It's 3 p.m. Lunch has come and gone, and dinner still seems pretty far away. A snack is inevitable, but what should you eat? The bag of chips from the vending machine sounds good, but you know it may not be the nourishing snack you need. Luckily, you went to Trader Joe's last night and picked up a few healthy packaged snacks for just this moment.
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What to Look for in a Healthy Packaged Snack
While there's no set standard or rule when it comes to nutritional guidelines for a snack, here's what a dietitian typically looks at before buying:
- Sodium: If your family has no health issues, aim for less than 250 milligrams per serving. But if you're watching your sodium intake, look for something less than 100 to 150 mg per serving.
- Protein: Protein in a snack is a bonus! Even a little bit of it helps with satiety. There's no magic number here, but snacks that offer at least 2 to 3 grams per serving are great options.
- Fiber: It can be hard to reach the daily fiber recommendation of 28 to 34 grams per day (according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans), so if your snack has some fiber, take it. Fiber also helps you feel more satisfied.
- Saturated fat: Since saturated fat may creep into foods where it doesn't belong, keep an eye on it, especially with packaged snacks. Choose snacks with little to no saturated fat, if possible, unless they have nuts, seeds or animal protein.
- Added sugar: Most people consume more than the recommended amount of added sugar, which usually sneaks into packaged snacks. According to the American Heart Association, men should consume less than 36 grams of added sugar daily and women less than 25 grams. Choose a snack with little to no added sugars to ensure you don't consume more than this.
Best Healthy Packaged Snacks at Trader Joe's
1. Almond Butter-Filled Pretzel Nuggets
Pretzels are a beloved food for many. And pairing a carb food with a protein source makes your snack more satisfying. So pretzels paired with almond butter make for a pretty great snack. The serving size of this snack is eight nuggets, providing 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Also, it's relatively low in added sugar (3 g per serving) and sodium (240 mg per serving). Divide the bag into single servings using reusable bags and store them in your pantry. That way, you or your family can grab a bag when hunger strikes.
2. Organic Popcorn with Olive Oil
You can't beat popcorn as a nourishing snack, and Trader Joe's gets it right with their Organic Popcorn with Virgin Olive Oil. The serving is a generous 3½ cups and provides 4 grams of fiber, 0 grams of added sugar and 3 grams of protein. The popcorn is lightly salted and is great on its own, or use it to make a DIY trail mix by adding 1/4 cup dried fruit and 1/4 cup nuts.
3. Chomps Turkey Jerky
The serving size of this turkey jerky is 1.15 ounces. It has no added sugars and packs a whopping 9 grams of protein per serving. For a well-rounded snack, you can pair it with a piece of fruit or some veggie sticks. The single-serve packaging is perfect for throwing into lunch boxes, bags or luggage.
4. Gluten-Free Norwegian Crispbread
Perfectly crunchy for a perfectly satisfying snack, this Trader Joe's crispbread is loaded with seeds and other goodies and holds up even when topped with cheese, nut butter and fresh fruit. One cracker (which is the serving size) delivers 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.
5. Veggie and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips
These tortilla chips are tasty on their own or great paired with one of Trader Joe's delicious salsas. A 1-ounce serving is about seven chips, comes in at 35 mg sodium, and serves up 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. Dip them in low-fat cottage cheese to make it a more complete snack.
6. Dried Fruit Bars
These are basically dried fruit in bar form and make for a quick, easy snack. Some flavors include apple + banana, apple + mango, apple + strawberry and apple + coconut. Since they're a little on the small side and don't offer protein, you can pair them with a handful of nuts or a slice of cheese.
7. Contemplates Inner Peas
Reminiscent of other vegetable puff snacks, these have a more nutritious profile. They make the perfect dippers for hummus, tzatziki or salsa! Each serving (22 pieces!) offers 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Plus, this snack is low in sodium (75 mg per serving) and has no added sugar.
8. Everything But the Bagel Nut Duo
The craze for everything bagel seasoning carries over into the nuts section at Trader Joe's, and if you're a fan, you'll love these. This delicious mix tastes just like many people's favorite bagel. No added sugars here, and you'll get 5 grams of protein in a ¼-cup serving. Paired with a piece of fruit, it makes for the perfect snack.
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The Bottom Line
Remember that many packaged snacks can be hidden sources of salt, added sugar and saturated fat, so be a label reader. And if you're at Trader Joe's, grab one or all of these healthy packaged snacks to have on hand when hunger strikes.
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