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

~ 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 exactly. I take tasty, easy to pack things on a picnic which includes fruit and veg. So a typical picnic would be sandwiches, crisps, Quorn mini eggs, cherry tomatoes and some form of fruit. Probably some cake or biscuits too though if we are out for the day I'd probably buy ice-cream rather than bringing a treat. DS does have a say and as long as there are crisps included he's happy!

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

Not specifically for picnics but I do buy small boxes of raisins or other dried fruit for DS's packed lunch. I'm a bit wary of things like Humzingers as I don't see them as any better than sweets really but I have bought them in the past. They can be useful on walks or days out when DS is starting to flag and needs a sugar boost!

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

If you eat healthily every day, you can let go a bit for a picnic! We usually picnic as part of a day out so DS is usually ravenous by lunchtime and will scoff whatever I've packed so I don't worry too much about making it too special.

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

Do they need to be made more appealing? Personally I prefer to give DS fresh fruit (often keep an apple in my handbag as they travel best!) or something a bit more sustaining than sugary dried fruit. If Humzinger made a flapjack type bar with dried fruit I'd definitely be interested.

~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?
Fruit and veg are standard in most meals in our family so they just appear and the children eat them! Choice of picnic snacks tends to be a joint effort.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
We eat things like dried apricots / apple / mango and raisins but tend to avoid processed fruit snacks mainly due to cost and the funny after taste some of them have

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Everything in moderation and offset the unhealthy with healthy.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Bigger portions for older children.

~ 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 a factor and I choose - not them!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes, I always have Humzingers - I even keep several in my handbag and in case of extra hunger in their lunch boxes as they are a clean, neat, added-sugar-free way to get fruit into my kids when we're out and about. I also give them small boxes of raisins and apricots.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Lots of water to drink, healthy sandwiches or quiche, some humzingers and then I won't feel so guilty about the chocolate treats!

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children? I think the small size of Humzingers and mini boxes of raisins appeals to them - bright colours too obviously. For my children the fact that the snack is not too big and daunting is a factor in their favour. My children don't like getting their hands sticky which is a plus in Humzingers favour but can be an issue with raisins and against fresh fruit when there isn't a whb nearby.

~ 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?

Fruit & veg are part of every meal & readily available every day in our house. DC will just as happily eat strawberries & grapes as they would a handful of crisps. Who chooses the snack depends on where we are going, when & why. DC are often involved but not always.

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

Not specifically but we usually have dried fruit in the house for lunchboxes/ snacks at home.

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

Everything in moderation. Take plenty to drink. Have a sensible assortment of food. Take sanitiser gel.

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

Make the packaging less babyish. And make the portions bigger.

I have never heard of hum zingers before. Perhaps I don't shop in big enough supermarkets.

Picnic choices. I know what they like,so I choose things I know they will mostly like. It is not a democracy. I put what will fit in my bag. There has to be a balance of stodgy to fruit and veg and some treats to whip out once they have walked 5 or 6 miles.

I cut the fruit up and put it in small tupperwares. If you wanted to do a promotion, you could sell some of your dried fruit in really nice snack size tupperwares, as they always get lost or forgotten, so extra ones are usually handy.

My dc like dried mango dried cherries, dried pineapple and raisins.
I like it if you can see what shape the fruit had. I don't really like extruded stuff as it tends to be sticker. My preference, though, not kids.

I haven't seen humzingers for sale for literally years! Where do they sell them?

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?

Yes, I pack dried fruits for picnics, especially for snacks during a long day out, they are convenient
We normally take sandwiches with cheese, meet, tuna or egg, carrot/celery/cucumber sticks with some houmous, and a mixed fruit selection bowl - berries etc

I like the humzinger style of dried fruit, still feel it has semblance of what the item is, not keen on fruit winders, strings etc. My son has always loved dried fruit so not an issue here.

~ 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 buy my DC are still pretty young. I do include some fruit/veg. Cherry toms, bananas, satsumas etc. This is counteracted with whatever yummy non fruit things we have in the house!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
I do although I tend to use them as snacks when out and out in the car etc. We always have humzingers although I agree with the poster who said they are tricky to open. They do need to be bigger too!

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Variety! Picnic is about lots of choice and about fun. It needs to be eaten easily with fingers.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I am not sure as my DC love dried fruit snacks. They like the packaging, suckers for shiny and pretty things like their mother :)

~ 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?

Mu daughters too young to choose so I choose. I usually pack more than one peice of fruit each and if I remember, some raisins, so the 5 a day is something I think about but it doesn't always get eaten.

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

Raisins are the only one i have ever brought, I haven't heard of humzingers

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Bring fruit and fruit juice, and have a cariety, its more likely to be eaten then.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I think generally they are, its just normally more expensive than getting fresh fruit, thats why I don't buy it more often

We also take veggie sticks as part of a picnic, mainly cause we all like it. We also generally packs punnet of grapes, great for sharing

Sometimes, dried apricots and raisins

We eat healthy most of the time, so I guess it's to eat healthy!

