Today’s post is written by Registered Dietician, Allison Stowell, MS, RD, CDN on behalf of Guiding Stars.

I truly believe that the right snacks can make or break your day. Go too long between meals and you are probably going to overeat …choose a poor snack and you will likely have the same result (plus 100 calories or so).

But choose the right snack and you create a nutritious bridge from meal to meal that sustains you, controls hunger, appetite, fatigue and even mood. The Guiding Stars star-rated snack suggestions below are ideal because they include carbohydrate, protein and fat, which is a combination that will leave you satisfied. They are also great for your next summer trip as they fit into a small bag or drink cooler.

Here are 10 healthy snacks for summer travel that all earn Guiding Stars:

1. Non-fat plain Greek yogurt:  Pack single serving portions in a cooler. Enjoy as-is, topped with nuts and dried fruit, add honey for a sweet fruit dip or sprinkle in ranch seasoning for a veggie dip.
2. Peanut Butter on whole wheat Goldfish® Bread: A fun twist on an oldie but goodie.
3. Kashi Go Lean Caramel Peanut Roll:  With a whopping 12 grams of protein, this satisfying snack will fill you up for less than 200 calories
4. Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Packs:  A pre-portioned pack of heart healthy, “great-for-you” guacamole. Pair with baby carrots for a very “starry” snack!
5. Brothers-All-Natural Disney Freeze-Dried Pineapple Fruit Crisps: An easy-to-pack, portable serving of fruit
6. Calbee Original Flavor Baked Snapea Crisps: A flavorful veggie snack that offers five grams of protein per serving
7. Almond 100 Calorie packs: Perfect if you need a little help knowing when to stop!
8. Eatsmart Naturals White Cheddar Cheese Multigrain Cheese Puffs:  Gluten-free, whole grain and made with the “right” fat
9. Blue Bran Vita Muffin:  Pack one of these frozen muffins and it should be defrosted and ready to enjoy just about the time you are looking for your three o’clock coffee and a “something.” Only 100 calories and packed with 50% of your daily needs for vitamin A, vitamin C and iron and four grams of protein.
10. Fruitabu Fruit Leathers: These all natural fruit snacks provide a half-serving of fruit in each bar!

Here are some additional travel snack tips and recipes:

Trail mix: With so many healthful options, trail mix is a great summer snack. Combine healthful fats, such as pumpkin seeds with dry roasted, unsalted nuts (such as peanuts, almonds, cashews and walnuts) or unique proteins like roasted edamame. Lastly, add dried fruit and whole grain cereal…and skip chocolate, which can melt in the car! Mix all the ingredients in a big zip-loc bag and then scoop into snack size bags for portion control.

Smoothies: There is no better, more refreshing way in the summer to load up on nutrients than with a smoothie! Blend together wholesome ingredients like 0% plain Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, 100% juice and ground flaxseed (for “good-for-you” omega fatty acids). Pour into a chilled to-go cup and you have a fast, satisfying snack that combines several food groups!

Nutty sandwiches: Summer is a good time to get “nutty” with your sandwiches, as nut butters don’t require refrigeration. Begin with 100% whole grain bread and then top with your favorite nut butters (such as peanut, almond or cashew). Then add sliced banana, apple, raisins or a bit of reduced sugar all-fruit spread. Nut-free? No problem, simply use soy-nut butter or sunflower butter instead.

Bars, Bars, Bars: There are so many different energy bars available at the super market. They make great go-to snacks and can hold you over well between meals- especially on a long road trip! Aim for bars that are high in protein and provide the “right” mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Steer clear of those that appear to provide mostly sugar or are too high in calories (above 200 calories).

Fruit: A refreshing and quick snack, summer fruits are great snacks that give you a little boost between meals. They add important color, vitamins and antioxidants to your day. If possible, add a cheese stick for better balance.

Protein shakes or vitamin/mineral powders: Bring a packet of protein powder mix or similar product and mix with skim milk while you are on the road. The result is a drink that can offer a variety of vitamins and minerals and protein to add nutritional benefit to your day.

