Packaged

One holy grail of healthy snack foods is the healthy cookie. A tasty cookie, that has natural ingredients, and won't make you fat is a beautiful thing.... read more

Snack Girl never stops searching for healthy snacks. Even on vacation, she tirelessly hunts down tasty treats!.... read more

There is an entire portion of an aisle in your supermarket devoted to "fruit snacks". If you don't have kids, you might have missed it.... read more

Back in March, I wrote Candy or Breakfast? Evaluate Your Cereal and since then I have been on a search for cereals that pass my, "Healthy or Crappy Cereal Test" (patent pending :)... read more

Snack Girl's search for healthy crackers never ends. I am always looking for that holy grail of a packaged snack that is also good for you.... read more

A bottle of juice (Minute Maid Juice) inspired the creation of Snack Girl. The ingredient list was a shock to me after I had willingly purchased this drink for my daughter. read more

A few weeks ago, I wrote How To Choose Healthy Peanut Butter. People wrote and thanked me for this review, but then they wanted to know about the jelly.... read more

When you see "Veggie" in the title, you want it to be a healthy snack! Hey, I'm eating my veggies, mom!.... read more

It is not easy to combine the words "chocolate" and "100 calories" in the same sentence. While Dark Chocolate is nutritious, you have to be careful with the quantities.... read more

This blueberry muffin seems like an innocuous food. But, lurking in its floury depths lies a painful truth.... read more

There is one great perk to being Snack Girl: free chips. Of course, this isn't so great since I am trying to lose weight (see week 7). I DO love to try new things.... read more

What could be wrong about an entire mango in a bottle of juice? What if there was no added sugar but just non-GMO fruit mixed in a bottle for your healthy consumption?... read more

Peanut butter is a great addition to a healthy snack. Spreading it on Apples or crackers is an excellent way to add fat and protein (and taste!) to a dull food.... read more

Snack Girl is probably the last person on the planet to discover that McDonald's has yummy salads. I don't get out much.... read more

I was first introduced to these bars on a tour of a supermarket with a nutritionist. "THESE are great bars!", she said. I was skeptical.... read more

The convenience of yogurt in a tube is phenomenal. No need for spoons and SO easy to pack make GoGurts a potential healthy choice for parents looking for something fun to add to lunch boxes.... read more

It is not a secret that Snack Girl LOVES chips. I have tried a number of them for the site, and my favorite has been Baked Lays. Move on over Baked Lays - a NEW chip is in town.... read more

Snack Girl has begun to receive many products and books for review on the website. If I don't like something, I usually just don't mention it - why be negative? There is so much negativity in the world!... read more

The largest market for energy drinks, such as RockStar, RedBull, and Monster is between the ages of 12 and 24 years old. These drinks feature caffeine and sugar. read more

What the world needs is some serious KINDness. Okay, that doesn't seem realistic - but you could pick up KIND at your local convenience store!... read more

How would you like a cracker that just oozes health? A cracker that makes you think, "Hey, this is really good for me!!" read more

Snack Girl has spent A LOT of time in the cereal aisle looking for a great choice for Snack Girl readers. It isn't easy to find a cereal that passes the Candy or Breakfast? Evaluate Your Cereal test... read more

Allergy season is in full swing, and most of us are feeling it. At a recent trip to Barnes & Nobles, I thought a clerk was crying before I realized he was just an allergy sufferer!... read more

Snack Girl recently hosted a guest post on Tostitos that created a lot of controversy. It even generated an invitation to visit a Frito-Lay facility (hurray!).... read more

SUBWAY Veggie Delight has become the poster sandwich for a healthy fast food choice. The ingredients include a 9 grain wheat bread, veggies, and a non-fat dressing.... read more

Drink manufacturers know that Soda is harming many people. They want to help you end your Soda addiction with a bunch of new flavored and low calorie alternatives.... read more

The inspiration for Snack-Girl was a bottle of juice. That juice was one that my 3 year old daughter chose from a cooler in a convenience store... read more

Why is it that something with a wrapper is preferable to a a whole food such as Apples? One of the reasons processed food sells so well is that an apple doesn't have a gold wrapper around it.... read more

Pizza can be a great snack. Snack-Girl has featured Mini Mini Pizzas and English Muffin Pizza as a way to get your pizza fix for less calories.... read more

Given the state of manufactured food in this country (think Twinkies), it can be difficult to trust that you can find something healthy and packaged. Snack-Girl is ALWAYS on the lookout for food that makes life easier and is good for you.... read more

Snack-Girl has become a cereal magnet now that she starting writing about breakfast.The best part of this new development is that yummy things show up on my doorstep.... read more

The results of this duo are not unprotected sex, but unwanted pounds. This terrifying image will probably haunt you all day long... read more

