Talk to Humzingers about picnics and be in with a chance of winning a hamper of goodies

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

Humzingers have asked us to find out where MNers stand on picnics for the family, now that summer is just around the corner (surely it must be?!)

Here is what Humzingers have to say about their product: "Humzingers are designed to be convenient and offer variety - they're 100% fruit sticks with no added sugar and are foil wrapped for freshness. What's more, each fruit stick counts as one of your five-a-day!"

Humzingers want to make sure that they keep Mums' opinions in mind when they're creating new products so they're interested to know your thoughts on the questions below.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a hamper of goodies worth £100.

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw
MNHQ

[EverythingIsTicketyBoo]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?
I always include at least one piece of fruit each for them, put salad in their sandwiches too. As snacks we take yogurt, those fruit strings, crisps, sausage rolls and fruit. If they chose their own it would be chocolate, cake and biscuits

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
My DH takes dried apricots if we have some in, but not usually

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Hide the healthy stuff, salad on sandwiches, fruit snacks and don't take too many 'treats'

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children? 
make then fun to eat, for example my DS's love yogurt where they mix the corner of fruit in, or when they have things to dip and add other flavour too. Basically they like to play with their food

[talkingnonsense]

It's harder now my ds is gluten free- we do carrot sticks and hummus a lot, sometimes crisps and dips.

I usually try and put something healthy in- cherry toms are popular with mine. Instead is sandwiches sometimes do hot x buns and babybels ( not for gf!).

Quite like the him zingers sticks- how about a fruit and nut mix, like those naked bars? Would be less sweet, and more filling.

I really hate those flavoured raisins so don't suggest them!

Little chdn like fun wrapping, but it embarasses teens, so go with grown up I think.

[MrsGeologist]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

I always make sure I bring some fruit along for them, and I chose their snacks, otherwise it would be just chocolate bars and crisps.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

Occasionally I'll take some raisins, but DS2 doesn't like them and DS1 isn't always in the mood for them.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

Take only healthy things along, that way they can't fill up on cake and crisps and things like that. If they're hungry they'll eat it.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

Well, DS1 often doesn't have the patience for fishing around in a tiny box for raisins and DS2 won't eat them because they don't taste of much when you lick them (he's only one and if he licks something and it doesn't immediately taste good, he'll disregard it.)
Possibly making it less fiddly and looking more like sweets.

[lolancurly]

We tend to just pack YUMMY STUFF when we make a picnic; like sausage quiche, a big fat home-made cake, crisps, drinks, flask of tea for mummy etc It does usually also include fruit - some times the real deal (bananas and strawberries and apples etc) depending what's in season. For convenience, we do also use the dried fruit snacks - these are great in picnics because of the longer shelf life. My advice to Humzingers is to ADD A JOKE to your packets. My girls love anything with a corny joke on it, that they can read and tell themselves. I could possibly start writing jokes on bananas, I suppose.......

[Tyranasaurus]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

Not really, but I am thinking of taking a balanced healthy meal. My LO too little to choose yet

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

Sometimes

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

I like to pack ingredients rather than finished things, e.g. don't pack sandwiches pack bread and chesse, etc.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

I don't know that they should. I hate things aggressively marketted at children and/or with licensed characters on them.

[Maggietess]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

I choose what go in the picnic. I don't focus on 5 a day as such but always put at least one piece of big fruit (apple, banana, oranges etc) and pots of fruit salad.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
I do buy raisins normally and would have them with me everywhere! Other than that I haven't heard of humzingers before. I wouldn't tend to take other dried fruit or picnics.


~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

I think you can get away with being extra healthy on a picnic as there's the excitement of unwrapping all the little parcels of food and looking in pots etc. I try to make the kids look the same as their dads and mine so that hey feel grown up and we might get them to try new stuff.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

I think dried fruit snacks are generally already appealing to kids as they are sweet.

[MrsOgg]

My son is only 1, and we picnic fairly regularly at the moment. I do prioritise him getting his 5-a-day, if we're having a picnic lunch I'll always put in some fresh fruit (usually apple or pear) and quite often a fruit pouch from the babyfood section of the supermarket. At the moment he doesn't eat much dried fruit because I understand it's bad for his teeth, but when he's a bit older I would consider dried fruit a good picnic component.

My number one top tip for a healthy picnic is to stay away from the deli pork pies because I love them too too much.