At the gas station convenience store: What should you do if you are on the road in the summer and don’t have a good snack packed? Believe it or not, you can refuel at the gas station too! Many of these little shops sell low-fat yogurt, cheese sticks, energy bars or small bags of trail mix. Some even have a deli in them now! Just use your label reading skills and pass on the foods that offer too many calories without enough wholesome fat and protein.

Leave a comment or question below and we’ll see if we can get Allison to answer or chime in!

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We’ve got a special treat for you today.

We recently interviewed Allison J. Stowell MS, RD, CDN, who is a Registered Dietician and part of the Guiding Stars team.  Guiding Stars is a new website that gives you an objective food-rating system which uses a scientific algorithm to show you which foods are most nutritious.  From their About Page: "The more nutritional value a food has, the more Guiding Stars it receives. If a food doesn’t receive a star – it means it doesn’t meet our rigorous criteria."

We asked Allison to tell us about Guiding Stars and to give us a few insider tips for healthy snacks for the summer and for taking on long car rides with kids.

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO RECORDING OF THE INTERVIEW HERE:

READ THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW HERE:

Lauren: Hi I’m Lauren from The Healthy Snack Blog and today I have with me Allison Stowell, a registered dietician on behalf of Guiding Stars. Allison, hi.

Allison: Hi. Thank you for having me.

Lauren: You’re welcome, thank you for taking the time to come talk today. So I want to talk to you about healthy snacks for travelling which is definitely an important issue because kids get cranky enough as it is on long car trips and then on top of that if they’re hungry it’s going to be a lot worse for everybody and you also don’t want the adults to get hungry and the person driving, you want everyone to have a lot of energy and be excited for their destination. So first let’s start with some general, what are important considerations to keep in mind when deciding on healthy snacks to bring with you?

Allison: Yes, again I definitely appreciate what you’re saying, undoubtedly having good snacks on hand can make or break any experience, particularly a long car ride with children. I think one of the things that is most important to first consider when putting together a healthy snack is that it’s balanced. It’s very easy to find a snack that’s going to have carbohydrates in it or some sugar component to it because so many snacks begin as, you know granola bar or crackers or something that innately has some sugar to it. But the part that we really want to look for is protein because that’s what’s going to sustain us, sustain our children and keep them from continuing to ask “What else did you pack, what else did you pack.”

Lauren: Can you explain the Guiding Star’s Rating Program?

Allison: Yeah of course. So the Guiding Star’s Rating Program helps shoppers in the grocery store shop fast but shop healthfully at the same time and also keep their dollar in mind so that they’re spending their money on foods that they know that they want to feed their family that are going to nourish them. It’s based on science that looks at and rates all the foods that are presented to you in the store and then based on that rating can identify which foods are going to give you the most nutrition. And when you’re actually looking at the labels it’s very easy to identify because there’s a star rating and as you go from 1 to 2 to 3 Guiding Stars you’re getting more vitamins and minerals and fiber and whole grains and less of the unhealthy fats that we’re trying to avoid like saturated fat and trans fat and cholesterol, less fat itself, and less added sugar. So it’s very helpful when you’re in the store and you’re looking at a category, say for example granola bars like I mentioned earlier, it’s very easy to identify which are earning stars and then know that you’re picking out the best one out of that category for your family. And it’s important to know that if your local store doesn’t have a Guiding Stars in it that the website, guidingstars.com, has a great food finder where you can enter foods that you have and see how they scale against their competitors and whether they earn stars or not.

Lauren: That’s really helpful, that’s great because it’s a little overwhelming when you’re in the supermarket and there’s so many brands and you’re standing there reading nutrition labels, comparing and trying to figure out should I be worried about all the sugar in this one and this, that and the other. It’s nice to have a system that makes it easy for you.

Allison: Yeah undoubtedly. Especially at the end of a long day or something like that when you’re in a rush.

Lauren: Yeah and you’re really hungry and you just want to get your food and just go home.

Allison: Yeah exactly.

Lauren: So can you recommend some travel snacks that are great for summer and that would rate well with the Guiding Stars system?

Allison: Yeah of course. Things that are prepackaged that you could find in the store very easily would be things like nuts, which are so simple and easy to pack and don’t require refrigeration. That’s great. Other things like Kashi granola bars. They have a high protein content, those granola bars, and they’re made with wholesome ingredients and they are Guiding Star rated. Something as simple as peanut butter on whole wheat bread is going to earn Guiding Stars and then they’re a really easy thing to pack as well.

