100 Calorie Snacks

Jello (a Nabisco/Kraft brand) has dozens of pudding varieties to offer, from nonfat to fancy mousse flavors. I’ve tried several of the 100 Calorie Packs and they’re just as tasty and one might expect from Jello. Varieties include vanilla/chocolate combo pack, chocolate-vanilla swirl, tapioca and devil’s food. They are all fat-free, but very rich in flavor. If you want to add a little extra treat, put some nonfat whipped cream or Cool Whip on top. The 100-calorie Jello packs often show up at discount stores such as Grocery Outlet, so you can get a real deal on these!

I think of the 100 Calorie Little Debbie marshmallow treat as the poor man’s Rice Krispie Treat. A little gummy in texture and almost too sweet, the Little Debbie snack lacks the crunch and flavor combination of its higher-end counterpart. However, the treats are affordable (the pack I purchased was under $2) and portable, so I can’t complain — too much. Also, with an elongated bar shape rather than a thick square, these snacks are easier to handle and munch on the go.

While the average individually packaged stick of cheese is normally around 100 calories anyway, the Borden company has made calorie-counting even easier and created 100 calorie pepper jack cheese sticks. There are six cheese sticks in a bag, and each weighs in at one ounce. I have to admit, I had these cheese sticks in my shopping cart when I noticed the expiration date was a little too close for my liking and put them back. However, they did look tasty, and you can’t go wrong with pepper jack. Borden also makes 100 calorie cheese sticks in sharp cheddar, mild cheddar and Monterey jack.

Pretty much any of those cute, short little 8-ounce cans of soda are 100 calories (for the non-diet variety.) But they’re usually as costly as their 12-ounce big brothers. They are convenient, though, and if you find a good sale they’re a great way to measure your soda calorie count. I recently picked up a six-pack of 100 calorie Sierra Mist when my son had a tummy ache (the only time he’s allowed soda.)

Nabisco has put a twist (sorry, bad pun) on its classic pretzel character Mister Salty in the form of 100 Calorie Pack Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels. These .78-ounce packs include at least a dozen round mini pretzels generously covered in real, rich chocolate. The saltiness, sweetness and crunch combine for a great taste that made me forget the scant serving size.

My husband brought this box of Klondike Slim-a-Bear 100-calorie ice cream bars home from the store the other day, and before I could taste-test them, he and our son had eaten half of eight bars in the box! So, that’s a ringing endorsement right there. The Slim-a-Bear bars (these are vanilla) are smaller than the palm of my hand but flavorful. The chocolate coating tastes like caramel and the ice cream is slow to melt, so you can take your time eating this Klondike bar. The size and low-fat ice cream help bring Slim-a-Bear in at 100 calories. My only question is, if it’s round, can they still call it a “bar”?