Not sure how companies can make dried fruit more appealing, but suspect making it somehow unhealthy (a la cheese strings) would probably help. Deep-fried and sugar-encrusted with cream-cheese frosting maybe?!

[Letitsnow9]

I wouldn't take dried fruit on a picnic, and any fruit/veg has to be the type that doesn't matter if it gets warm unlike things like cucumber

[snowgal]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?
Our little boy is only 19 months old, so at the moment I choose exactly what he eats. I always try and add in some fruit and veg, our son is big fan of blueberries, tomatoes, cucumber etc so I always add those. To be honest even is DS wasn't coming I would still ensure we had some nutritional nibbles as I think picnics can feel a bit heavy otherwise

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Occasionally, we'll sometimes have some dried mango or cherries - usually something a bit unusual for a picnic because it's a treat

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Cheese, crackers or bread, grapes, lots of cut up salad bits, possibly some salmon pate or similar. Fruit juice, water and possibly some chocolate as a treat!!!

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Small packs, more unusual types of fruit (personally not a fan of "flavoured" sultanas etc., colourful packaging. Encouraging children to think of dried fruit as a treat akin to chocolate etc. Mixed packs i.e. cranberries, cherries, sultanas etc, I would like to be able to offer my son a large piece of dried pineapple, mango to chew on rather than lots of tiny bits which tend to get lost in the car somewhere

[twoboots]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?


my dd likes fruit, she is very aware of the 5 a day message so it is af actor. yes we normaly choose, she may "choose" as part of packing



~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

we keep lots of dried fruit in the house normally for baking and snacking not just for picnics


~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

use what's in the house: ie throw together an easy pasta salad
take lots of water
hard boiled eggs


~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

i dont think its their job. i think its the parents job not to buy unhelathy snacks. i use the apricots, raisins, cranberries etc for baking to make up and after school snacks with whatever nuts i have in the house

perhaps recipes using dried fruit- as my child loves baking

[cheekyweelassie]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

I guess not really if i'm totally honest, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables have always been a consistent part of our eating habits anyway, my children love fresh fruit and veg, they always have, i was brought up on plenty fresh fruit and veg and i guess it's more a habit than a thought! I would say i am more conscious of them not eating rubbish than i am of them eating healthy if that makes sense x

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

sometimes my children have never liked much dried fruit snacks despite me trying them from they were very young, they do like Raisins and Sultana's so we always have a packet or two where ever we go

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

Top Tips

Get as fresh as you can in terms of what you are eating and only pack your food as you are leaving not several hours earlier x


~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

Make them look more appealing seriously, the colours are often grey and comparable to the type of foods i would buy for feeding the birds and squirrels, not sure how that could be achieved but it would certainly help us parents in the quest of getting our children to like new things, children are habitual so intoducing something new it has to look appealing xooxx

[StickyFloor]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

I choose everything as I am the one who organises every aspect of outings. I do consider what they like and for something like a picnic which has a fun, social element I would be more concerned with things that they like, and occasional treats than with healthier choices.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

I save up my Graze dried fruit packs for outings and also buy raisins. I prefer these to fresh fruit which tends to get battered by the time we reach our destination.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

I would include one item that was clearly the healthy option, either dried fruit or salad, but the rest would be sandwiches, savoury snacks and then some treats. A picnic is not really the time to be making a stand about healthy eating.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

My kids are suckers for items which are endorsed by celebrities or TV / Film characters. Call them Star Wars prunes and we would buy tonnes. Also they always get hooked on things where there is a collectable item associated eg trading cards or magnets in the packaging.

[Elainey1609]

We love a good picnic
We always take finger type food
fruit and veg nibbles including dried fruit

My children often say what they fancy and I always try to include them in the picnic especially if fruit and veg.

I try to have a range of different food and drink the children like variety.

Very often packaging needs to be more cheerful and colourful to appeal to children and many brands stores and ranges have already done that making them more children friendly and appealing

[Lemonytrees]

When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

Yes, I always try to take some fruit and veg. I sometimes let the children choose one thing, but I make most of the decisions

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes, we buy humzingers and bear fruit as well as dried fruit such as mango / raisins etc/

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Make it varied and interesting. Children like to have small amounts of different things

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Make them easier to open! My children love humzingers but won't have them in a lunch box because they can't open them

[beanandspud]

For us, a picnic is a chance to have some lovely food so often quiches, salads, big bowls of fruit, pâté, nice meat and cheese. I do always make an effort to have plenty of fruit and veg - I seem to keep a mental tally of DS's five-a-day.