Lauren: Yeah and it won’t be too messy because it’s contained in a sandwich.

Allison: Yes.

Lauren: What other considerations do you have to keep in mind when you’re planning snacks for the car? Like we talked about it being messy but you don’t want anything that’s messy. What other things do you have to keep in mind, besides it being healthy, you need it to be travel friendly.

Allison: Yeah, definitely and especially in the summer time food safety is always a concern, but there’s no question that in the summer when you’re in a hot car that concern is definitely higher. So if it’s anything that you ordinarily would refrigerate in your home, I highly recommend bringing a cooler pack and some good ice packs in there to keep it cold in the car as well. And that counts for yogurt, which are a nice protein for our children so we want to keep those refrigerated. Cheese sticks, anything cream-based really. And then of course even if you’re packing fruit, depending on if you have the space it will preserve it longer and keep it more refreshing if you have it cold.

Lauren: That’s true. And I guess even if the apple slices turn a little bit brown that doesn’t mean its gone bad, right. Though it won’t be very appetizing for the kids.

Allison: Yeah of course. There’s actually pre-sliced apple slices now in your produce sections of most grocery stores that are nothing that you can taste or notice but they do keep them from going brown and that’s a definite go to in my house. Just to be able to pair that with some cheese or something like that is a good tool.

Lauren: That’s a good idea. Then you don’t have to go to all the trouble of slicing the apples and then packing them up in little bags for the trip. I know for me I have a hard enough time deciding what to wear, and bring. I have to pack my suitcase and then packing your kids clothes. I think remembering to pack snacks at the last minute can be the last thing on your mind.

Allison: Right.

Lauren: And then for things that don’t need to be refrigerated there’s still some stuff that, although it doesn’t need to be refrigerated can still get kind of messy or sticky. Like the granola bars, like the ones with chocolate coatings can get pretty messy. Are there any specific kinds that you recommend that you think are a little neater for cars?

Allison: Yeah, definitely. I appreciate what you’re saying. Well certainly I think, I try to avoid with the trail mix, with trail mixes that I pack or granola bars that I pack or anything, I try to avoid chocolate coatings or mini chocolate chips in them or anything that can fall apart like that. The good news is, kid’s cereal for example, the more healthful cereals and the better for you cereals are not sticky because they’re not sugar coated. That kind of works for you in both ways. Even something like raisins, or when you bring fruit, if that’s a concern for some people. There’s some great freeze dried options now. There’s a brand, Brother’s All Natural, that’s even packaging them individual packaging if that’s helpful to some parents, that have freeze dried pineapple crisps and pears and apples and those are so dry and they’re very simple and easy and clean to eat in the car without too much concern. The same thing would go for juice, which is just another reason to encourage water, which is what we really want our kids drinking more of anyways.

Lauren: That’s true, you don’t want to get dehydrated on a long trip too. Then again you don’t want them to drink too much because then you’ll be stopping every five minutes.

Allison: That’s right.

Lauren: I’m really mean in the car, I don’t want anyone to ever stop. I’m like ‘let’s wait until we get there for lunch, let’s wait’ because part of the fun is having lunch at the destination. But I guess if you’re really hungry ahead of time you can stop. But what if you don’t pack snacks? Is there anything you can get, something on the road at a gas station or is there something you can recommend that you can buy on the run.

Allison: Yeah absolutely. I think that even the little marts at gas stations have done a lot to provide interesting options in there. You can pick up yogurt at those establishments, you can get trail mix, you can get granola bars. You certainly can find yourself; you can make some bad choices there as well. But there’s a lot of things that you can pick up that are going to be not so bad for you choices. You know at the end of the day what’s most important is the balance you create for your family from the beginning to the end. And you’re going to always do the best you can in the moment. And I think what matters most is just a quick look-over of the nutrition label if you can if you’re in those places or looking for brands that you recognize in the store, and certainly with granola bars and yogurts you’re likely to be able to do that in those places.

