The Worst New Snack Foods on Grocery Store Shelves
If there's one aisle when you're grocery shopping that is often hard to ignore, it's the snack aisle. Chips, cookies, crackers, dips, granola bars—there are far too many snack options to choose from. And hey, we're not complaining. Who doesn't love a good snack? It's even been uncovered that during the last year, snacking was found to have significantly increased for many people, thanks to stay-at-home orders and most folks stocking up on their favorite foods and making more meals themselves.
But with all of these options comes great responsibility. You want to make sure you're stocking up on the good stuff and you're not filling your pantry and kitchen cabinets with snacks that are just made up of empty calories and that will leave you hungry for more not too long after eating.
Check out the snack foods that might be new to grocery store shelves, but are much better off staying there instead of making their way to your shopping cart. Instead, stock up on any of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Oreo Brookie-O
Oreo cookies filled with brownie, cookie dough, and original flavored creme—it's triple the flavor! Which as you can imagine, means more sugar. If you're really tempted to try this flavor since it is limited edition, be sure to limit yourself to just one at a time. Remember, sharing is caring, after all.
Reese's Big Cup with Pretzels
Reese's took the signature peanut butter cups up a notch this year, thanks to the addition of pretzels. These big cups are (not surprisingly) heavy in the sugar department—with just one cup coming in at 18 grams of the sweet stuff. And remember, there are two cups that come in this pack, so you're looking at 35 grams of sugar for both. Keep in mind The American Heart Association recommends men should consume no more than 36 grams of added sugar per day, and women shouldn't have more than 25 grams per day.
Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies Cereal
You likely feasted on some Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies back in your school lunch days. So knowing there is now a cereal version of the sweet treat is nothing short of amazingly nostalgic. Unfortunately, a bowl of this cereal will likely leave you, well, hungry for more of anything else, as there isn't much fiber here. Plus, one serving has nearly as much sugar as two Original Glazed Krispy Kreme Donuts. (Instead, why not try out any of the 25 Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Childhood Snacks?)
Pop-Tarts Frosted Red Velvet Cupcake
Pop-Tarts went ahead and brought the popular Red Velvet Cupcake flavor back, in which one pack is made up of two rich chocolate flavor pastries that are loaded up with a cream cheese frosting-flavored filling. One pack is clocking in at more than 300 calories and has 30 grams of sugar—big yikes. Again, this is one snack you're going to want to share if you're in the mood to indulge.
Synder's of Hanover Jalapeño Ranch Twisted Pretzel Sticks
Pretzels are typically one of those snacks that doesn't ever really do too much for you, nutritionally speaking. Synder's of Hanover's new Twisted Pretzel Sticks aren't much different—just serving up a hefty dose of sodium in one serving of the jalapeño ranch flavor. To best satisfy your pretzel craving, just stick to the classic pretzel rods—one serving of three has 290 milligrams of sodium.
Looking for more helpful tips? Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here!
Ben & Jerry's Totally Unbaked
Oh, Ben & Jerry's. It's no secret the beloved brand's ice cream is delicious, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily healthy for you. Especially the new Totally Unbaked flavor. Here, chocolate and vanilla ice creams are loaded up with brownie batter swirls and gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. It's no wonder one serving as 37 grams of sugar, and the whole pint is packing 111 grams of the sweet stuff.
Mtn Dew Major Melon
By now, it should be widely known by all that soda is one drink to always skip, despite how intriguing it might look! A perfect example is Mtn Dew's new Major Melon soda. A bottle of this pink fizzy stuff is said to have a burst of watermelon flavor. Well, it's coming in at 270 calories and has 73 grams of sugar. Eating actual watermelon as a snack has the potential to help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and curb your added sugar intake. Nothing you would get from sipping on one of these!
