How to find snacks without artificial dyes
The front of the package is designed to sell the snack.
The ingredient list tells you what's actually inside.
If you're looking for snacks without artificial dyes, skip the Nutrition Facts panel. The ingredient list is the quickest way to see what's actually in the food your child is eating.
Artificial dyes are synthetic color additives used to make food look more appealing. Many parents choose to avoid them because of concerns about how these dyes may affect kids.
The most common names to watch for are Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3.
Here are three ways to spot them in seconds.
Start at the bottom of the ingredient list
Instead of reading every ingredient from top to bottom, start at the bottom.
Artificial dyes are usually listed near the end because they're used in small amounts. They're easy to miss if you just speed through the label.
Front-of-package claims can also be misleading. A snack labeled "made with real fruit" or "naturally flavored" can still contain Red 40 or Yellow 5.
Just like the added sugar value on the Nutrition Facts label, these claims don't tell you whether artificial colors were added.
Learn the different names
Artificial dyes don't always appear under the names most parents recognize. Some imported snacks use international names rather than the standard ones commonly found in the US.
Knowing these names can make it easier to spot artificial dyes when you're reading labels.
Here are a few examples:
FD&C Red No. 40, Allura Red AC, or Fancy Red
FD&C Yellow No. 5, Tartrazine, Tartrazine Lake, or Yellow Lake 69
FD&C Yellow No. 6, Orange Yellow S, or Sunset Yellow
FD&C Blue No. 1 or Brilliant Blue
FD&C Blue No. 2, Indigo Carmine, Indigotine, or Acid Blue 74
FD&C Green No. 3 or Solid Green
For the complete list of dye names, check out our guide to the artificial dye problem in kids' vending snacks.
Choose trusted brands
Some clean-label brands take the guesswork out. They use colors from ingredients like turmeric or beet juice - naturally derived colors instead of synthetic dyes. Or they simply exclude them.
Some dye-free snacks for kids we love are:
UNREAL Bars
BEAR Fruit Rolls
That's It Bars
Bare Apple & Banana Chips
Siete Tortilla Chips
Boulder Canyon Chips
Chomps
GoGo squeeZ
Find more snacks without artificial dyes on this page.
Healthy vending makes it easier
Parents already spend enough time reading ingredient labels. A healthy vending machine can make that decision easier.
A genuinely clean, healthy vending machine stocks drinks and snacks without artificial dyes. Every product is chosen with families in mind, so parents don't have to decode packages every time their kids want a snack after practice.
Clean snacks don't have to be complicated.
They just have to be honest.
Better Snacks Co. places clean, healthy vending machines in all kinds of kids facilities. No seed oils, no dyes, no junk – and no hassle for your staff. Request more information.