By Seven Weaver Producer
CBS News, Good Housekeeping
Paying higher prices for health food is not a new trend. But many people may be surprised just how much more they are paying for the convenience and portion control of the new, popular 100-calorie snack packages.CBS News, Good Housekeeping
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Stumble It!Sharon Bari tries to be health conscious when she packs lunch for her daughter. She includes a salad, an apple and as a treat — a 100-calorie snack package.
"If she needs to have a snack, that's not a specifically healthy snack, here at least I feel like there's a limit to the number of calories in it,” Bari said.
This mother of three is not alone. Sales of 100-calorie snacks jumped 38 percent last year — to nearly $250 million. It's the anti-supersize-me revolution.
These small snacks have become a big hit across the country, but it's an expensive way to eat less. Ounce for ounce, a box of 100-calorie packs costs more than twice as much as a regular box.
"You're paying two, sometimes three times as much per pound, or per cookie,” said Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
According to the CSPI, the biggest mark-ups came on 100-calorie packages of Cheese Nips (279% more), Keebler Chips Deluxe (250% more), and Chex Mix (248% more).
"You'd save a lot of money if you simply bought a regular-sized package and portioned out a few cookies and crackers,” Jacobson said.
But it's an expense many are willing to pay. "I like the idea of portion control,” Bari said.
And for the Bari family, the convenience is worth the cost.
Good Housekeeping says sometimes a piece of fruit just doesn't cut it — you crave chips or cookies or a creamy treat.
That's when snacks packaged in 100-calorie portions can help, especially if you're the kind of person who finds herself halfway through a pint of Chunky Monkey though you meant to have just a taste.
Prepackaged snacks are also convenient for tossing in kids' lunch bags — and showing them what a proper serving size looks like.
What's more, with individually wrapped snacks, you won't have to open big bags of tempting munchies.
There are dozens of 100-calorie treats out there, some healthier than others. For a look at Good Housekeeping’s Top 15 Smartest Choices click here
