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 sorting out a picnic, I might ask the family what they would like me to include, but basically I choose, I prepare, I pack. Then I unpack and set it all out, then I clear up again.
Picnics usually consist of, chicken drumsticks, chipolatas, cheese, olives, pate, salad. Nice crusty bread and butter. tortilla chips/crisps
Homemade biscuits, traybakes, cakes. Fresh fruit.
Fruit juices and sparkling water.
I wouldn't usually bother with dried fruit or pre packed fruit strings etc for a picnic, but I do use them for school packed lunches.

~ 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, 5 a day is important, but we don't really think of it like that, we just eat healthy food which encompasses our 5 a day. I usually choose the kids snacks and they get to choose out of a selection. If we were in the supermarket I'd take them to the dried fruit area and that's what we call sweets.

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

Yes either Humzingers, Bears or supermarket own brand packs of dried fruit.

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

Substitute crisps for oat cakes.
Wraps can be healthier than bread and don't fall apart as easily.
Dried fruit can't get squashed, strawberries almost always do.

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

Do what Humzingers do. Basically my kids think they're sweets because they're wrapped like sweets, they taste good and my kids will eat a whole box in 5 mins.

• I always pack as much fruit and veg as possible into picnics so the 'five a day' is certainly a factor. My children are 3yo and 6m so I choose what we have, although the 3yo has certain choices while we are shopping e.g. raspberries or blueberries.

• Yes, I often buy dried raisins, papaya, mango, apricots, apple and pineapple (not all at once!) for picnics.

• My top tips are to pack fruit that doesn't need any preparation (e.g. raspberries rather than strawberries that need de-leafing), to remember lots of wet wipes for sticky hands and faces, and to have a batch of home-made breadsticks in the freezer ready to bake on picn

• I always pack as much fruit and veg as possible into picnics so the 'five a day' is certainly a factor. My children are 3yo and 6m so I choose what we have, although the 3yo has certain choices while we are shopping e.g. raspberries or blueberries.

• Yes, I often buy dried raisins, papaya, mango, apricots, apple and pineapple (not all at once!) for picnics.

• My top tips are to pack fruit that doesn't need any preparation (e.g. raspberries rather than strawberries that need de-leafing), to remember lots of wet wipes for sticky hands and faces, and to have a batch of home-made breadsticks in the freezer ready to bake for impromptu picnics.

• I hate to say it but my 3yo has just started noticing characters on packaging and asking for those products. I don't buy them on principle that they're bound to be full of rubbish and low-quality ingredients :o

Sorry for mangled first post...

Sandwichs, crisps and dip, fresh fruit like strawberries, bananas, grapes.
The only dried fruit we would consider would be sultanas.
We would not buy dried fruit products.

~ 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?

Making sure that my children have 1 - 3 of their 5 a day is a big factor in what I pack for a picnic.

I usually pack smoothes to drink, some fresh fruit (apple / banana / grapes / satuma etc) and also 1 or some packs of dry fruit for snacks, they all like humzingers in any flavour, my DD's like most other dried fruit but DS will only have raisins.

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

I do 3 of the 5 a day, 1 or 2 servings of calcuim (yogurt and sometimes cheese. Then think about a healthy sandwich and a treat. But the children do think that yogurt covered raisins or humzingers are more of a treat than biscuits.

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

At the age my children are (8 and under) it is probably more important to make it more attractive to the parents. The biggest attaction to me is not having to fish a half eaten piece of fruit from the bottom of my handbag after a day out.

~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?
We choose, and we usually ensure there are some fruit or vegetable snacks included.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes, usually dried apricots.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Cheese cubes, fresh peppers and cucumber.

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

~ 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 usually pack fresh fruit, it's not that difficult!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Not for picnics, no, but I do keep some in my bag in case DS is peckish when we are out, and he's eaten everything else I've packed.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Lots of fresh fruit, veggie dips like houmous, guacamole and babaganoush, with veg sticks e.g. carrots. I always homebake cakes and cookies too.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Nice fun shapes. Make them look like sweets.

@Humzingers, thanks for labelling your stuff suitable for vegans. Always nice to know.

~ 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 try to give them healthy food including plenty of fruit and veg at every meal, including picnics. I choose the snacks.

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

Not for picnics, though I do like to keep a box in the car for emergency snacks as they last for a long time, unlike fresh fruit.

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

Don't make it heavier than you can carry; include plates or store things in pots that can be used as plates, and always take wipes with you! Also don't take food that turns brown if it's not eaten immediately as no-one fancies it once it has done that.

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

Make them bigger. They are so tiny, even though full of sugar. Make them more filling, without adding any more sugar - fruit doesn't need it!

