Debunking Kids Snack Myths | The Tuck Company

Are Popular 'Healthy' Snacks Truly Good for Your Kids? 

As a busy parent, standing in the supermarket aisle and choosing a kids' snack can feel like solving a complex maths problem. The packaging screams "Made with Real Fruit," "No Added Sugar," and "Source of Fibre!"—but are these brightly coloured, conveniently packaged items genuinely contributing to your child's health, or are they hiding a sweet secret?

In the UK, health bodies like the NHS and Action on Sugar have raised serious concerns about the amount of free sugars our children are consuming, often through products marketed directly as 'healthy'. It’s time to separate the marketing hype from the nutritional reality and empower you to make the best choices for your little ones.

What Are 'Free Sugars' and Why Do They Matter?

The key to debunking snack myths is understanding the difference between sugars naturally found in whole foods (like a whole apple) and free sugars.

Free sugars are any sugars added to food, plus the sugars naturally found in honey, syrups, and, crucially, unsweetened fruit juices, purées, and concentrates.

UK government guidelines advise that children aged 4-6 should consume no more than $19\text{g}$ (about 5 sugar cubes) of free sugar a day, and $7–10$-year-olds no more than $24\text{g}$ (about 6 cubes). The problem is, many common 'healthy' snacks can blow through that allowance in a single sitting.

Here are three common myths parents encounter:

Myth 1: Fruit Pouches and Extruded Fruit Snacks Count Fully Towards ‘5 A Day’ 

This is arguably the most pervasive and misleading snack myth. Those handy fruit bars, purees, and fruit "wriggles" are often marketed as being "made with real fruit" and even as "1 of your 5 A Day."

The Reality: Concentrated Sugar and Low Fibre

When fruit is processed into a puree, paste, juice, or concentrate, the natural sugars are "freed" from the fruit's protective fibre structure. This concentrated sugar content becomes a free sugar and is just as harmful to teeth and waistlines as table sugar.

• The Traffic Light Warning: If many of these packaged fruit snacks carried the standard UK traffic light label, they would receive a RED label for high sugar levels per $100\text{g}$, often containing more sugar than popular confectionery.

• The Dental Risk: The sticky, chewy nature of these products ensures that highly concentrated sugar clings to tiny teeth, dramatically increasing the risk of tooth decay.

The Fix: Stick to whole, fresh fruit (like a handful of blueberries or a whole apple) for fibre, and limit fruit juices and smoothies to a maximum of $150\text{ml}$ per day, consumed only at mealtimes.

Myth 2: Any Cereal Bar is Better Than a Biscuit

The Reality: Hidden Syrups and High Sugar Content

Many popular kids’ cereal and granola bars use various forms of sugar (glucose syrup, invert sugar syrup) that bind the ingredients together. Research shows some single bars contain the equivalent of 3 or more sugar cubes, offering a short, sharp energy spike followed by a crash.

The Tuck Company Difference: A Balanced Approach

At The Tuck Company, we believe busy parents need convenient, controlled options. That’s why we focus on high-quality ingredients to deliver a balanced snack.

Our $30\text{g}$ oat bars contain just under $6\text{g}$ of sugar (around 1.5 sugar cubes) - a controlled amount that’s part of a full, filling bar packed with oats and fibre, not just empty sweetness. This makes it a responsible choice that fits easily into a child’s daily allowance.

The Fix: If you buy packaged bars, check the nutritional panel carefully. Look for options like ours that prioritise wholegrain oats for sustained energy and keep the sugar content controlled, ideally around or below $20\text{g}$ of sugar per $100\text{g}$.

Myth 3: Sweetened Yoghurts are Great for Calcium and Protein

The Reality: The Sweetened Dairy Trap

A small pot of fruit-flavoured fromage frais or sweetened yoghurt can contain a shocking amount of free sugar. This completely undermines the nutritional benefit, turning a healthy dairy option into a high-sugar pudding.

The Fix: Choose plain, natural, or Greek yoghurt and mix in fresh fruit yourself (like sliced banana or defrosted frozen berries). This way, you control the sweetness while your child gets the full benefit of the calcium and protein.

The Tuck Company Approach: Smart Snacking

A truly healthy snack should provide fibre and nutrients without a sugar overload. By turning your focus to whole, unprocessed foods where possible, and choosing responsible packaged options when you need convenience, you can confidently debunk the marketing myths and ensure your kids are getting a truly good tuck.

Check out our UPF-Free oat bars.