I'm not sure dried fruit isn't appealing to children, mine certainly like it. I think it's important that the price is the same wether you buy the raisins from the baking section or the childrens food isle. I'm more likely to buy a big bag of raisins from there then some 'child' brand expensive ones.

I love having picnics with family & friends but the weather in London does let us down most weekends and public holidays

Yes, when packing for a picnic I do try to include some of their 5-a-day. I take plastic tubs of grapes, carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes, and usually some little boxes of raisins. I try to include some salad in the sandwiches too. The girls usually get to choose some items too, so we're certainly not perfect - there's usually some crisps/biscuits packed too!

Yes, we pack raisins or other dried fruit. To be honest, they are usually packed as a mid-morning/mid-afternoon snack or as something to nibble on in the car.

Variety. Also, I think the fact that a picnic is a fun day out makes the children more likely to have try of everything. Make sure you use ice packs to keep everything chilled (or freeze the juice cartons - they make good ice-packs)

I think companies are doing a good job - these type of products always look appealing to children. I like their labelling to be clear though, as sometimes I'm abit worried whether they really do count as "fruit" or if the high sugar content outweighs any benefit.

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?
Fruit is a part of every meal in this house, the children can choose what they like from the fruit bowl. Bananas are good for picnics as they don't need washing!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family? Occasionally, as a treat.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic? Keep a balance of healthy and treat foods to keep it interesting, a picnic for us is a treat.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children? Easy to open packaging, eye catching, make it look as if it is not fruit but still fruity. Fruit strings/fruit stars etc do this well.

I very rarely use dried fruit snacks because they are so bad for their teeth.If I do allow them as an occasional treat its dried apricots.

For a healthy picnic I use chopped up veg,little cubes of cheese,a big pot of chopped up melon and strawberries,and home made oatcakes.

I think packaging is key for kids.

If anyone is actually reading this,I really think anything really sticky that gets stuck in their teeth is a bad idea.
I would love to see something that leaves minimal 'residue' behind on the teeth - it'd make me a lot more likely to buy dried fruit for my DC's.

Picnics are a treat and so I don't worry about healthy food, although there will still always be fresh fruit, veg and apple juice involved. I don't take dried fruit on a picnic.

I do put dried fruit in their breakfast porridge and sometimes in their packed lunch for school, not often though. I try to avoid dried fruit as a snack because the dentist told me it's the worse think you can give them for their teeth because it's full of sugar and sticks to their teeth for hours.

~ 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 wouldn't say I obsess over them getting 5 a day (pretty sure they do anyway), but I am very strict about healthy eating with the odd treat now and then. I like to make sure when I give them snacks that they are healthy and doing them some good. I let them choose snacks but I give them 2 or 3 things to choose from that I think are OK.

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

Yes especially for my eldest DD who is 5. She loves fresh and dried fruit.

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

Make it look good! Keep it cool in a cool bag, make sure there are plenty of colours to attract the kids, cutting sandwiches into funny shapes works great. Always take at least 2 varieties of fruit.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Bright, child friendly packaging that is easy to open. They usually are tricky for a child (or even an adult) to open.

~ 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 children are young (2 & 5) so I choose the picnic food - fruit & vege is always included in our picnics. But they will have a snack too though often later in the day. perhaps some crisp type snack or an ice lolly.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
I do buy dried fruit as a snack. I have brought dried fruit snacks for them before but they have never gone down well much to my disappointment

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

Get some veggies in there with dips - carrot & cucumber sticks, sugar snaps, cherry tomatoes etc with hummous, tzatziki or other dips.

Keep snacks & sweet foods out of sight until the savoury foods have been eaten. Then offer fruit - before snacks.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
The ones I've tried were pretty much apple with added fruit flavour - the kids didn't like them. Though they tend to love ANYTHING that comes in a crinkly bag - perhaps more non apple fruit content? Though avoid bananas as cooked/pasteurised banana tends to dominate everything else

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 still choose at the moment as kids are only 3 and 1 but eldest I'm sure will be helping choose very soon! I don't consider 5-a-day as such when packing, but fruit and veg is always part of our picnics by default - fresh strawberries, grapes, crudites and dips - fresh summer food is what makes picnics yummy!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes quite often - used to buy Humzingers but I'm sure they got smaller! Or maybe 3 year old is getting bigger.... anyway, once he started having two at a time and still wanting more, they got a bit too expensive for us. We still buy yoghurt-covered fruit/ raisins, dried apricots, dates, mini raisin boxes. I try to restrict dried fruit to once a day but I'll admit it's almost certainly every day.

