Shape’s 2nd Annual Best Snack Awards

By Amanda Pressner

Forget about nibbler’s remorse! We found 25 new munchies that can kick your cravings to the curb—without derailing your diet in the process.

With a seemingly endless supply of new cookies, bars, chips, crackers, and freezer treats arriving in grocery stores daily, how can you possibly sort through the entire snack pack to find one that’s healthy and tasty? The answer: You don’t have to. To spare you the arduous task of reading labels and sampling to find an ideal treat, the Shape staff nibbled, crunched, and spooned up hundreds of goodies. After tallying the results, we narrowed the field to our favorites in five craving categories: sweet, savory, creamy, crunchy, and salty. While flavor and snacking satisfaction were major priorities, we also held each of the winners to rigorous nutritional standards, listed below. So the next time you’re feeling the urge to splurge, go right ahead. These 25 treats will not only tame your cravings, they’ll also let you feel good about digging in.

WHAT DEFINES A HEALTHY SNACK?
In order to be considered Shape-worthy, the winning products had to meet these nutritional criteria:

• Have 200 calories or less per serving
• Contain 0 grams of artery-clogging trans fat and be low in saturated fat
• Have no more than 400 milligrams of sodium (we made an exception for the soup, as it could be a mini meal)
• Offer nutritional extras, like portion-controlled packs, whole grains, or additional vitamins and minerals.

Sweet

1 Pepperidge Farm Montieri Raspberry Tart Cookies
(120 CALORIES, 3 G FAT FOR 2 COOKIES)
Made with a layer of real fruit and a flaky pastry lattice top, “this cookie reminds me of a fresh-baked pie, in miniature!” one taster claimed. Plus, the treat contains no artificial flavors or preservatives, just like Grandma used to make. ($3 for a bag of 12)

2 Quaker Chewy Dark Chocolate Cherry 90 Calorie Granola Bars
(90 CALORIES, 2 G FAT PER BAR)
Whole-grain oats and wheat make this bar a heart-smart choice, but it was the combination of fruit and candy flavors that won over testers’ taste buds. One said: “It’s the next best thing to a chocolate covered cherry.” ($3 for a box of 10)

3 Hostess 100 Calorie Packs Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
(100 CALORIES, 3 G FAT FOR 3 CAKES)
You’ll save a whopping 31 grams of sugar and 15 grams of fat by selecting these bite-size treats over the coffeehouse version, but you’ll still get that crumbly cinnamon-spiced top—not to mention 5 grams of fiber per three-pack. ($4 for 6 packs of 3)

4 Starbucks Skinny Mocha
(90 CALORIES, 0 G FAT FOR 12 OZ.)
This espresso beverage has about half the calories of the original but still meets 30 percent of your daily calcium needs. “The flavor is like a creamy cross between coffee and hot cocoa,” said one tester. “I’ll definitely be drinking the iced version this summer!” ($3 for a tall cup)

5 Reese’s Peanut Butter Snacksters
(100 CALORIES, 4 G FAT PER PACK)
Need a serious hit of PB minus the J? This goodie grab bag filled with peanut butter chips, cereal puffs, and Reese’s Pieces makes short work of cravings. One comment: “For peanut butter addicts like me, this mix totally hits the spot.” ($3 for a box of 7)