Snack solutions raise nutritional value without compromising taste

THE RECENTLY announced suite of protein and calcium-rich snacking solutions for kids from Arla Foods Ingredients aims to replace chocolate bars and other popular children’s snacks with healthier alternatives.

The increased scrutiny over the role of snacks in children diets resulting from the rising concern over obesity rates is boosting demand for snacks that offer good nutrition besides good taste. Arla’s new product application solutions will enable manufacturers to create healthier yet tastier snacks for kids. The products represent a step up in nutritional content as benchmarked against existing kids’ snacks options.

Arla’s ‘dairy bar’ has 20 percent protein and per-serving calcium equivalent to one glass of milk. The delicious and easy-to-eat product is also low in calories. It contains one-third less energy than a typical chocolate bar. With more energy coming from protein, children will feel fuller longer than they would with confectionery, which uses energy from sugars.

The snacks suite also includes a yoghurt bar, healthier dessert, carbonized drinking yoghurt and snack cake with less than 100 calories per serving.

The snacking application solutions were part of Arla Foods Ingredients’ Goodness of Dairy campaign. The campaign highlights the important role dairy ingredients play in meeting the rising demand for food that not only offers great taste and texture but is also natural and healthy.

According to Kasia Lindegaard, customer marketing manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, most kids will choose fatty and sugary snacks for their taste values.

“The challenge for parents, therefore, is to buy and offer them healthier products they will still enjoy but which are better for them. For food manufacturers, this presents an excellent opportunity to meet a clear need in the market. Now, with these new dairy-based kids’ snacking solutions, there is an easy way to develop new products that will appeal to both parents and children,” stated Lindegaard.