Lauren: That’s a good thing to keep in mind because I feel like if you’re in a long car ride and you see a Dunkin Donuts drive thru you might be tempted to say ‘oh it’s the only thing I’m going to find so I guess I can indulge in something’ but if you just remember that the gas station probably will have some stuff too, not just those nasty packaged Danishes and stuff but they’ll probably have all the regular brands of granola bars probably or some brands of yogurt.

Allison: Yeah sure. Many of them, especially if they’re in touristy areas, maybe they’ll even have some grocery items there like small jars of peanut butter and some things like that. And when you do end up at fast food places or things like that, it’s worth checking out the menu and seeing what you can pick and choose and how you can maybe make the best of whatever situation you’re in. I think they’re trying to do a better job, some of them fall short.

Lauren: What should you keep in mind when you’re trying to figure out portion size in the packaging? I guess if you’re in the gas station you have to get whatever they have but if you pack it yourself you have a little more control over how much to bring. So what should you keep in mind with that?

Allison: Yeah that’s a great question. I personally have a two year old and a five year old and I know that just because I think it’s meal time doesn’t always correlate with what their little bellies are telling them, and when they’re hungry. And that’s just day to day and a car ride is definitely even a bigger example of that because they’re napping, they’re up, they’re bored, whatever is going on. And as it relates the to snacks I feel that as long as you’re packing a good variety and incorporating some protein and you feel generally good about a lot of what you’re giving them, I think that you could mimic portions that scale between a smaller amount for things that you would at home not give them as much of, but if you’re packing a peanut butter sandwich or things like that I would just give them a good amount. Worst case scenario they’re feeling full and satisfied and they’re not needing anymore. I think that it depends on what you’re packing and I think its okay to let them guide you in that. That’s something I try to do no matter where I am with my children, is let their stomach, because I’m trying so hard to let children of all ages maintain that ability to listen to their stomach and if their stomach is truely telling them that they’re hungry, let them eat as much as they feel is appropriate. Does that make sense? Do you feel that way?

Lauren: Yeah that’s a good point because kids need to start learning on their own to make their own decisions about how hungry they are and when to eat. I like the reminder to have protein in the snacks too because then that makes you full faster without overeating as much, as if you didn’t have protein. Sometimes in a long car ride I’ll just bring a huge bag or pretzels because I’ll think ‘this will last for the whole trip, until we get to the hotel room’ but then if you’re just driving you keep picking at the bag and keep eating, keep reaching your hand in there and you never even get full because it’s just pretzels, or you get full and you get hungry half an hour later. So if just five seconds before your trip to put some pretzels in a Ziploc bag and then bring a squeeze pack of peanut butter or almond butter or something and have some protein too then you feel full faster and it wouldn’t be, you wouldn’t feel as bad eating a huge bag of pretzels before vacation.

Allison: Right, absolutely. That’s a good rule of thumb that I try to remind people of no matter where they are. Because if you’re just having something with just a carbohydrate in it, and pretzels are such a great example of something that just gives you that carbohydrate energy, you’re actually encouraging hunger more than you’re encouraging fullness because you’re going to digest it pretty quickly and then be looking for something else. I agree, I think that even as adults we could definitely start finding ourselves doing that boredom eating in the car, what else are you going to do. Taking those pretzels out of the bag, pre-portioning them for yourself and maybe turning it into more of a trail mix or something is a good idea.

Lauren: Yeah that’s a good idea, putting it into trail mix. The other problem I find is that sometimes you’re tempted to eat all of your kid’s leftovers when they have little bits here and there. You’re like ‘oh I’ll finish this granola bar that they didn’t finish’.

Allison: Yeah I know, I know it’s so tempting. You know, even for me, I think about this kind of stuff a lot as you can imagine and I’m pretty tuned in but even for me when I’m going on a car ride, or just certain times on vacation, depending on where I’m going. If everything is feeling very different than what I’m used to, even I keep a food log on those trips. A little bit at least, not to the point that I’m writing down every single thing but it’s helpful to keep a sense of what you’re doing because if you feel like you just grab half of your kids food every time they finish, you’re going to want to know that you did that by the end of the day. It’s good feedback for yourself to realize that that’s a habit you’re in.

Lauren: Yeah I like that, that’s a really good idea. And then if you don’t do all that extra snacking mindlessly then you won’t feel as bad for those treats you really want to have on occasion. Like who doesn’t want to go to the shop and get an ice cream bar and indulge a little. So if you’re not doing all that mindless eating I feel like you won’t be as guilty for the deserts you do want to have.

