Menu

Taking A Hard Look At Packaged Food

July 5, 2012   15 Comments

Snack Girl cruises around the supermarket looking for cute guys food to review. Lately, she has been having a problem.

Top Snack Food Reviews

After three long years on the snacking scene, I have bought, tasted, and wrote about many of the dominant brands. That’s right - it is becoming hard for me to find packaged food to review! Crazy.

What have I found? My conclusions are that “whole grain” is term that is very confusing and doesn’t usually denote a healthy food. Also, sugar is added in much larger quantities than are acceptable to me.

I have compiled a list of my favorite reviews so that you might save yourself some time at the grocery store. I have spent far too many hours staring at boxes trying to figure out the relative healthiness of snack food.

1. The New and Improved Wheat Thins

2. 3 Reasons to Avoid Ritz Crackers

3. Are Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers Healthy?

4. Natural Jif: What's The Dif?

5. Are Whole Grain Goldfish Healthier Than Regular Goldfish?

6. Belvita: A New Breakfast Biscuit From Nabisco

7. CLIF BAR Vs. SNICKERS: Are They BOTH Candy Bars?

8. When Multigrain Means.....Nothing

9. Which Favorite Snack has 35 Ingredients?

10. The Three Step Process That Will Solve Your Cereal Dilemma

Please share this list with people who get confused by labels and marketing claims.

What have I missed? Have any suggestions?


Other posts you might like:


Snapple Sorbet Fake

This Food Fake Is Shocking

Snapple is the reason that Snack Girl got into the blogging business. Three years ago, I found myself reading a label on one of their drinks and feeling misled by their marketing....


worstsnack2011bwb

Worst and Best Snack of 2011

Am I qualified to give out awards for the BEST and WORST snack of 2011? Probably not, but I'm going to do it anyway.....



Get Free Email Updates! Yes please!


15 Comments:

I love the comparissions. I had to read the about the Snickers and Clif Bar! Happy Thursday!!

Thanks a bunch for the info's. I shared it on facebook, twitter and I pinned it.

You missed your piece from way back (2009) on Lara Bars! It was a good one!

Hi

Can you look in to Barbara's Bakery original puffins?? I love these things...but wonder about them from a health perspective as a snack more than a cereal.

Thank you!

Thanks for those reminders! I just picked up Kashi TLC chewy granola bars. They taste just like the Nature Valley ones to me. Are they as bad? I really like these for a quick snack to tide me over till my next meal.

Hi Snackgirl,

Great points all of them. What is whole grain exactly? Well one version is wheatberries. Find them in your local Wholefoods or at a co-op. They make an awesome salad. Just treat them like rice and add nuts, sauteed peppers, raisins, and lots of other things to give a whole grain salad a bit of zest. Wheatberries are wheat that hasn't been processed. To prepare soak and then cook in water. They cost about $3 per lb depending on where you buy them and go a long, long way.

Thanks for the help! I eat Clif Bars a lot - today I had their smaller "crunch" granola bars before a spin class. The serving size was two smaller bars, for a total of 190 calories. I guess that's more than I needed.

What I'd like to see you review is this new "Cantina Bowl" at Taco Bell! I don't like Taco Bell myself, but they're trying to incorporate a healthier, fresher menu. I am wondering if that's even possible! And if so, is this new Cantina Bowl healthy or just a gimmick?

Hi Snackgirl! Thanks for these posts. I recently saw this new chip called "popcrisps" can you maybe review them? I'm dying to know if they're my new guiltless pleasure

when I was growing up [am 60 now] snacks weren't necessary, we were too busy playing! but if we got hungry between meals there was fruit, celery and carrots, raisons, nuts, etc. mostly we came to the dinner table with a healthy appetite and ate what was served! processed food is ALL junk! if snacks ARE SO NECESSARY, these items are just as portable. I raised my 2 on leftovers for snacks, or FRUIT, VEG STICKS, etc. too. It works! Today as adults, they eat a huge variety of food, mostly vegetarian choices, and RARELY a processed snack. So why not break this need for a processed snack that has been super-imposed on our diet and just, oh I dunno, eat whole nutritious food? :)

How about the many varieties and brands of tortillas? Low-carb? Whole grain?

Glad you have pointed out some of your favorite reviews. I missed some of these and I really got a kick out of your post - "Jif what's the dif"

Really interesting and I did not realize that the term "natural" is not regulated when used on labels.

I'm new to your site so I did a search for another kind of cracker that doesn't seem you've looked at: Finn Crisp and I prefer the caraway version. Though sadly my Winco no longer sells you can buy on-line.

2 slices - 40 cal, 0fat, o chol, 85 sodium, 10 carbs (I'm diabetic I count carbs not sugars), 3 fiber, 0 sugar, 1 protein. Ingred: whole grain rye flour, water, yeast, salt & caraway. One slice is about 3"x1" more than big enough to top with good stuff of your choice.

Is there a protein bar you would recommend. Going to Samoa with a medical mission team and need a quick pick me up .

Carol...I love the Think Thin protein bars.

20 grams of protein, zero sugar, 120 calories. Made with Stevia.

You can get them at Walmart, but it is cheaper to buy a box of 15 assorted flavors at Sams Club.

I LOVE your blog! I've never been this engaged in one like I am with yours.

This is a fantastic post and I am glad I came across it - I learned a lot. Thanks!


Add a comment:

(required)

(required, never published)



© 2024 Snack-Girl.com