Banana Little Bites are a snack made by Yoplait, a yogurt company owned by General Mills. They were first introduced in the early 2000s as a portable, bite-sized snack made with real fruit puree.
History of Banana Little Bites
Yoplait launched Banana Little Bites in 2001 as part of their new line of fruit snacks. They were marketed as a healthy, on-the-go snack for kids and adults. The early marketing focused on the portability, fun shapes, and real fruit ingredients.
The original Banana Little Bites came in a resealable pouch with bite-sized pieces in fun animal shapes like monkeys, elephants, and tigers. Each pouch contained about 4-5 servings of the soft, chewy fruit snacks.
The snacks were made with real banana puree, giving them a soft, sweet banana flavor. Yoplait emphasized this use of real fruit ingredients as a selling point to appeal to parents looking for healthier snacks for their kids.
Over the years, Yoplait expanded the Banana Little Bites line to introduce new flavors and varieties:
- 2002 – Added Strawberry Little Bites
- 2003 – Launched Banana Split Little Bites swirled with strawberry puree
- 2004 – Introduced Tropical Little Bites with mango and pineapple flavors
- 2006 – Launched limited edition Orange Cream Little Bites
The handy pouches and fun shapes made Banana Little Bites a popular choice for lunchboxes and snacks on-the-go. Yoplait continued marketing them as a nutritious, tasty snack for kids through the 2000s and 2010s.
Ingredients in Banana Little Bites
The main ingredients in Banana Little Bites are:
- Banana puree – Provides banana flavor and sweetness.
- Sugar – Adds sweetness.
- Modified corn starch – Helps create the soft, chewy texture.
- Fruit pectin – Assists with gelling and thickening.
- Natural flavors – Enhance the fruit flavors.
- Citric acid – Provides some tartness.
- Coconut oil – Adds moisture.
- Carnauba wax – Gives sheen and helps hold shape.
- Coloring – Provides yellow color.
So while Banana Little Bites do contain real banana puree, they also have added sugars and thickeners to achieve the right snack-like texture. They provide a sweet banana taste in a fun, portable form.
Nutrition Facts for Banana Little Bites
Here are the nutrition facts for a 1.5oz (42g) pouch of Banana Little Bites:
| Calories | 140 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 1g |
| Sodium | 25mg |
| Total Carbs | 29g |
| Sugars | 18g |
| Protein | 0g |
As you can see, the main nutrients in Banana Little Bites are carbohydrates and sugar. The sugar content is quite high since there are added sugars alongside the natural sugar in the banana puree. The snacks provide 140 calories per pouch, so they can add up if eating multiple pouches.
Where to Buy Banana Little Bites
Banana Little Bites can be found in the snack aisle at most major grocery stores in the U.S. They are sold at retailers like:
- Walmart
- Target
- Kroger
- Publix
- Safeway
- Costco
- Sam’s Club
- Amazon
The snacks typically come in multipacks of 4-8 pouches per box. Popular sizes are the 6oz pouches with 4 packs and the 1.5oz pouches with 8 pack. Banana Little Bites cost around $2-4 per box on average.
Alternatives to Banana Little Bites
Some alternatives to consider if looking for similar portable banana snacks include:
- Squeezables Fruit Pouches – These contain pure blended fruit like banana.
- Banana Chips – Dried sliced bananas make for a crunchy snack.
- Rice Cakes with Banana – Topped with banana slices for a lower-sugar snack.
- Frozen Bananas – Can blend and freeze peeled bananas for a homemade version.
- Banana Smoothies – Blend bananas with milk and yogurt for a drinkable snack.
Conclusion
Banana Little Bites first emerged in 2001 as part of Yoplait’s push into portable, kid-friendly fruit snacks. While they contain real banana puree, they also have added sugars and thickeners to achieve their soft, chewy texture. The bites provide a sweet banana flavor in a convenient bite-sized pouch. Banana Little Bites grew into a popular yogurt snack through the 2000s and remain widely available today in grocery stores across the U.S. They offer a grab-and-go banana snack, though do contain sugars and other additives. For alternatives, pouches, chips, or homemade frozen options can also deliver portable banana flavor.