When it comes to office snacking, bright and colorful treats are always tempting—they’re fun and visually appealing. But many of them contain artificial food dyes that may not be the best for your health. If you’re looking for natural alternatives that bring both vibrant color and great taste to your workday, you’re in luck! From naturally colored fruit and veggie snacks to dye-free brands that prioritize clean ingredients, there are plenty of delicious options to keep you satisfied. In this post, we’ll explore popular dye-free snacks and beverages for the office.
Dye-Free Alternatives
Sports Drinks
Most sports drinks have a very intense color, ranging from yellow, red, blue, purple, and green, making the drink appear more “attractive.” If you’ve wondered where these colors come from, take a look at the ingredients label. It will tell you if the drink contains dyes, such as FD&C Blue 1, Red 40, or Yellow 5, or natural options like fruit juice concentrates or powders. Different colors require different amounts of dye, or even a mixture of several colors. As an example, Blue 1 is the food dye of choice for blue drinks and is also mixed with Red 40 to create purple.
Fun Fact – If you were curious to measure the concentration of dye in beverages, this science project will show you how.
New Hint Sparkling Water with Electrolytes is a great dye-free alternative. This sparkling water offers the delightful flavors of classic Hint with the refreshment of crisp bubbles, and electrolytes added for a premium taste. Vegan, gluten-free, kosher.
Gummy Candies
Coloring enhances the visual allure of gummy candies, contributing to the overall sensory experience and influencing the perceived fruity flavors. While chemically manufactured colorings offer bright and consistent hues, many folks are looking for natural options.
Albanese True-To-Fruit Flavors (Formerly Ultimate™) is crafted with natural flavors and colors from real fruits and vegetables for an elevated tasting experience. The perfect clean alternative!
Orange Soda
Classic orange soda is recognized for its iconic florescent color, artificial citrussy flavor, and towering amounts of sugar. The radioactive color comes from a combination of synthetic food dyes, typically Red 40 and Yellow 6. Though it’s a soft drink staple, new health-conscious brands have been giving their own spin on it.
Olipop’s Orange Squeeze sparkling tonic reinvents orange soda with a citrusy, vitamin C rich blend of natural ingredients. Clementine and mandarin juices collide with a hint of lemon to produce a bright twist on the nostalgic classic. No dyes to be had here, only thoughtful ingredients, including OLISMART — Olipop’s signature blend of herbs, spices, and root extracts designed to add fiber and aid digestion.
Read Tasting Table’s article rating orange sodas from best to worst here.
Fun fact: Did you know about the difference in UK Sodas and US with dyes? Food and Wine has an excellent article here, highlighting some differences in orange soda.
Fruit Snacks and Leathers
Check your labels. You might not realize it, but some fruit snacks and leathers contain synthetic dyes, corn syrup, artificial flavors, and have little to no actual fruit content.
Yoyo Bears Fruit Rolls are a great example of an ideal fruit snack that harnesses the goodness of real fruit. Their Fruit Rolls only contain naturally occurring sugars and are also gently made to preserve fiber and vitamins.
Cheese Puffs
Ever noshed on cheesy or spicy corn puffs and was left with the well-known “spicy fingers” or “cheesy fingers” residue that doesn’t wash off? That might be the indicator those salty snacks have dyes. Considering that California is looking to ban artificially-dyed foods in public schools, the spotlight has opened up on natural and healthier alternatives to these types of snack foods.
Pipcorn’s Heirloom corn snacks are a great option for classic corn puffs. Their Fiery Hot Fries, for example, get their curb appeal by using paprika and annatto extracts. Their snacks are also Kosher, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO project verified and made with real cheese, making them a perfect candidate for popular dye-free snacks and beverages for the office.
Flavored Corn Chips
Though it isn’t always noticeable, artificial coloring can even be found in flavored corn chips. You might just have to look a little close to see. Even though synthesized components are extensively utilized in mass-produced snack foods to ensure consistency, branding, and product identification, many snack makers are heading the call for more natural options.
Late July chips are an organic and natural option for conventional types. They use organic and non-GMO ingredients, and offer a variety of gluten-free, vegan, and kosher offerings.
Snacks you might think have added dyes, but don’t!
Cheez Its
These snack crackers are bright as they are tangy. But their signature color actually comes from annatto extract, a natural food dye made from the seeds of the achiote tree. It grows in the tropics of Central and South America and is used to add a nutty taste. Annatto is widely used by cheese manufacturers to color cheese, and it is added directly into the cheese milk at the start of the cheese making process. Different concentrations are added depending on the cheese recipe and/or variety.
Annie s Mac n’ Cheese
There are no artificial flavors or synthetic colors in Annie’s Mac n’ Cheese. They use Certified USDA Organic ingredients, which includes organic Annatto. Where some major brands have been moving away from artificial dyes, Annie’s Organics have always dye free.
Calbee Harvest Snaps Green Pea Snacks
Green peas contain chlorophyll, the natural-occurring pigment responsible for their beautiful green color. And that’s all you’ll find in Harvest Crisps Green Pea Crisps. You won’t have to worry about Green 3 or Malachite Green.
Pocky Strawberry
The light and airy pink color of Pocky Strawberry comes from, you guessed it: Red Beet juice! Color from beet juice is widely used in the food industry because it’s cost-effective and globally sourced. This is great news since this is a popular snack among children and adults alike.
In conclusion, making the switch to naturally-colored, popular dye-free snacks and beverages for the office is a simple yet impactful way to enjoy delicious, eye-catching treats. Whether you’re reaching for nutrient-packed leathers, veggie chips, or dye-free beverages, these options not only brighten up your office pantry but also support better health and well-being. By choosing natural alternatives, you can satisfy your snack cravings while feeling good about what you’re eating. So next time you’re stocking up on office snacks, consider going the natural route—you might just discover a new favorite!
To find out more about our offerings or to book a tasting for your team, give us a shout here!
