Living a sustainable lifestyle will affect every decision you make, right down to the snacks you eat. But which ones should you choose? Greenwashing is far too prevalent in grocery stores today, making it nearly impossible to know if you can believe the claims on the packages in front of you.
Thankfully, there are a number of brands that make it a priority to produce food that has a positive impact on the planet. Some source large quantities of sustainable ingredients, while others rely on renewable energy or follow international ethical labor laws like Fair Trade certification.
Don’t worry if you aren’t sure where to turn for eco-friendly snacks. This list of sustainable snack brands will help you switch out your usual treats for brands that are better for the environment (and often your health).
23 Best Sustainable Snack Brands You Can Buy Online
1. Justin’s Nut Butters
A world without bees is also one with a lot less food. That’s why Justin’s is striving to protect them by prioritizing their health with their product line. This nut butter brand is actively working to promote sustainable farming practices and transparency within the food chain by sourcing high-quality ingredients in ways that don’t harm the environment. Justin’s nut butters come in a range of flavors including chocolate hazelnut butter and maple almond butter.
2. Nature’s Path
This British Columbia-based “fiercely independent” family business makes it a priority to rely on earth-friendly growing techniques that leave the soil better than they found it. The brand was a pioneer in the North American organic movement, and two out of their three facilities have achieved Zero Waste Certification. This means that almost all their waste is composted, reused, or recycled, and the facilities utilize environmentally friendly measures like rainwater catchment systems and rooftop gardens. 100% of Nature’s Path’s product line is certified organic, including their pumpkin granola and instant hot oatmeal.
3. Stonyfield Farms
The Stonyfield brand has been selling sustainably-produced yogurt since 1983, and today they work to assist other farmers doing the same. The company helps conventional farmers convert to organic practices and fund training programs for first-generation farmers. Stonyfield also devotes 10% of their profits to funding environmental causes. They have various flavors to choose from like French vanilla and Banilla (banana & vanilla).
4. New Belgium
You might not equate brewing beer with sustainability, but New Belgium sets an impressive precedent for other brands to follow. The company is a Certified Zero Waste business that diverts almost 100% of their waste from landfills while reducing both direct and indirect carbon emissions. For the last three years, New Belgium has ranked high on B Corporations “Best for the Environment” list.
5. Back To The Roots
Back to the Roots began when two young people bonded over a passion for urban farming, and the company has since developed into a line of mushroom growing kits and sustainably-grown foods like cinnamon oatmeal and organic stoneground flakes. Each cereal is made from ingredients sourced from organic and biodynamic farms, and the company produces the first-ever organic cereal offered in public schools in the U.S. Today, their products are served in the breakfast program for thousands of schools in New York City.
6. Lundberg Family Farms
The Lundberg family has been growing rice sustainably since 1937, and today third and fourth-generation family members continue to manage the business and produce healthy, eco-positive rice and rice-based snacks. The poor soil conditions of dustbowl California is what first encouraged the family to seek better ways to manage their land, and their devotion to sustainability hasn’t wavered since. All products from Lundberg Family Farms are grown in ways that support healthy soil, air, and water, leaving the ecosystem in better shape after every season. It’s fitting that founder Albert Lundberg’s motto was “Leave the land better than you found it.”
7. Barnana
Barnana is an organic banana snack brand that is committed to ending food waste through innovation. The company sources bananas that traditionally go to waste for being too ripe, scuffed up, or unusual sizes. These rejects are then turned into snacks that range from baked plantain chips to chewy banana-coconut bites. Because organic banana farmers often lose as much as 20% of their yield due to cosmetic imperfections, Barnana puts these bananas to better use than rotting in a compost pile.
8. One Degree Foods
The confusion of the commodity food chain isn’t a concern when you buy from One Degree Foods because every ingredient in their products can be traced directly back to the farm it came from. Likewise, the company relies exclusively on plant-based ingredients and grows everything on organic farms that make protecting the environment a top priority. The company’s collection is wide-ranging and includes everything from sprouted maize cereal to brown rice cacao crisps.
9. Alter Eco
Renowned for their indulgently-rich and ethically-sourced chocolate bars, Alter Eco works directly with small-scale rice, quinoa and cacao farmers to source sustainable ingredients and support the efforts of the farmers that grow them. The company as a whole offsets more carbon than it emits, and it has planted over 9,000 trees since its beginning. The brand offers a range of chocolate products, including semi-sweet coconut clusters.
10. Clif Bar
This endurance-based snack brand is a crowd favorite for its variety of flavors, but Clif Bar doesn’t disappoint with their environmental record either. The company maintains a carbon-neutral status and is making strides towards becoming zero-waste as well. Roughly three-quarters of their ingredients are currently organic, and the company hopes to boost that percentage going forward.
