The Best Thrive Market Products for a Picky Eater’s Lunch Box 

Sometimes, being a parent means being a detective. You’re gathering data and making conclusions — observing your child explore what they like and dislike, curating their own sets of values and biases with which they use to interact with the world expanding around them. All the while, you watch and try your best to make them happy. 

Though beautiful in the abstract, parents know that reality can be different. Maybe your little one fixates on a certain vegetable or type of fruit they love. A snack that triumphs over the others. Maybe they fixate so much on it that they refuse to eat anything else, frustrated that life cannot be all chicken nuggets and bananas.

There is no sweeping solution to the picky kid dilemma as each picky kid is different. We have to remind ourselves that they’re exploring their own minds as much as you are learning about them. Try our favorite lunchbox stuffers and let your kids pick their favorites — you might get inspired with a few extra tips for stubborn eaters along the way. 

For the Kids Who Can’t Decide

Blake’s Seed Based Crispy Treats Variety Snack Pack

Often, what a picky kid really wants is to make a choice. They want a say when it comes to what they eat. Snack packs, especially variety packs, are a great way of offering them a choice. This is a great way to include them in the conversation.

“I Want Chocolate NOW”

Yumster Yo! Kids Bars, Choco Brownie Cruise

Want something chocolaty without an excess of sugar? We loved the title of a review Anna from Washington left: “My 2 year old grandson and I fought over it.” She writes, “Love the super limited ingredients and no added sugar. I don’t feel like I need to hide this treat from my daughter. It’s mother approved to give to my grandson. Tastes delicious!”

Simple Mills Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free and made with almond flour, these cookies always hit the spot.

Heavenly Hunks Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bites

With a soft texture and homemade flavor, these square-shaped bites satisfy chocolate lovers on-the-go, and are made with gluten-free ingredients like rolled oats and sorghum flour.

It’s All About the Crunch

LesserEvil Organic Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn

These individual bags are ready for lunch boxes and backpacks. Each light and fluffy bite is made organic popcorn, extra virgin coconut oil, and pink Himalayan salt—that’s it.

For the Kids Who Only Want Chicken Nuggets

NotCo Plant-Based NotChicken Dino Nuggets

A good strategy for dealing with kids fixated on a certain food is to try to find a version of that food made with better ingredients. These plant-based nuggets are the perfect analogue to traditional chicken nuggets found in the wild. Quick and easy to bake, these nuggets are perfect for plant-based and meat eaters alike.

A Healthier Source of Sugar

That’s It Mango/Fig Fruit Bar Variety Pack

Does your kid need a little pick-me-up after playing outside? Are they in love with sweet things? A great way to replace processed sugar and syrups is by going the all-natural route. Sweet and tangy, these fruit bars are a lifesaver in a pinch. 

Mavuno Harvest Dried Mango

Dried slices of tropical fruit give a sugary boost alongside a serving of potassium. Plus, this snack is sourced directly from family farmers in Burkina Faso, Africa.

The Juicebox Infused with Natural Fruit

Wild Child Organic Kid’s Vitamin-Infused Water, Tropical Mango

Naturally sweetened with tons of flavor, these Wild Child juice boxes fit in any lunch box! With only 2g of sugar per box, these are a great alternative to most high-sugar juiceboxes. 

A Quick Snack for the Backpack

Skout Organic Bars

The thing we love most about Skout bars is the pure amount of variety they offer without sacrificing natural ingredients. These plant-based bars are minimally processed and cut straight to the flavor. Peanut butter and jelly? Blueberry? French toast? The texture is also soft enough that kids and toddlers growing out their chompers won’t have a hard time biting in. 

Food with Fun Facts! 

Caliwater Cactus Water, Watermelon

Get your kid interested in their snacks and drinks by explaining how they came to be. Show your child a picture of a cactus. Tell them how the humble cactus is one of the earth’s coolest plants. Somehow surviving in harsh, dry desert conditions, the cactus adapts by becoming a literal, organic treasure chest, collecting gallons of water in its root systems. Ask them, do you want to try some of this water? 

Plant-Based Chocolate Milk? Yes!

Kiki Milk Organic Single-Serve Plant-Based Milk, Chocolate

Chocolate milk is a staple of school lunches. For children who might have sensitive stomachs, Kiki Milk’s plant-based formula is perfect for a day out. Bonus, it’s packed with other goodies like blueberries and spinach. 

A Bit of Sweetness Goes a Long Way

Oat Haus, Granola Butter Chocolate Batter

Spreading this granola butter on a piece of toast gives your kid a nice, chocolatey alternative to a PB&J, without having to commit to a full dessert. 

Expand Your Kid’s Palate

Wild Planet Wild Caught Skipjack Tuna

One tactic for dealing with the picky kid dilemma is to curb it before it even starts. Introducing flavors outside their normal palette can encourage them to be adventurous with their tastes. Wild Planet’s fish is sustainably farmed and canned fresh, eliminating a lot of the fishiness that’s synonymous with lower-quality ingredients. Try making a tuna salad sandwich with crispy, crunchy potato chips.