~ 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 do think of 5 a day but usually think of fresh fruit for a picnic. so we might take some grapes or strawberries or an apple or banana. Something simple to eat on a picnic and easy to take with us. For my youngest I do use products like humzingers or little packs of raisins etc but the older two are fine with fruit.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
occasionally for one year old.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
plan ahead so you don't rush into picking up packs of crisps and chocolate bars so make sure you have some healthy alternatives in the house.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I hate to admit it but my kids love well-known characters eg moshi monsters and that would appeal to them hugely if it appeared on the packaging or with a related offer.

~ When you choose snacks to take on a picnic, is giving your children their 5-a-day a factor in your choices or not?
YES
And do you usually choose what snacks your children get on a picnic or do they choose themselves? They may get to chose a few options themselves, like whether to take biscuits or cupcakes

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family? Yes. Real proper dried fruit, such as dried mango. Small boxes of raisins

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Bring proper natural unprocessed food that actually looks like what it is

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Keep it natural, rather than processed goo in a stick. Dried fruit covered with chocolate, or youghurt

~ 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 - but they love crudites so there's usually always cucumber, carrot, red pepper, chicory and tomatoes plus there might be other things around too. For fruit at picnics I usually keep it simple - strawberries or grapes or melon or a mixture. My problem is the opposite - making sure they eat enough protein - as they hoover up the fruit and veg first.
They're always allowed to choose extra fruit and veg when we're at the greengrocers at the market or in the supermarket, just depends what they have in, how much I can carry (recently done away with the pram and I swear my arms are several inches longer after buying stuff and then having to carry it all!). DS2 (just 5) asked me to buy parsley last week - which I did. And when we got home, he proceeded to direct me in making his 'favourite' sandwich - cheese, parsley and squares of dark chocolate which he proceeded to eat with much enjoyment and has subsequently had again. And whilst it is not something that I can see catching on, it actually ticks quite a lot of boxes when it comes to being a healthy sandwich, plus as ds pointed out, means you don't need to waste time having a main course and pudding separately, leaving more time to play...

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Rarely - often have raisins and dried apricots in, but don't often think of taking them out on picnics. To be fair, this year and last year haven't been very conducive to picnics!

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
keeping it simple - lots of chopped up veg and dips, fruit, and on a practical side, making sure that you have plenty of ice packs in your picnic bag to keep things fresh and safe to eat, a bottle of tap water to use to rinse hands beforehand (antibac gel or wipes are also great but I worry about using too much antibac stuff, if their hands aren't likely to be particularly germy then having tap water can be fine or used in conjunction with the antibac gel or wipes).

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Individual portion sizes with something printed on the packet or box to make it interesting. Doesn't need to be a character, a joke or puzzle or fact are all good too. Something that makes the packaging stands out - like the smartie boxes (little square ones or the tubes), ds1 (8) still loves them and will choose smarties over a sweet he prefers sometimes just because he wants the box for a project he has in mind.

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 would always include some fruit/veg. Probably cherry tomatoes, cucumber, strawberries and grapes. My children are young still so I choose to some extent but I choose based on what they like. And I am a bit of a crisp fascist but they are essential on picnics, as are mini brownies.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes, for the kids -I wouldn't eat them though.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Colour and variety. Lots of fruit - fewer sandwiches than you would imagine as they are very unappealing once they've been sitting around. Better to take bread rolls or baguette with separate protein and let people choose their combinations.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
The packaging is the obvious thing, but for now mine don't seem to need tempting. The other way for my kids is to stop with the gimmicks - they seem to prefer food not to be cut into weird shapes, but they may well be odd; they're certainly fussy! I'd say keeping the portions small is sensible.

I always pack fruit for a picnic and variety is the key. The only dried fruit tends to be apple or apricot in a box with raisins/ sultanas. Bright coloured packaging or a recognisable character always catches my LO's eye.

~ 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?

5-a-day factor is always in my mind and I take this into account when choosing my picnic ingredients. We usually choose our snacks together out of a limited choice! Convenient snacks are a winner with time always being of a premium!

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes. They keep nicely in the packaging..they don't get squashed or melt and they are a nice healthy stop gap until lunch.

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
I normally take lots of little plastic pots filled with carrot batons, cucumber sticks, hummous, peppers, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries etc. and then add convenient dried fruit snacks and a little treat.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
Bright packaging, hate to quote from lazy town but calling it something like sports candy or nature's sweets might encourage children to choose them!

~ 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 picnic food with some input from DS1 (nearly 4). There is always fruit (including humzingers) but not usually vegetables as they have them for all evening meals and most lunches anyway. In summer we may do a couple of picnics a week so while the food is a bit more treat-y than a usual packed lunch, I try to make it reasonably healthy. So ham and cheese wholemeal rolls, homemade cake, fruit (humzingers, blueberries, grapes etc), plus a packet of salt n shake crisps (no salt) for the two boys to share.

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

I might take chopped up dried apricots with us if we didn't have fresh fruit in the house but I don't buy them specifically for picnics. We nearly always have Humzingers in so don't buy them specifically for picnics. Agree with the poster who said they are v hard to open!

