Back-to-school snacks and treats review roundup

Much as it pains me to say it, the summer holidays are drawing to a close so it's time to start stocking up the fridge and kitchen cupboards with lunchbox friendly foodie treats, as well as snacks and drinks that the Madhouse teens can wolf down as soon as they get in through the door, predictably ravenous on a daily basis ! It's all too easy to grab a bag of crisps or a packet of biscuits, but these Taste Inc. 100% Chargrilled Chicken Fillets turned out to be very popular too, so I'll have to stock up on some more as a healthier option.

Each single serve pack contains a 35g mini inner breast chicken fillet that contains just 45 calories and is completely natural, high in protein and low in fat, salt and carbs. They can be enjoyed straight from the pack so they're perfect for packed lunches, but they can also be chopped up and used in sandwiches, salads or snack pots. They are available in both Original and Spicy and come in a handy 5-pack, perfect for a week of school lunches. They can be kept in the fridge or frozen and defrosted if you want to plan ahead (and prevent your hungry teens from pigging the lot when they're kept in the fridge !). RRP £2.99 for 5 x 35g. For more information : www.tasteinc.com

Younger children will love Cawston Press's new addition to its Kids Blend range: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Cloudy Apple juice. Featuring ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ on its pack, the juice comprises 50% Cawston Press apple juice and 50% water, making it a natural, light and refreshing drink.  

Showing off his brand new tiger onesie, Pierre gave it a big thumbs up (or should that be paws up?!) so he looks like a literary mash-up of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiger Who Came To Tea ! The new drink comes in a pack of three and is priced in line with the current Kids Blend range, which includes Apple & Pear, Apple & Mango, and Apple & Summer Berries at £1.89.

Staying on the fruity theme,  premium potted fruit brand Nature’s Finest has just launched Grapefruit in Juice – ideal as a breakfast topping, or to snack on at your desk. Bursting full of naturally sweet segments, the white grapefruit is packed only in juice and contains no added sugar. It's not as tart or bitter as I expected and even the kids love it. Grapefruit is a fantastic source of vitamin C and is designed to strengthen the immune system and boost metabolism, so Nature’s Finest Grapefruit is a welcome addition for those looking to increase their daily dose of vitamins. Maybe it will help me and the Madhouse kids fight off the inevitable back-to-school coughs and colds this year. The new Nature’s Finest 390g Grapefruit in juice is available now in Waitrose with an RRP of £1.67.

We've also been trying out Juice Burst Apple and Orange, two of the flavours from their wide range of ambient 100% pasteurised fruit juices which comprises fourteen delicious flavours, including three Skinny flavours and seven school approved flavours. Every bottle counts as 1 of your 5 a day and has no added sugar, artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners. You get a natural fruity taste coming through that is really refreshing and thirst-quenching. Each 330ml bottle contains 145 calories. 

If you want to keep some guilt-free snacks in your desk at work or add some portion control to your kids' after-school snacks, new Bahlsen PickUp! Minis are ideal. Each small 10.6g biscuit contains just 55 calories and with ten in a pack, that's the perfect quantity for a week of lunch boxes. They are available in both Milk Chocolate and Choco and Milk varieties, which are both delicious.

The bigger, regular sized bars are also available, if you want a more substantial snack. If you're planning a final farewell-to-the-summer barbecue while the weather is still nice, you might like to try out Tom Cenci’s Peanut Butter And Choco Leibniz S’mores recipe, which looks fabulous.

If you need a quick midweek meal in a hurry, or if your teens and tweens are trying out cooking their own lunch this year, you can't get simpler than spaghetti on toast or, a Madhouse kids fave, hot dog sausages with spaghetti hoops. Heinz No Added Sugar Hoops, naturally sweetened with stevia plant extracts, have just landed on supermarket shelves. They have the same great taste and even count as one of your five a day.

Some days, it just has to be chocolate though. Whatever teenage trauma your offspring are going through - the class heart throb getting a new girlfriend, a huge zit erupting on the day of the class photo or a bad mark - a few squares of smooth and creamy Dairy Milk should help to put a spring back in their step. (And you get the added bonus of being able to eat a few squares to commiserate !)

After a limited edition summer rerun last year (it was initially on UK shelves over a decade ago), Cadbury Dairy Milk have brought back a classic favourite, Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin - and this time it's permanent. In stores from August 2017, the new generously sized 200g bar (previously 95g) combines the delicious tastes and textures of crunchy biscuit and dried grapes smothered in Cadbury Dairy Milk for the whole family to enjoy. It's available in 200g bars, for a RRP of £2.49 at all major supermarkets.

Do your kids always come home from school totally famished too? If so, what are your favourite after-school snacks?

Disclosure : We received the products in order to write an honest review.