Allison: Absolutely, mindful eating and conscious eating, and all that, that’s a big part of the work I do because I think that that’s a big problem for a lot of people. That will be another topic for another day; we’ll have to have another conversation about that. I think that’s something a lot of people relate to.

Lauren: Yeah that’s definitely a big issue for a lot of people. But just keep in mind before your trip, to keep in mind snacks. Add it to your packing list. People always think about clothes and sun tan lotion and this and that but they forget to anticipate how hungry they’re going to get on a long car ride. So you gave us a lot of good ideas for that, so thank you very much.

Allison: Very good, have a good evening.

Lauren: Thank you, you too.

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When I was in fifth grade, my friend’s parents took me on vacation with them to Chincoteague, VA.  We were eating snacks in the back of the car.  I ripped open a bag of pretzels the wrong way, and they exploded all over the back seat.  Crumbs and salt everywhere.  Took a while to clean up that mess.

Now I’m more careful when I eat in the car, and when I pack snacks for my family.  I try not to bring anything that will make too many crumbs.  (Even when I open pretzels the right way, they can still be too messy, depending on the kind.)  I also avoid snacks that are too sticky and/or too stinky!  And I avoid anything that would go bad quickly or need refrigeration (I don’t usually bring a cooler).

So what does that leave?  I usually stick with healthy granola bars (chewy, not crunchy—the crunchy ones can be so crumbly).  I also pack Ziplocs of trail mix, fruit snacks, carrots, or sliced apples or grapes, if I know I won’t have them out for too long.

Here are some other good ideas for healthy (and non-messy) car snacks for you and your little ones, from Disney Family.Com. Happy Travels!

– Lauren A.

If you have any good ideas for healthy, non-messy road trip snacks for kids, leave a comment for us below.

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We found a cool article today that we thought you’d enjoy…

It reveals the healthy snack choices of some of Hollywood’s hottest actresses, music’s biggest stars and of course, super models!

Here’s the quick wrap up:

Jennifer Aniston:  low-salt, low-sugar and un-processed whole foods (she didn’t give any specific snacks, so that stinks!)

Jennifer Hudson:  plain, non-fat Greek yogurt with frozen berries

Katy Perry:  grilled chicken and soy milk, never any potato chips and never any fried foods

Jennifer Garner:  apples, yogurt and boysenberries, celery with almond butter

Cindy Crawford:  fresh veggies, fresh and dried fruits, crisp breads with low-fat cheese and yogurt

Tyra Banks:  fresh-cut fruits and veggies, especially papaya slices

To see the whole article, click on this link:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Healthy-snacks-from-Hollywood/articleshow/9010506.cms

What do YOU think of their healthy snack choices?  Leave a comment below and let us know:

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I love popcorn, but I never really make it or buy it as a snack because I eat too much of it! (Yes, it’s low in calories for a single serving, but one of those microwave bag has three servings, and I usually eat the whole thing…) That’s why I was glad to hear that SmartFood started coming out with single-serving Popcorn Clusters, in three different flavors.

I tried all three flavors: Honey Multigrain, Cranberry Almond, and Chocolate Cookie Caramel Pecan. (I was surprised they don’t have a cheese flavor like the original SmartFood!)

Pros:

• You get a really good amount of popcorn in the bag for so few calories (110 or 120 calories depending on the flavor).
• One bag was surprisingly satisfying, which surprised me. (It takes a lot for me to feel full!). Maybe they were filling due to the fiber; they are made with chicory root fiber. There are 5 grams of fiber in every serving.
• They’re fortified with calcium (around 20% of your daily value in a bag).
• They don’t contain preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors.

