Kiran Dodeja Smith

By blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page! I’ve been seeing commercials recently for Sargento Balanced Breaks, and it got me thinking. First off, I think this is a fairly good alternative for on-the-go snacking. Cheese, nuts, and dried fruit mean you’re getting a decent dose of dairy and protein (8 grams total) which is great for fueling on the go. And yes, I realize that sometimes life gets in the way – hello kids activities, travel, or the never-ending to-do list, I gotcha. Sometimes purchasing a packaged product is the only option, and it’s great to have some decent alternatives. But with a little planning ahead, it’s simple to make your own snack packs. It’s quick and easy, but how do the prices compare? I break that down for you too. What’s in the Product Let’s start out by taking a look at what’s included in this product (as taken from their site): Ingredients Gouda Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Vegetable Color), Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor)], Dried Fruit and Nut Blend [Peanuts, Cranberries, Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Honey, Maltodextrin, Modified Potato Starch, Salt, Vegetable Oil (Peanut, Cottonseed, Soybean and/or Sunflower Seed), Xanthan Gum]. A few of these items are ones that I’d note and not be too excited about eating: Maltodextrin, which can sometimes be a hidden source of MSG and definitely not something I’d cook with at home Modified Potato Starch, usually used as a binder or thickening agent – again not something I’d cook with at home Vegetable Oil – here is why we avoid these And of course, if you make it yourself, you can make it organic – something that we always suggest when feasible. Here’s a quick reminder why. How to Make Your Own […]