Health Information

5. Regular Chips and Cheetos

Although the serving size listed on the package is 1 ounce, most of us snack on twice this amount. So that's what I'm using as the portion size. 

6. Packaged Frozen Snacks

They sure seem convenient, but the calorie and saturated fat cost is high. You'd be hard-pressed to find packaged frozen products that are low in sodium and made with whole grains and smart fats. In this product category, it's buyer beware!

7. Tyson Fun Nuggets

They may seem like a good snack choice because they're high in protein (14 grams). But there are ways to get your protein without all the extra fat, saturated fat and sodium.

8. Cheese Crackers

One serving (1 ounce) probably won't fill you up, since cheese crackers are low in water, volume, protein and fiber. So you’ll probably double the serving -- which means your snack now contains 300 calories, 18 or so grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat and 500 milligrams sodium. 

8 Healthy Snacks to Try Instead

1. Toasted 100% Whole-Wheat English Muffin with Peanut Butter

You'll find at least two brands of 100% whole-wheat English muffin (Oroweat and Thomas) in most supermarkets. Toasted and spread with some natural-style peanut butter (the type that just contains peanuts and a little salt), these make a satisfying snack with 10 grams protein and 5 grams of fiber.

2. Planters Nut*rition Nut Mixes (or similar)

Don’t let the 15 grams of fat per serving fool you. Most of these fat grams are from beneficial monounsaturated fats (8 to 9 grams) and polyunsaturated fats (3 to 5 grams). Each ounce also contains at least 5 grams of protein and plenty of healthful phytochemicals like phytosterols and lignans.

8 Healthy Snacks to Try Instead continued...

3. 94% Fat-Free Microwave Popcorn

When you're craving something crunchy, microwave popcorn can be a quick and easy snack solution. There are now some lighter options on the shelves. Even if you double the serving size listed on the label, it still only adds up to 240 calories, 4 grams fat, and 1 gram of saturated fat -- along with 8 grams of fiber.

4. Quick Microwave Nachos (Baked chips with beans and cheese)

This high-protein snack (14 grams) is easy to put together. Just put an ounce of baked tortilla chips in a microwave-safe bowl and dot the top with small spoonfuls of the refried beans, right out of the can. Sprinkle some hot sauce or salsa over the top, along with a little shredded cheese. Pop in microwave for 30 seconds or so to heat the beans and melt the cheese. Jazz it up by adding chopped tomato, green onions, and a dollop of fat-free sour cream if you like.

5. Quesadillas

A quesadilla is quick to fix in the microwave or over the stove. If you use a whole-wheat or whole-grain tortilla and reduced-fat cheese, you'll get plenty of protein and fiber (12 grams protein; 8 grams fiber) for hunger-satisfying power. You can customize your quesadilla by adding nutrient-rich vegetables such as tomatoes, chopped green onions, peppers, or avocado.

6. Lower-Sugar Snack Bars

There are lots of types of snack bars out there, from bars made with granola or nuts or coated in chocolate or yogurt. Most contain plenty of sugar (usually about 12 grams), but there are a few (with 6 grams of sugar per bar) that dare to emphasize nuts instead of sweetness. Note that the grams of fat will be high due to the heart-smart fats found in the nuts.

7. Fun-to-Eat Frozen Vegetables

Vegetables can be fun to eat, like frozen edamame (green soybeans) from the pod. Just heat in the microwave (you can also serve them cold), open up the pods and snack away at the green soybeans inside. They're low in calories and packed with fiber and protein (8 grams fiber, 10 grams protein). If you're hankering for a potato-based snack, the frozen steak fries are usually the lowest in calories, fat, and saturated fat because they have a higher ratio of potato to crispy exterior.