11. Divine Chocolate
Divine chocolate boasts of being the world’s only cocoa powder and chocolate company that is 100% fair trade, and the Ghanaian farmers that cultivate it owns 44% of the company. This provides these farmers with a better deal for their cocoa while giving them a stronger voice within the industry, ensuring that their concerns for fair treatment are given a platform.
12. Applegate
If you’re struggling to find a reputable source for sustainable meat, Applegate might be the brand that you’re looking for. The company sources their deli meats from almost 1,000 farms across the country that are committed to supporting humane livestock practices, providing you with options for grass-fed, organic, and hormone-free meat.
13. Alvarado Street Bakery
The Alvarado Street Bakery has been a feature of San Francisco for over two decades, thanks to the popularity of their organic sprouted grain baked goods. The bakery supports sustainable agriculture practices for all their supplies, and they strive to avoid all GMOs, chemical preservatives, and artificial ingredients. 40% of the company’s electricity is powered by solar, ensuring that the bakery is aware of their environmental impact from beginning to end.
14. Bigelow Tea
Despite being a standard fixture in many specialty stores, Bigelow Tea has a sustainable heritage that goes back decades. The brand is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, a coalition that promotes sustainable practices and better working conditions from tea farmers throughout Sri Lanka, India, and China.
15. Nutiva
Nutiva brand nut butters have been doing their part for the planet since 1999, and the brand has donated 1% of their sales (over $1 million) to sustainable agriculture groups that promote organic, non-GMO growing strategies. The product line is equally eco-conscious so that you can enjoy their chocolate hazelnut spread without guilt.
16. Onehope
For those who consider wine a snack, Onehope offers one of the best brands for social awareness. The company started as a small group of friends selling cases of wine, but it has since turned into a socially-conscious winery that donates millions to benefit cancer patients, build homes, reduce childhood hunger, and provide vaccines for at-risk populations.
17. Wild Planet
Sourcing seafood sustainably isn’t simple, but the Wild Planet brand provides you with a Greenpeace-approved option for ethically sourced tuna. The company relies on pole and line or troll-caught methods for fishing, ensuring that they have minimal impact on other forms of marine life.
18. Brad’s Raw Chips
If you crave the taste of kale chips but can’t be bothered to make your own, Brad’s kale chips offer a sustainable, nutritious solution. Founder Brad Gruno got his start at his local Pennsylvania farmers’ market, and his raw chips were such a hit that he now supplies them across the world. All of Brad’s Raw Chips are grown on organic farms in the United States, and the unused stems are turned into a nutritious dog food so that the there is minimal waste produced.
19. Frontier Natural Products
If you’re looking for a co-op that can handle all your sustainable product needs, Frontier Natural Products is a smart solution. This member-owned co-op values integrity and social responsibility, meaning that their product line supports organic agriculture and sustainable environmental programs. 95% of the product line is USDA certified organic and GMO-free, and the company offsets all of their electric usage with renewable energy credits and through carbon-neutral shipping. While the co-op offers a wide selection, they specialized in bulk spices and baking ingredients.
20. Numi Organic Tea
Sustainably-grown tea isn’t hard to find these days, but Numi Organic tea still stands out from the crowd. This organic tea line got its start with a brother-sister team that strove to find a way to make organic, fair trade tea more accessible to the U.S. market. All Numi tea is made with USDA certified organic herbs, fruits, spices and herbs without artificial flavors and fragrances. Solar energy powers the tea’s production facility, and the company purchases renewable energy credits to offset emissions along the entire supply chain. Likewise, the packaging is made from over 80% post-consumer waste and biodegradable filter paper.
21. Vital Choice Seafood
Vital Choice seafood provides a stellar option for sustainably-harvested wild seafood. The company was founded by a fisherman with over two decades of experience, and the company sources their fish from fisheries certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. As an added benefit, all Vital Choice Seafood is free of pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic colors and GMO feed that is commonly used in fish farms. The company also donates a portion of their profits to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
22. Ella’s Kitchen
For parents worried about the quality of conventional baby food, Ella’s Kitchen is a company created by two parents with a passion for providing healthy, delicious food options for little ones. The brand serves 100% organic baby food for babies and young kids, and their range of baby foods include gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegetarian foods that are free of additives and preservatives. All products are sold in Forest Stewardship Council-certified cardboard and recycled paper, and the company donates a portion of the profits to children’s home in Zambia.
23. ReGrained
Have you ever given the “spent” grains used in beer production a second thought? ReGrained is an innovative company that repurposes these grains to create healthy, sustainable baked goods and granola bars that can be bought all over the world. Upcycling at its finest.