Test your CALORIE IQ! Which of the following snacks have the fewest calories?
At the Mall
1. Soft serve vanilla/chocolate ice cream in a wafer cone (small serving)
2. Strawberry Wild, Jamba Juice (24 oz)
3. Aunt Annie's Pretzel (whole wheat without butter)
4. Cinnabon - MiniBon
Answer: Small soft serve ice cream cone (at 150 calories).
The whole wheat, butter-less pretzel, has a whopping 350 calories and the Cinnabon,... even though it's "mini" will set you back 300 calories. While the smoothie seems like a good choice, it's a large serving and the calories add up fast (310 calories).
At the Vending Machine
1. Corn Nuts (1.7oz bag)
2. Peanut M&Ms (1.7 oz bag)
3. Nature Valley Granola bars (2-pack hard granola bars)
4. Trail Mix (2.75oz bag)
Answer: Granola bars (at 180 calories).
The corn nuts are next in line at 220 calories, then the peanut M&Ms at 250 calories, followed by the bag of trail mix at 480 calories.
At Starbucks
*All small servings with skim milk
1. Pomegranate Frappuccino juice blend - no whipped cream
2. Coffee Frappuccino Light - no whipped cream
3. Iced vanilla skim latte - no whipped cream
Answer: Coffee Frappuccino Light (110 calories).
The Iced Vanilla Skim Latte is only slightly higher, so you can certainly enjoy that too (120 calories). However, the Pomegranate Frapp is laden with sugar and has as many calories as the Coffee Frappucino Light with whipped cream (210 calories). The best Frappucino Light options are without whipped cream - they're low in fat and less than 200 calories.
At the Movies
1. Medium popcorn - "no butter"
2. Twizzlers (6oz bag)
3. Chocolate Covered Raisins (3.5oz bag)
Answer: Chocolate covered raisins (at 410 calories).
The chocolate raisins are the least caloric, although eating only half the box would be the best option by far! The Twizzlers are next (570 calories), and surprisingly the most caloric is the unbuttered, medium popcorn at a whopping 900 calories! That's because movie theatre popcorn is popped in so much oil (not to mention the salt).
At Happy Hour (3 large handfuls of each)
1. Bowl of mini pretzels
2. Bowl of nuts
3. Bowl of party mix
Answer: Pretzels (330 calories).
The pretzels are the best choice calorie and fat-wise, but remember that although they are fat free, the calories add up quick. Three handfuls of party mix will set you back 400 calories and three handfuls of nuts will provide about 500 calories.