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Healthful isn't the first word that springs to mind when you see the iconic marriage of vanilla sponge cake and cream, but Twinkies—along with crackers, soda and cookies—are going through reputation makeovers. The idea is simple, and surprisingly effective: Take the same, high calorie product and repackage it in a smaller portion size as a healthful snack option. Behold the creation of the 100-calorie snack pack, the annual sales of which surpassed $200 million, and are on the increase as more brands jump on the bandwagon and release snack-pack versions.
So what's the deal with the 100-calorie pack phenomenon? Should parents still let their kids eat the junk they desire, but in smaller quantities? According to Jenny Kinne, MS, RD, LDN, clinical nutrition specialist at Children's Hospital Boston, snack packs are not a healthful choice for children or adults. "Because of the portion control aspect of it, people think of it as a healthy snack," she says. "But if you look at these products, they tend to be empty calories. There's no nutrient density, and they lack fiber, vitamins, minerals or protein."
In fact, the majority of the ingredients tend to be refined grains and sugar, which does little to fill up hungry bellies. "A half hour after eating one, you are going to be hungry, and then potentially start overeating," says Kinne. "The novelty of them being 100-calorie snack packs turns into "I'm going to have another one and another one.'"
It's important for kids to eat snacks, because they help ensure they get enough nutrition during the day, but Kinne recommends snacks that have "staying power," which means they keep you feeling full for longer. "An easy way to do this is by incorporating two food groups, like apples and peanut butter, or yogurt with fruit," she says. Though she understands the appeal of the throw-in-the-backpack, non-refrigerated snack, Kinne encourages parents to seek better alternatives from natural foods. "We try to teach families how to identify quick and easy portable snacks that are also satiating," she says, adding that a banana doesn't need refrigeration and is easily tossed in a lunch bag.
Eliminating all sweet and "junk" food from children's diets is not a good idea either, Kinne warns. "We don't like to label foods "good' foods and "bad' foods," she says. "We like to have everything in moderation." She says kids should learn that it is all right to have non-healthful foods once in a while. "Then they don't get obsessed with a certain food because they can't have it," she says.
The bottom line: 100-calorie snack packs might teach kids something about portion size, but they don't have the fiber, vitamins, minerals and satiating ingredients parents should look for when picking snacks for their children.
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