100 Calorie Snacks

Sick of goldfish crackers? Want your animal-inspired snacking inspiration from the air, not the sea? Smart shoppers who know the difference are choosing these tasty toucans that wipe the cheesy smiles off the snack that smiles back. But seriously, folks. Trader Joe’s toucans, which also come in graham cracker flavor, are quite good. Dense and cheesy, a 100 calorie pack is more filling that you might expect. And, yes, the kids love them, too.

Let’s cut to the chase: These are by far the best 100 calorie snacks I’ve tasted to date. I picked up a box of Entenmann’s Little Bites at a “special” promotional price ($3 at a chain grocer) and noted that, being pastries, they would expire in a couple of weeks. Cracking open a pack, I could see why: These baked chocolate chip squares are tender and moist, with the taste of cookie dough and the texture of a soft-baked cookie. They’re also perfect when you’re running late and need to take breakfast on the go (though not filling enough for a full meal). I’ll definitely be buying these again.

Whether you find Nabisco’s 100 Calorie Pack Nutter Butter satisfying depends, as do many things in life, largely on your attitude at the time of consumption. If you’re craving Nutter Butter cookies, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you expect this bar to duplicate that crunchy, peanuty experience. But if you’re just interested in a tasty, peanut buttery granola bar, this snack is for you. There’s a lot of taste packed into this little bar, and the texture is not unlike a crispy rice treat. Just don’t be surprised if you come away still wishing for a “real” Nutter Butter.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Lorna Doone, as well as for actress Laura Dern. Laura Dern had a tender heart for the triceratops in Jurassic Park, while Lorna Doone shortbread cookies are tender and tasty. For its 100 calorie packs, Nabisco has changed the DNA in these cookies, making for teeny, tiny versions of the original. They still have big taste, though, and melt sweetly in your mouth. The only downside: Like the scant few total minutes of on-screen dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, the package of cookies was over too fast.

These 1-ounce boxes of Sun Maid raisins can be as at home in your tummy as they are in your child’s lunch box. Sized just right at 1 ounce, each box packs 90 calories. They taste like, umm, raisins. They’re quite plump and juicy. When you’re done eating them, burn calories by blowing into the box to make a whistle.

I wanted to like this bar; I really did. Especially after enjoying Nabisco’s related offering, the 100 calorie Chips Ahoy thin crisps. But, sadly, I found the bar rather dry, and the mealy texture was not very appetizing. The taste was so-so, and did little to evoke the feeling of eating a “real” Chips Ahoy cookie. Sorry, Maties.