Can a potato chip be magical? If you could wave a wand and do something to a chip - what would it be?... read more

The longest aisle in the supermarket is the breakfast cereal aisle. It seems to stretch forever with boxes of so many colors and sizes. How is a person to choose the healthy option?... read more

Snack-Girl has been on the hunt for yogurt that makes her heart flutter. A yogurt so good that she wouldn't even miss ice cream. Is it possible?... read more

The search for a great cracker has ended with an entry from Texas. Organic and artisan-baked, these crackers are better than anything I have tried in a LONG time.... read more

When we dream of the perfect salty snack we tend to think of Potato Chips. Dah-duh-duh-dah! Snack-Girl to the rescue!... read more

The yogurt choices in the supermarket seem infinite. They seem to be only surpassed by cereal with all the crazy flavors and brands. After posting Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt, Snack-Girl has been on the hunt for a great yogurt choice.... read more

After taking on Ritz Crackers, I decided to look into other brands of crackers. Kashi crackers really SCREAMED to me from the supermarket shelf. 8g Whole Grains!.... read more

Some of my readers make pizza dough, tomato sauce, dice vegetables, grate cheese, own a pizza stone, and create amazing pies in their oven. Thank you for reading Snack-Girl, Martha Stewart.... read more

I'm locking my doors tonight in case the people from Nabsico try to take their revenge. Why, Snack-Girl, do you need to mess with an American icon?... read more

Is there a food out there that can explode with taste and also fight cancer? The obvious answer is berries, but the fresh ones are pretty pricey.... read more

What if you could create the chocolate of your dreams in a few easy steps? What would you add to your chocolate if you had a ton of different flavors at the tips of your fingers?.... read more

I really appreciate Snack-Girl readers, and am thrilled when someone suggests something that I need to review. Crystal wrote me a very nice e-mail admonishing me for leaving these veggie goodies off the site. So, today, I will fix this situation.... read more

Ice cream is a dreamy concoction. It tastes best when you make it yourself right out of the ice cream maker. But, who has time to make it? The supermarket seems to have an endless aisle of choices to answer our craving.... read more

I REALLY want to like these. I think Nabisco's concept of helping people with portion size is a good one. And 100 calories is an excellent snack goal.... read more

Yoplait is ubiquitous and has a very healthy (and European) image. But, you can't judge a book by its cover.... read more

I know what is stopping me from losing the tire of chub that sits on my belly. Baked goods.... read more

Dear Snack-Girl Readers, I receive snacks from manufacturers to review for this site. I always put a line at the bottom of the review to indicate that status.... read more

Do you have time to cut up an apple or peel and slice a carrot? No? Well, join the club. Every day, I get up, run to my fridge and start chopping (in my dreams).... read more

Diets that advise you to stop eating Potato Chips and start eating Celery Sticks are asking too much! Celery Sticks , while crunchy, do not taste anything like a potato chips.... read more

The holy grail for healthy packaged snacking is finding a snack with fewer than 5 ingredients. The Lara Bar fits this definition well.... read more

Replacing your "junk food" chocolate with a nutritious chocolate is a way to give yourself a luxurious treat you deserve.... read more

How can you eat healthy without spending a lot of time or money? This is a vexing question because most of us are limited in either money or time (and most likely - both).... read more

Do you have time to sit and peel a fresh mango every time you want a snack? No? Well, I'm sure you are in the majority.... read more

If you drink soda, you could lose over 15 pounds by just giving it up. Any doctor will tell that giving up soda cold turkey will lead to a dramatic reduction in your weight.... read more

Hidden in the "Asian" section of your supermarket is a papery substance that is food. My package actually proclaims that the company that makes the stuff has been in business since 1690.... read more

There is a snack that earns Frito-Lay around $600 million a year. The multiple flavors of this chip and colors of the packages are incredibly enticing.... read more

Sitting on the shelf with all the bright colored Fritos and Doritos is the lowly pretzel.... read more

They look so delicious floating in the air. They are the perfect cookie. They have lots of chips, and they are symmetrically round. BUT... read more

Rewarding your child with a treat is a wonderful thing to do. A parent usually assumes that something that has a rabbit on a label is safe for their child.... read more

Bear Fruit Bars do not occur in nature, but they are made of natural ingredients. They are made by a small, family run company called Mountain Organic Foods.... read more

Most of us don't think of milk as a sports drink. The drink aisle abounds with neon colors of Gatorade and Powerade to entice us to recharge after and during exercise.... read more

In 2005, 16.4 billion dollars were spent on potato chips globally. Potato chips captured a third of all "salty snack" spending for that year.... read more

These lovely jewels come in a box covered with photos of fruit. You will probably be surprised by the common ingredient list of this type of product.... read more