Cons:

• All three flavors tasted a little too similar, and they were all were a little too sweet. It made sense for the chocolate one to be sweet, but the other flavors didn’t seem like they needed to be so sugary-tasting (although they weren’t that high in actual grams of sugar; 10 grams per bag). The honey multigrain flavor consisted of popcorn with whole brown rice that I think would have tasted better drier and plain like Kashi puffed cereal. Similarly, I prefer plain popcorn mixed with my own cranberries/almonds to the too-sweet cranberry almond flavor. (But maybe that’s just me; I honestly prefer, simpler, unadulterated (bland?) healthy food sometimes!) The chocolate flavor was definitely my favorite; because it made sense to me to have that one taste so sweet (and I love chocolate…). The popcorn clusters had chocolate cookie pieces, caramel, and pecans, flavors which go together really well. And there aren’t too many ingredients, just brown rice syrup, chicory root fiber, popcorn, sugar, chocolate cookie, pecans, soy lecithin, calcium carbonate, natural flavors, and salt.

Overall: I’d definitely buy the chocolate one again. I loved the chunks of chocolate and nuts on the popcorn! I’ll eat these as an afternoon snack or as a light, guilt-free dessert when my sweet tooth acts up after dinner.

–Lauren

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• Bedtime Snacks That Help You Sleep Better

What to Eat to Help You Sleep Better

Bedtime snacks can help you sleep better? Conventional wisdom says you’re not supposed to eat right before you go to bed. That’s supposed to be the worst time to eat, the time it all goes to your waistline.

But lately I’ve been hearing that it can be good to snack before bed, especially if you have insomnia. My cousin tells me that Cream of Wheat before bed helps her child fall asleep. And a Tylenol PM commercial claims that adults should have a bowl of cereal before bed to improve their sleep.

I decided to look into this a bit more, and I found two good articles on the topic. One is a WebMD article that explains why bedtime snacks can indeed help you sleep. It has to do with your metabolic hormones. If you don’t have enough leptin, the hormone that signals satiety, your body could wake you up. However, the article says that you can’t snack on just anything; you have to choose your snacks wisely. Light dairy and carbohydrate-rich snacks are the way to go. The second article I found, from MedicineNet, also talks about the benefits of snacking before bed, but this one gets into more detail about what to eat and what to avoid.

Here’s a brief summary of the best and worst bedtime snacks, based on the two articles.

The Best Bedtime Snacks:

• Carbohydrates, like a bowl of cold cereal, oatmeal with honey, a banana, a granola bar, some whole wheat crackers or pretzels, or a piece of bread or English muffin. If you need something sweeter, try a few low-fat cookies or a small muffin. These carbs produce tryptophan, which helps you sleep. Oats, honey, and bananas were mentioned as being particularly good carbohydrate sources of tryptophan.
• Dairy. Dairy is also a good source of tryptophan, especially with combined with some carbs. Try a small bowl of cereal with skim milk, or small pieces of cheese with crackers. I like eating a little hot cereal, or a few cookies, and/or a small mug of warm skim milk—I steam it, so it’s like the foam of a cappuccino, without the espresso. And I sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

Avoid These Bedtime Snacks:

• Protein-rich snacks, such as protein bars, protein-enhanced drinks, and meat jerky. Foods high in protein are harder for your body to break down and digest, and they can interfere with your sleep. So I guess that although eating turkey makes you tired (as everyone jokes on Thanksgiving…), it might not be as good for your sleep as non-protein-rich sources of tryptophan, like oats and honey.
• Big portions/full meals. These can cause heartburn, acid reflux, or choking, or just make you feel uncomfortable.
• High fat snacks. Same as above!
• Spicy snacks. Same as above!
• Anything with caffeine, including food and beverages that have small or hidden amounts of it, like decaf coffee and chocolate.
• Anything too sugary, like candy or sugary cereal or cake. The sugar high and low can interfere with your sleep.

Unfortunately, many people are having more trouble sleeping than usual these days, with financial stresses and all. If this is the case for you, don’t force yourself to go to bed hungry just because you think you’re not supposed to eat late. Have a small bedtime snack, and maybe you’ll sleep better! It won’t be that many additional calories, and besides, you can always cut down at a different meal if you want. Just take good care of yourself!

–Lauren

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New, Flavorful Crackers You Can Munch on Without Guilt

Kellogg’s health-focused Special K brand has been expanding beyond breakfast foods lately. First, they came out with meal bars and protein water. Now, they’re moving into the savory snacks category with the launch of their new crackers, in two varieties, Multi-Grain and Italian Tomato & Herb. I like Special K products (I often eat the plain cereal or the bars), so I was excited to give these crackers a try.