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

Variety. Picnics are all about picking and grazing. if there's anough choice, then the finished "meal" will be pretty healthy without much effort. Anyway, picnics are about treats (in my book anyway), I don't worry too much if they don't eat everything I'd like them to, it's all about having fun!

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

Nice bright, cheerful packaging, maybe with characters that appeal to kids i.e. animals. To be honest, both mine absolutely ,ove dried fruit and I've never really had an issue with making it appealing. Yoghurt drops etc are always seen as a treat... maybe that'll change as they get older?

Ooh yes, DC1 used to love these then the shop stopped stocking them so I assumed they had gone out of business !!

Top picnic tips - lots of variety and things to pick at, and little tube of sanitizer gel.

The packaging was fine for a younger child. Maybe less babyish for older ones? Why just a picnic, these were perfect in a packed lunch.

~ 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 food (kids are 7,4,4), but usually include one treat-y item like a snacksize choc or a cake.
5 -a-day not that important as we usually take some veg sticks and fruit along. Would consider more "do I have something fresh?" than the 5-a-day.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Always have muesli bars in the house which contain dried fruit. Sometimes take apricots or raisins.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Water to drink or smoothies. Simple like sandwiches, crisps, fruit, veg and chocolate.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
We like the sort that come in bits like those yoghurt covered ones, but bigger bitesize bits covered in chocolate would be nice, sort of like maltesers. I would also place with them in the chocolate/ sweet area so it was the healthier choice in that section rather than hoping for people to replace actual fruit with a fruit snack.

When a choose food for a picnic, I think portability, tasty and balanced. I would be more inclined to take dried fruit on a hike than a picnic but wouldn't buy Humzingers despite the claim that they are 100% fruit they have added preservative - sulphur dioxide, which is something we avoid due to having asthmatics in the family.

Tips for a healthy picnic - home cooking rather than processed rubbish.

I'm sure Humzingers do a great job at appealing to kids and adults as they are incredibly sweet and full of sugar - maybe not added sugar but what's the difference?

~ 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 don't worry too much about getting fruit/veg in a picnic - I go for what is portable, easy and not too messy! The DC get plenty of fruit/veg in their everyday diet.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Not specifically for picnics, no. We usually have rolls, crisps and a yoghurt pouch.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
I don't worry too much about it, my DC have a healthy diet overall.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I have one who loves dried fruit and one who won't touch it - just their personal tastes. Neither of them like Hunzingers etc as they are "too sticky". I try to give fresh fruit instead where possible as it's not quite as bad for their teeth!

~ 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 find its a good opertunity to get more fruit and veg in them, as they are excited by the picnic - more likely to eat it!

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

Normally fresh fruit and raw vegs rather than dried.

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

Plenty of variety and fruits that they find excitin like strawberries. I have to chose different ones to cover all my kids preferences thoug

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

Small packets and maybe just certain fruits in each not too much mixture.

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. Anything melty or sticky or messy is out. I do try and include some fruit and veg, rocket or watercress in sandwiches, etc. Mine is not a fresh fruit fan at all, except for strawberries, pineapple, kiwi or satsuma, and of those i would probably only take a satsuma on a picnic. We do now buy YoYos dried fruit strip things - though I am sure they are mostly sugar.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes, a Yoyo for a packed lunch style picnic. Dried apricots for me.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Work from the protein / main course towards the edge! Good sandwiches made with good bread and some salad in, chicken legs. Mini kebabs made from pieces of chicken and small pieces of chopped salad. Maybe mini kebabs made of fruit or fresh strawberries to eat with a cocktail stick. Avoid cheap rady cooked cocktail sausages and sausage rolls.

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

The wind-up format seems to appeal. Maybe a 'peel off' option a bit like cheese strings - fruit strings? Or a little pot and a little cocktail stick with a pineappple top to eat chinks of dried fruit with? My child has always liked spiking food with a cocktail stick to eat it - an advantage on a picnic or packed lunch when their hands have been anywhere and everywhere!!

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 generally choose what my children eat on a picnic. Occasionally we might make an activity of shopping for a picnic but that doesn't always end well! I definitely try to make sure they've got some fruit or salad items in a picnic.

Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family? If I was buying for a planned picnic I would choose fresh fruit, but I'd definitely keep dried fruit products in the cupboard for spontaneous picnics when the weather is suddenly nicer than expected or we get invited to join friends on a day out.

What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
My children definitely eat better if they can graze rather than having big things so we tend to avoid sandwiches and made up salads and have crackers, pates, dips, mini samosas, chopped up salad and fruit etc.

How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Depends on the age group. When mine were little they'd have loved anything with Peppa Pig or Thomas on. Now they're a bit bigger they're learning about healthy eating in school so the five a day logo would appeal to them. Nice small bits too - not a great big bar. They can always have two if they like them but can be put off by something too big.