My toddler nephew is obsessed with those 100-calorie cookie and snack packs.
My sister-in-law started buying them to take to work, but one day she got caught in a traffic jam and was forced to use them to calm down my screaming nephew, who wanted out of his carseat.
He’s been hooked ever since.
The word popular doesn’t do justice to the handy snack packs. They are everywhere! In fact, a recent survey found that there are more than 150 different kinds of snack packs on the market right now and last year their sales topped the $200 million mark.
Manufacturers tout them as a “safe” way to add some sweetness to your diet without sabotaging your weight loss goals. However, health experts warn that the colorful snacks are not all that they are cracked up to be.
According to the American Dietetic Association, those cute and crunchy snack packs are really nothing more than empty calories. Nutritionists point out that the cookies and crackers included in the tiny bags have very few nutrients.
Have you seen the snack packs?
They’re basically smaller, thinner versions of the originals. Only because of their size they don’t always satisfy a person’s craving—-young children included.
In many cases a child may end up eating two or three snack packs to fill up. In the end, the kid who was supposed to be eating a low-calorie snack winds up consuming 300 to 400 calories in a single sitting.
To make the most of a company’s attempt to market smaller portions, nutritionists say you must limit your child to one snack pack per day. Another suggestion is to combine the snack pack with fresh fruits and veggies and some milk.
On a personal note, I would suggest saving a ton of money by simply purchasing a regular size bag of crackers and portioning out a single serving for your tot. Place the serving into a Ziploc bag and stash one in the car or in your diaper bag. It’s just as convenient, but far less expensive than buying an entire box of snack packs.
Related Articles:
Fast Food Kids’ Meals—How Healthy Are They?
Kids And Juice—Are They A Healthy Mix?
Is There Such A Thing As A Healthy Hamburger?