After all, the grocery chain goes to great lengths to supply its customers with interesting flavors at a price that's easy on the wallet—and there's no shortage of snack options either. This is great news for the adults in your family, but do these foods also meet the nutritional needs of your littlest snackers?

While there are certainly plenty of nutritious choices at Trader Joe’s, there also are some foods that just aren’t up to par for growing kids. So, we talked to three registered dietitians to find out which snacks make the cut. Here are their top 17 picks, plus tips on choosing snacks for your kids.

If you are looking for a savory swap for potato chips, look no further than organic roasted seaweed, says Mia Syn, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and on-air food and nutrition expert. Not only is it low in calories and fat, but it tastes great too. It also includes iodine, which is a key mineral for thyroid health.

“[These snacks are] one of my girls' (ages 4, 6, and 8) absolute favorite,” says Trista Best MPH, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian, adjunct nutrition professor, and consultant for Balance One Supplements. “And when they have the teriyaki ones in stock, it’s a major win! They love it because it’s salty, crunchy, and fun to eat."

Best adds that the dietitian in her loves that seaweed is packed with essential nutrients that play a key role in cognitive development. “It’s a great source of B12, omega-3s, and fiber—nutrients that are especially important for growing bodies,” she says.

Another bonus: the organic roasted seaweed is packaged in portable, individually packed sheets, Syn says. "As a busy mom, I love that it’s an easy snack that I can toss in lunchboxes or grab on the go," she explains.

Syn loves these bite-sized mozzarella balls, because they're perfect for on-the-go snacking and provide 5 grams of protein and calcium per serving. 

“They’re also pre-portioned and easy to toss into lunchboxes for a satisfying dairy option,” she says.

If you’re looking for a soft-baked snack bar, Best likes the ABC Bar or almond butter cocoa bar. Not only can these bars help fuel active kids during play, but they’re sized for little hands.

“These soft, chocolatey bars contain almond butter for healthy fats and 4 grams of protein,” says Best. “They’re a great alternative to overly processed, sugary granola bars.”

For a tasty sweet treat your kids can eat straight from the bag, look no further than crispy dried watermelon, says Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and picky eating expert based in Franklin, Tennessee, and author of STEAM-Powered Food Adventures: 101+ Child-Led Explorations for Curious Kids. She says her entire family cannot get enough of them.

“It’s a serious win for busy afternoons—finally, a shelf-stable fruit option with no added sugar that I can toss in our snack bag without worrying about it turning into a moldy science experiment,” she says. “And the best part is it tastes way better than any fruit snack, with all the benefits of real fruit—minus the sticky fingers!”

Lebovitz says apricot mango greek yogurt is another one of her favorite go-to options for snacks. “It’s delicious, portable, and packed with the nutrition growing kids need.”

The yogurt is made with whole milk, providing kids with essential nutrients like calcium and vitamins A and D, which can be lost when fat is removed from dairy, explains Lebovitz. The fat content supports brain development and keeps kids full longer (a.k.a. fewer post-snack meltdowns). 

“Each cup also has 5 grams of protein, plus live and active cultures to support gut health and digestion,” says Lebovitz. “Because a happy gut means a happy kid.”

Crispy and naturally sweet, these freeze-dried strawberries are made with just one ingredient—strawberries. They’re also shelf-stable, mess-free, and a fun way to encourage more fruit in your child’s diet, says Syn.

“Packed with vitamin C and fiber, these strawberries make a great lightweight, mess-free snack for on-the-go,” adds Best.

These chewy, unsweetened mango slices are made with no added sugar or preservatives—just dried mango, says Syn. “They’re also rich in fiber and make a naturally sweet, shelf-stable treat that tastes like candy.”

Trader Joe's apple sauce crushers come in portable pouches that contain only fruit, making them a mess-free, fiber-rich snack, says Best. “They’re also great for lunchboxes and provide natural sweetness without added sugars,” she says.

These peanut butter-flavored puffs have a fun, crunchy texture and contain 5 grams of protein per serving, says Best. They’re also made with minimal ingredients, making them a simple, nutritious option for kids, she says. Plus, this snack was used to shape the early introduction of peanuts for allergy prone kiddos, adds Lebovitz.

These grab-and-go yogurt tubes provide protein and probiotics for gut health, says Best. “They also can be frozen for a cool treat or packed fresh for a creamy, satisfying snack,” she says. They have even become a viral trend on TikTok!

Made from 100% cheese, these cheese bites offer a crispy texture with a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving, says Best. They’re also a shelf-stable way to get calcium and protein without artificial additives—and they’re gluten free.

This combo of hummus and pita chips delivers fiber and protein from chickpeas with a satisfying crunch, says Best. It’s also a more balanced option than chips, and it keeps kids full longer, she says.

Syn says this air-popped popcorn is considered a fiber-rich whole grain. It's also made with olive oil—which is a source of healthy fats.

These high-protein, no-added-sugar turkey sticks are a good option for kids who enjoy savory flavors. Because of their high protein content, they help keep hunger at bay—which is especially useful between meals on busy school days or before after-school activities, says Syn.

This mild-tasting veggie is great raw, roasted, or even sliced into sticks for dipping, says Syn. It’s also a fun way to introduce more vegetables into snack time.

Mini cucumbers are crunchy, hydrating, and fun for little hands to hold and dip, says Syn. Pair with hummus for a refreshing snack that supports hydration and fiber intake, she says.

Peanut butter is a good source of plant protein and healthy fats, says Syn. It’s also a smart pairing food, helping to encourage the consumption of other nutrient-dense options like whole grain crackers, sliced apples, and celery sticks.

When picking a snack, Lebovitz suggests looking for protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep kids full and feeling their best, especially if it will be over one hour until their next meal. Protein keeps kids full and supports growth, while fiber helps digestion and keeps energy steady, she says. Meanwhile, healthy fats support brain development.

“My goal is to offer snacks that don’t just fill kids up for a few minutes—they actually keep them going until their next meal,” she says. “I also like to prioritize snack options with no added sugar—but be sure to read the ingredient label because that can often be sneaky and misleading especially when it comes to popular fruit cups. 

She says “‘no added sugar” sometimes means sweetened with stevia, monk fruit, or artificial sweeteners. And, when it comes to fruit cups, she suggests looking for those packed in 100% fruit juice.

“Full disclosure,” she says. “My kids eat a variety of snacks and some are less than nutrient dense, but the nutritional status of our kiddos is not based on a single snack, single day, or even single meal.” 

Overall, parents should prioritize nutritional snacks when possible, but also let kids explore different foods, too. Having a fun snack every once in a while will not hurt, but creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime is a goal worth pursuing.