Healthy Snacks for Movie Night

Thank you to Crunch Pak for sponsoring this post!

Movie night is a regular thing around here on the weekends. But recently, my kids took it up a notch. They recreated the movie theater experience, complete with concession stand, tickets, and comfy chairs moved in front of the TV.

I’m going to be really sad when they can no longer fit into a chair together, side by side.

Our go-to movie snack: stove-popped popcorn (get my no-fail recipe here). The movie in heavy rotation: Star Wars. Any of them. All of them. Star Wars is the air my boys breathe. And yet I still have to occasionally ask a question like, “Wait, are the Rebels the good guys or the bad guys?” 

When Crunch Pak recently sent me some snacks for movie night, I was doubtful. Frankly, I’d had packaged pre-sliced apples in the past that had a funky aftertaste and just weren’t good. But I was pleasantly surprised. These apples tasted fresh. My kids really liked them (especially the Granny Smith slices packed with caramel dip!). And I was happy to see that the sliced apples came in an organic version too.

And we all loved the Star Wars packaging. As a mom and dietitian, I believe that when healthy foods are branded with characters kids like it helps to level the playing field a little. Fast food has pro athletes, soda has rock stars, and sugary cereal has cartoon characters. Billions are spent to push food onto kids that’s high in sugar, sodium, and additives–when fresh, whole foods are what we should be encouraging kids to choose. So I applaud brands like Crunch Pak for making packages fun and appealing to kids. It grabs their attention and adds an element of fun normally reserved for hyper-processed foods.

I also appreciate that Crunch Pak’s goal is to make healthy eating easy and convenient. Their products include sliced apples packaged with peanut butter, carrots paired with dip, and snack packs with fruit, cheese, and pretzels. Even if you’d rather slice your own apples at home, these are nice options for lunch boxes, team snacks, and road trips. Or sneaking into the movie theater. Not that I do that. (I totally do that.)

If movie night–at home or in the theater–is a thing with your family too, check out Crunch Pak’s Movie Magic Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a year’s worth of free movie tickets. Plus, there are five weekly prizes of gift baskets with Fandango gift cards, a blu-ray and digital copy of either Finding Dory or Star Wars: The Force Awakens, popcorn, vouchers for free Crunch Pak products, and either Finding Dory or Star Wars movie-themed gear like t-shirts and lunch boxes. The sweepstakes is going on now through April 12. Enter here.