Are Cheetos nutritious? No, the cheese part does not make them nutritious. They are filled with salt, processed cheese, and corn... read more

What would it take to be the worst snack in America? There are facts - calories, ingredients, etc. - then there is the more subjective factor: taste.... read more

Baked snap peas are mashed green peas shaped into a pea shape and baked with oil and salt. They have the same calories per ounce as potato chips.... read more

Also known as string cheese, this cheese stick is an example of a packaged snack that is good for you... read more

Wasabi peas are fried peas with a mustard sauce on them. They go great with beer and are a great replacement for Doritos or Fritos... read more

PowerBar is for performance athletes. Picture Lance Armstrong eating one on his bicycle. Amateur athletes that ride miles on their bicycles every day will bring a Power Bar to consume.... read more

Pre-packaged popcorn is healthier than potato chips but more expensive and less healthy than popping it yourself... read more

These lovely little crackers hail from Japan. Are they bad for you?.... read more

Can you have a treat that is also nutritious? Absolutely. There is no reason why you need to chose a food that lacks nutrients to get a great treat. read more

Hey, wait a minute! Almost 600 calories in a bag of Fritos??!! That is ludicrous. Yeah, it is. Maybe YOU will be able to stop yourself from eating the entire bag. read more

The stick of jerky photographed here is actually not beef. I was shocked to discover that I had purchased a stick of jerky made with pork and something called "mechanically separated chicken". Okayyy. read more

The Hostess website claims that there is a person in Florida who eats 4 Hostess cupcakes a day. So, at 680 calories, I hope she is replacing a meal with them (cupcakes for breakfast anyone?).... read more

"Eat. Spit. Be Happy." says DAVID, a manufacturer of sunflower seeds. I can't agree more. If not for the fact that I've been trying to teach my children not to spit, these would be a perfect snack. read more

What can I say that hasn't been said? These little snack cakes are the definition of junk food. They are so hard not to love. And they sell 500 million of them a year. read more

It sounds so great doesn't it? Veggie Chips! I can have vegetables AND chips. Woo-hoo! Yeah.... read more

Aren't they so cute? Those little bears dressed in sweet colors are a very fun treat. I like these because they don't pretend to be something that they are not, like "fruit snacks". These are candy, plain and simple. read more

If you choose sugar free gum, or close to it, you have a snack that won't wreck your teeth or your waistline. You can stop the desire to put something fattening in your mouth and it can be a pretty good experience. As long as you are not hungry, chewing gum is a good alternative to food.... read more

What can I say? This one is tough (ha!), shoe leather tough in fact. I bought this package to review for Snack Girl and I literally can't eat it. This has got to be one of the first that I find myself totally unable to swallow or chew.... read more

Pork rinds are (mysteriously) not that bad a snack. George W. Bush, near the beginning of his presidency said that they were his favorite snack, and sales shot up. read more

I don't think anyone can hide from the fact that snack cakes are junk food. I wish it wasn't true because they can be truly tasty. read more

"Snickers Really Satisfies" goes their marketing jingle. I think that the company that makes them (Mars Bars) wants to remind you that they have peanuts in them, and that they will stop your hunger. read more

Graham crackers can be pretty yummy. There are a lot of different brands but they all average out to be about the same for calories... read more

Wait a minute, these are supposed to be healthy! Do you really consider these a treat? read more

Why do I recommend salami? Well first of all, the taste is very strong. If you have a few thin slices for a snack, you probably won't be able to eat much more. read more

Mallomars are a weird Northeastern United States phenomenon. If you have not lived in New York or New Jersey, you may have never seen one. read more

Oreos are America's favorite cookies. They are truly delicious. The dark bitter chocolate outside and the creamy inside are world famous.... read more

I have to admit my love of sparkling water. I just love those little bubbles.... read more

Why is dark chocolate good for you? Most people don't realize that dark chocolate is derived from plants.... read more

Is this a snack or a meal? Well, I think many people would still feel hungry if you had just a cup of noodles for lunch, so I think it is a snack.... read more

When I go the movie theater, I am always enticed by the candy in the brightly lit case. Now that I have kids, I see how their low position makes it almost impossible to avoid buying a package of candy for $3.75. Ouch..... read more

Aren't they lovely? A cousin to M&M's, Peanut M&M's sit there in the candy aisle with the yellow wrapper.... read more

If you like crackers, Triscuits (or whole wheat baked snack crackers) are for you. They are salty and crunchy and great alternative to the higher fat alternatives such as potato chips or Doritos.... read more

Just look at those M&M's. So beautiful, sparkling in the light. The amazing colors and the smell of them make my mouth water. They are so cute aren't they?... read more

Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays because I usually receive a box of chocolates. There is something so luxurious about the box, little wrappers, smell and shiny brown morsels inside.... read more