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

Make it look appetising, and when they are old enough get DC involved in choosing what to take (within healthy boundaries). But picnics are meant to be fun and a bit of a treat so no harm in including a treat that perhaps wouldn't be allowed in a school / preschool lunchbox...

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

no idea! I think raisins can get a bit dull (and why is it always raisins for toddlers - they aren't nearly as nice as sultanas). But I've seen more exotic dried fruit available as snacks, it is more expensive though. to be honest I don't want them eating too much dried fruit as it sticks to their teeth and is very sugary, so we would stick to fresh fruit and rationed Humzingers (brightly packaged, easy to take) anyway.

~ 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 picnics are usually sandwiches/crackers, crisps, sausage rolls and fresh fruit. I am not over concerned about getting 5-a-day into a picnic - as we will have vegetables at dinner time anyway. I choose what snacks to have but it is based on what my children like.
I know ours are not the most imaginative!

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

No, to be honest my children prefer fresh fruit.

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

We have a rucksack which is our 'food bag' and it all needs to fit into the bag. Make sure you have enough drinks and water and always some kitchen roll/tissue/wipes. I usually take a teatowel too ~ is that just me?

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

I do not think that they can, it is important for the packaging to be eye-catching and bright. But children either like dried fruit or they dont. As I said earlier my 2 much prefer grapes, bananas or an apple. Sorry.

We always have fruit on our picnics. DS has fruit with every meal so its just the norm. I try to vary what we have and have been buying things like papaya, blackberries and pineapple recently. That said DS likes apples best of all!
We also have sandwiches, crisps and cake and a flask of tea.
If it's a family gathering we'll also have chicken, quiche etc

We buy 'value' packs of dried fruit, prunes, apricots and raisins. We sometimes buy dates, cherries abs cranberries from more expensive ranges.
I serve them in ramekins or weaning pots.

Include fruit/veg as well as treats as it us more fun for kids eating anything outside (or in the car boot weather depending!)
Wraps filled with primula cheese, cream cheese, houmous or peanut butter and cut into triangles travel well and don't get squashed.

As DS (3) loves fruit anyway I don't need to make it appealing. However, he enjoys hearing what the fruit will do- help his eyes, good for skin, make strong/clever etc

~ 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 as picnics are a treat, that said our picnics are often very meat based (sausage rolls, mini sausages, scotch eggs -I know, we're classy!) as my kids are pretty fussy
~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
No

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
A balance of foods

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I don't know, as despite appearing to look like sweets my kids don't like Humzingers as they are fussy badgers! Chocolate raisins are about as adventurous as they get!

~ 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?

5 a day is very important and I'd always include at least 2-3 portions on a picnic. had one today and they had fresh veg soup in a flask, carrot & cucumber sticks and fruit juice, plus salad in their sandwiches.

Usually the snack part of the picnic is a treat because the five a day are already included in the main picnic. I choose what to buy but based on what they like. We are going on a very special picnic tomorrow and I phoned the DC from the supermarket to ask what their ideal snacks would be, but usually I'd tend towards whatever is on offer that I know they like

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

yes. for tomorrows picnic I've bought a big bag of mixed nuts and dried fruit, and a bag of dried dates,

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Pack food they love which is also healthy - roast drumsticks, cubes of cheese, strawberries etc. Add sweet and high fat snacks according to what you're doing. We tend to picnic when we're doing something active like climbing or kayaking so that justifies a few sweets or crisps.
bring lots of water, and soup for a cold day or iced smoothies if it's hot.

~ How do you think companies can make dried fruit snacks more appealing to children?
I think there needs to be a change of attitude along with the products. Just as hard ad campaigns made smoking uncool, we need campaigns that make fatty sugary high processed snacks uncool. Trying to pretend they are like sweets has never fooled my boys. But they'd be persuaded if they truly believed the fruit leathers were cooler than the choc bars.

I always choose the contents of a picnic but always include some items that would be in 5 a day and also some treat items

I do buy dried fruit snacks as my two love them and they are convenient. I'd also rather they eat dried fruit snacks than cakes/chocolate all the time.

I think the key to a healthy picnic is the balance of foods. My children like lots of little things to choose from and if you include a balance of naughty and healthy items they always eat a bit of everything so you know they've had the goodness but also felt like the picnic has been a treat.

I think bright coloured packaging helps to appeal to children and also if the contents are a bit different to normal. My 2 like boxes of raisins with bits of apple or apricot in them - makes them more interesting.

~ 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 usually don't think too much about five a day as I know my kids hit it without thinking usually. I will let them choose the snacks and most of the time they pick fruit.

~ Do you ever buy dried fruit snacks for picnics with your family?
Yes raisins or sultanas in a box

~ What are your top tips on packing a healthy picnic?
Give your children ownership with their choices then they want to it it too. Pick fruit that will still look good when you arrive like apples. Things like bananas often don't travel very well.

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

Not sure to be honest