Many people generally think that snacking is a bad thing.

But according to Ellen Chan, 29, CEO and Founder of Joy Pantry, this is not true. She explained, “Many people feel that snacking is bad and fattening but a nutritionist or personal trainer will tell you that it is very important to snack regularly.”

She continued “The reason is because snacking between meals can help to regulate your energy and keep your metabolism running. But many people snack on the wrong types of food – usually out of convenience and pleasure. Hence, there is a misconception that snacking is bad.”

So Chan feels that Singaporeans just need to be introduced to the correct snacks – to stay healthy. She explained, “The moment that more Singaporeans are exposed to the proper types of snacks, they will be able to indulge in the pleasure of snacking while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Tips for healthy snacking

So what tips does Chan have, on healthy snacking? She said, “The key to a healthy lifestyle is not to stop snacking, but to snack smartly. Do not wait till you are too hungry to eat snacks – as you will end up overeating or overindulging in high-sugar treats.”

She added, “Instead, snack on healthy snacks like natural fruit chips or multigrain tortillas when you start to feel hungry or low on energy.”

An easy way to access healthy snacks in Singapore 

That is also where Chan’s Joy Pantry comes in – to help Singaporeans snack smartly.

A new concept in food delivery, Joy Pantry prides themselves on providing their customers with an “incredible snacking experience.”

They also have a rather interesting business model. Joy Pantry is a food subscription e-commerce website that offers monthly snack box subscriptions that are delivered right to the doorsteps of their customers. Each of Joy Pantry’s snack boxes comprise of about eight to ten wholesome, healthy and organic snacks which are organic, gluten-free, natural and non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms).

Said Chan, “This idea originated from me. I have always wanted to eat healthy but do not have access to many healthy snacks in Singapore. Even when we did have access to such snacks, the prices were too expensive.”

She added, “And office pantries in Singapore tend to stock the sugar-laden and unhealthy snacks. This resulted in me and my co-founder to come up with Joy Pantry to provide people with access to a variety of healthy snacks at an adorable price – and to help people snack smartly.”

Snacks do not contain any harmful preservatives or chemicals

The type of snacks in the boxes include nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, baked chips, crackers and organic teas. According to Joy Pantry, the snacks in the boxes are seasonal and many of them tend to be quite hard to find in Singapore.

Added Chan, “The snacks are delivered to customers within one to two weeks upon their arrival in Singapore. The snacks have a healthy shelf life and are stored at room temperature away from heat – for example, organic candies and chocolates usually melt very fast as they do not contain harmful preservatives or chemicals that increase their shelf life. Hence we always ensure that there is proper temperature control over our snacks before delivering them to customers.”

What do the snacks taste like?

Joy Pantry delivered a box of their snacks to my house recently, for me to try. This box comprised of eight different types of healthy snack foods. These were as follows.

• Garden of Eatin’ Blue Chips Corn Tortilla
• Pure Organic Banana Coconut Bar
• Gullon DietNature Sugar Free Vanilla Wafers
• GoOrganic Assorted Fine Candies
• Eden Organic Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
• Gourmet Creme De Pirouline Chocolate
• Crispy Green Mangoes
• Super Apple, Strawberry & Guava Fruit Blend

My favourite was probably the Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. These were fresh and crunchy. The chips were also not too salty and at the same time, did not overpower my taste buds. They are a light snack, meaning that these are good to munch on in the mid-mornings or mid-afternoons when you feel peckish – they will satisfy those hunger pangs without completely ruining your appetite at the same time.

The crispy green mangoes were quite nice to eat and I think they will be a great healthy snack for those who have a sweet tooth. Though the mangoes didn’t have a lot of flavour, they had a tinge of sweetness and provided a crunchy texture, and at the same time, contain only 40 calories for every 10g serving – which is actually much more substantial than it appears to be at first glance.

Lovers of spicy foods will find that the Spicy Pumpkin Seeds are very suited to their taste buds. Low in sodium and rich in fibre, protein, magnesium, iron and zinc, these are healthy and contain plenty of flavours. The spiciness hits you immediately though, when you pop a few seeds into your mouth, and then later a mild, salty flavour kicks in. After consuming a 1oz (28.3g) serving, you will feel satisfied but not completely stuffed at the same time.

Made with natural, Kosher and artisan rolled wafer biscuits, together with chocolate cream, the Gourmet Creme De Pirouline Chocolate reminded me of a healthier version of the well-known Julie’s chocolate love letters snacks that many households typically take out during the Chinese New Year season.

Overall Comments

After eating my way through the Joy Pantry box, I think that there is definitely a good variety of healthy snacks to suit all types of taste buds in the boxes. And at the same time, you won’t feel bad about snacking either.

Subscriptions to Joy Pantry snack boxes start from SGD17.95, inclusive of tax and delivery charges. For snacks that you particularly enjoy, these can also be ordered online from Joy Pantry in larger quantities.

For more information about Joy Pantry and to get yourself a snack box, you can check out their website at https://joypantry.com.