Healthy Junk Food for Kids

Feeding a hungry, growing toddler has its difficulties. Snacks must always be on hand, dinner is served two hours before the rest of the family eats, she doesn't quite get that some meals can't be ready in under five minutes, and yep, my girl definitely has an opinion about what she eats. While she might be happy living on a diet of hot dogs, ketchup, mac and cheese, and (thank heaven!) fruit, I'm constantly trying to give her vegetables that aren't fried, meats that don't come encased, and grains that aren't covered in cheese. But when my battle resolve is gone and I just want to get some food in that cute belly of hers, these are the quick-serve foods that I can give her without serving myself a heaping platter of mommy guilt. Keep clicking to check out some amazing "junk foods" that you can actually feel good about giving your kids.

While Domino's and Pizza Hut might not be on your pediatrician's must-eat list, these cheese pizza "munchies" from Mom Made Foods should be. Available at many Super Target and Whole Foods stores, these pizza bites are made with an organic whole grain crust and packed with organic sweet potato, butternut squash, cauliflower, and cheese and even an organic sauce.

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Immaculate Baking Co. offers super-delicious, ready-to-bake cookie dough that's full of the same ingredients you would use at home. If you want to feel really good about that cookie, buy the whole-grain oatmeal raisin cookie dough, made from fresh-rolled oats and raisins, but vanilla sugar and chocolate chunk are pretty amazing, too. Plus, the company donates a portion of each purchase to nonprofits like the Folk Art Foundation. Each package makes 12 cookies.

Even Katy Perry approves of Popchips (wink, wink), which have half the fat of a normal potato chip and all the crunch and flavor. The chips come in 11 flavors, ranging from traditional barbeque to the creative chile lime and thai sweet chile potato, and the company just introduced a new popped tortilla chip. Yum! Find them at your local grocery or specialty store, or buy them online.

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Kids have always loved hot dogs, but no parent is a fan of the myriad unrecognizable ingredients on most hot dog labels. But you can feel good serving up Applegate's hot dogs. The beef version is made from 100 percent organic grass-fed beef, has only eight grams of fat compared to the average 15 grams in most brands, and is high in omega-3 fatty acids. The chicken hot dog has only 70 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Find them at your local grocery store or online.

If your little one loves cheese and milkshakes, you need to stock up on Horizon Organic, available at most grocery stores. The colby and mozzarella cheese sticks are 100 percent vegetarian, while the vanilla milk boxes taste like a delicious milkshake but have only 150 calories.

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Wholly Wholesome's chocolate chip cookie dough is made from 70 percent organic ingredients, and you'll recognize every ingredient listed on the box. Each cookie has only 120 calories and five grams of fat. It's available at many specialty food stores, including Whole Foods, in the freezer section. (Moms, you might want to check out the company's pies and cheesecakes, too!)

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Sure, McDonald's does them well, but you'll feel better feeding your kids fries from Peas of Mind. The company's veggie wedges are essentially baked crispy french fries made from real vegetables. Free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, and fat, the vegan "fries" come in four flavors—broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, and apple—and one serving of each is more than half of your child's daily recommended intake of fruits or vegetables. Find them at your Super Target or Whole Foods store, or buy them online.

The secret of Kidfresh's wagon wheels macaroni and cheese? A serving of carrots is mashed up and blended into the cheddar and mozzarella cheese sauce! All of Kidfresh's frozen entrees have hidden veggies, so stock up at your local grocery. Jessica Seinfeld would definitely approve.

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