We do have some dried fruit but it's more likely to be packs of fruit or bars that are in the bottom of my bag for emergency snacks on the go if we're out for the day.

DS sometimes takes dried fruit to school for his snack. He loves it, and most is quite appealing but if I'm honest I'd rather he had fresh fruit. My big concern is the damage that dried fruit does to teeth.

[littlemonkeychops]

Yes we definitely think about healthy options when we do a picnic, always include some freshfruit, yogurts, cheese etc as well as crisps and sandwiches etc.

I've not tried Humzingers but i would if they're no added sugar, i'm put off other similar products because by the time you take into account the sugar they're not that healthy.

[soundstrue]

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

I choose the snacks for a picnic. Yes, we do think about their 5-a-day. We always take fruit or carrot sticks.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

No, we tend to take fresh fruit. Although we do buy dried fruit for packed lunches.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

Be prepared, take healthy snacks like carrot sticks. Also great to take humzingers. Good to have healthy snacks for the car.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

Nice and colourful packing, with monsters and funny fruits. Also saying it's healthly children are interested in this.

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

Thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread, here's a thank you message from Humzingers:

"Thank you for all your contributions, which will prove invaluable when developing our product range going forward."

The winner of the prize draw for a hamper of goodies is...

Bert2e - congratulations! I'll PM you to get your details

[halcyondays]

When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

It wouldnt' be one of the main factors, but i would usually include some fruit that I know my children like.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
sometimes, we usually have them in the cupboard for handy snacks anyway. they are a good snack to carry around if you are going out anywhere as they keep well.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic? just having a good mixture of foods, sweet and savoury. it depends what your children like, I would pack the kinds of fruit, veg and other healthy foods that each child likes. they do both like dried fruit snacks.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children? i think they are already appealing, as they are usually in colourful packaging which catches their eye.

[hytheliz]

First I have to say that my two children are absolutely addicted to Humzingers. I buy them 5 boxes at a time usually to ensure they're always in the house!!

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?
I always try to include some type of fruit but usually it's dried like Humzingers or raisins for convenience/cleanliness.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Absolutely, my children eat Humzingers every day as a snack.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Including some veg and fruit at every meal is so important and makes for great variety!

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I don't think you do. My kids love them just as they are and I love buying them because it's 100% fruit.

[33goingon64]

When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?
Yes it is important and I don't give them what you would call 'snacks' at a picnic - snacks are for between meals, not as part of a meal.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Not for a picnic but I do buy them for snacks between meals.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Tupperware for chopped up veg, dips to make the veg more appealing, wholemeal bread for sandwiches, fruit for pudding, no crisps

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I think they are already very appealing to children

[TheFlipsideOfTheCoin]

When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not? And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves?

Adults in my house choose the picnic food. Healthy but tasty foods are a prerequisite. 5 a day is a bonus.

Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?

We have little boxes of raisins and sometimes buy things like yoghurt coated dried apple, etc.

What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?

Incorporate veggies in sandwiches, eg: chicken salad. A big box of salad with lots of leafy greens can't go amiss either. Lots of fruit. Pasta salad is a good one, particularly when made with brown pasta. Popcorn with no salt/sugar is also a popular choice in our house.

How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?

Make cartoon characters for each different product so the products seem collectible. Eg, Reggie Rabbit for some raisins. Diggles the Dog for some dried dates. That kind of thing is always appealing to little kids. Boring packaging never makes them reach for it on the shelves in the supermarket!

[manfalou]

My 2 year old will not eat fresh fruit but will each dried fruit so for us its really important that there is a range for him to try. We usually take some raisons or dried bananas on picnics with us and to be honest they always look really appealing with colourful packaging etc. Top tips for a healthy picnic... try to avoid chocolate biscuits and crisps. Swap for the dried fruit crisps or try 'healthier' versions like warburtons new pitta crisps.

[GetKnitted]

We always take fresh fruit with a picnic, and we picnic a lot! We rarely, if ever, take dried fruit snacks, I guess it is because I don't think they are very much different from actual sweets.

Our regular picnic contains sandwiches, olives and/or carrots, grapes and/or bananas and lots of tap water.