What I Liked About Them

• They’re flavorful. I tried both kinds, the Multi-Grain ones and the Italian Tomato & Herb ones, and I was happy with each of them.
  • The best way to describe the Multi-Grain ones is that they look and taste sort of like Wheat Thins. (My husband tried one and thought the same thing.) They have a wheaty, almost salty flavor; they don’t taste bland and cardboard-like, as some grainy, healthy crackers or flatbreads do.
  • The Italian Tomato & Herb ones have a strong tomato-y flavor, almost in the way Combos pizza bites do, but without all that fat. In other words, they taste like they should be bad for you, but they’re not! (For another opinion, I gave my mom a packet of the Tomato ones, and she agreed that they were flavorful—in fact, she thought the taste was almost too overwhelming, though she liked them. My husband also said they were a tad intense.)

I should mention that the crackers don’t taste anything like Special K cereal, if that’s what you were expecting. They don’t have that rice base the cereal does; they are made with whole wheat flour.

• They come in satisfying 90-calorie packs. Both flavors come in regular 8-oz boxes or 90-calorie packs. I like the packs because you get 17 crackers for 90 calories (and only 2 grams of fat), which is a really decent amount of crackers for such few calories and low fat! My hunger was actually satisfied after I ate one pack. Other brands of portion-controlled or healthy crackers are more caloric. For example, Wheat Thins have100 calories per pack—okay, not that many more calories, but every bit adds up if you’re watching your weight. Kashi’s TLC Fire Roasted Vegetable Crackers are also more caloric, at 15 crackers for 130 calories (though I’m not sure of the cracker size difference). The Special K ones make me happy because I like being able to munch on a larger number of items for fewer calories. Isn’t it disappointing when you buy crackers or chips and you can only eat three or four of them before reaching 100 or 200 calories? I’d usually rather buy food that I can eat more of for fewer calories. Makes munching more fun! Sometimes you want to pop a lot of food into your mouth and keep eating without having to think so hard.

(By the way, this food volume issue is why I also like snacking on natural popcorn, plain Special K cereal, and carrots. You get to eat more of it for fewer calories. If you’re watching your weight, you should consider eating more foods like carrots that are low in calorie density, because you can eat a lot of them and feel satisfied without having to worry as much about portion control.)

What I Didn’t Like About Them

• They do have a fair number of ingredients, so even though they’re low in calories, they’re probably not as good for your body as all-natural or organic crackers like Barbara’s or Annie’s.
• The crackers are small, so they’re good for munching on by the handful, but they’re not really a cheese-and-crackers kind of cracker (cheese wouldn’t fit on them very well, and the taste might not go). This is not a criticism, more of a warning, so you don’t buy them for that purpose. They’re meant to be more of a personal snacking cracker, not an entertaining cracker like Carr’s. But if you really don’t want to eat them plain, they would work well with dipping—the Multi-Grain ones would work nicely in hummus or babaganoush, and the Italian Tomato & Herb ones would probably go with a cheese dip, like Boursin Light Garlic & Herbs.

Overall

I would definitely eat these again. I like them as a late-afternoon snack to tide me over until dinner.

Where to Find Them

Special K crackers are sold in major grocery stores such as Food Emporium and Pathmark. To find where they’re sold near you, go to their store locator and type in your zip code.

Happy munching,

Lauren

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Many of us have been coupon-collecting lately in an effort to reduce our grocery bills. I recently learned about an excellent Web site that makes it easy to find coupons for your favorite products and stores. It’s called Coupon Cabin, and you should definitely check it out!  Go to the site and click on “grocery coupons.” You’ll find coupons from a variety of healthy-snack makers, including Cascadian Farms, Nature Valley (which makes my favorite granola bars—I always eat one before a long run or race), Organic Valley, Quaker, SoyJoy, Stoneyfield Farm, and more.

Healthy snacks, especially organic ones, are often more expensive than processed snacks and junk food. And I know everyone is trying to save money these days. But hopefully these coupons will be helpful, and you won’t have to give up some of your favorite good-for-you treats.

(Thanks to DailyCandy, the e-mail newsletter I subscribe to, for tipping me off about Coupon Cabin!)

–Lauren

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