Snacks account for about 25 percent of the average person’s daily caloric intake, or 550 calories if you follow the typical 2,200-calorie diet. Snacking can be a good thing and a bad thing.
Yes, it can help combat hunger between meals, but if you fill up on the wrong snacks, you’re adding empty calories, sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium. I’ve rounded up 20 of the worst snacks you can avoid—not to make your life boring, but for the sake of your health.
Pastries, Cookies, and Cakes
They are deceptively delicious (filled with refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and refined flour). They’re bad food for your body, but they are good food for your taste buds. Occasionally, a slice of cake won’t hurt, but it’s all about moderation.
French Fries and Potato Chips
Savory, fried, calorie-dense, and often packed with acrylamides (these chemicals are connected to cancer when fried at high heat) are not exactly healthy snacks. Instead, go for baked potato slices or crunchy carrots!
Breakfast Cereals
In what often screams ‘breakfast of champions,’ there’s usually no fiber — and a lot of artificial sweeteners. Before you believe the “healthy” claims plastered on the box, look carefully at the ingredient label.
Low-Fat Yogurts
Sugar creeps in when fat goes out. Many ‘low fat’ yogurts are loaded with sugar just so they taste good. It is far better to choose plain Greek yogurt and fresh fruit!
Granola or Cereal Bars
Many granola bars are marketed as healthy, but they’re just sugar disguised with oats. If it’s full of syrups and additives, toss it. It’s the bars with 4+ grams of fiber and protein you want to eat.
Pop-Tarts
A breakfast quick-fix? Sure. Nutritional nightmare? Absolutely. These are more candy than breakfast food—high in sugar, ultra-processed, and without protein.
Twinkies
Iconic, yes. Not exactly healthy: full of trans fats and empty calories; this nostalgic snack isn’t good for the body or energy.
Pretzels
Pretzels seem like harmless indulgences when you’re craving something salty. However, these are empty carb zeroes with low fiber and the ability to spike blood sugar. Instead, try nuts or roasted chickpeas!
Crackers
Crackers are often low in fiber and high in sodium, leaving you feeling unsatisfied and craving more snacks. Add peanut butter or cheese to top whole grain crackers for a great source of nutrients.
Bhujia
Deep-fried, calorie-dense, and not the combo your health requires! When you’re looking for a salty snack, opt for roasted nuts or seeds.
Samosas and Kachoris
These beloved yet dangerously deep-fried, traditional snacks pump unhealthy fats into your diet in seconds. The good news is that you can keep the flavor and lose the guilt by swapping the frying for baking.
Cheetos
Do you know what’s in that neon cheese powder? Things you don’t want to eat, probably. Cheetos are high in sodium, unhealthy fats, and additives, and you’ll find that they add more to your waistline than to your health.
Veggie Sticks or Straws
Don’t be fooled by the ‘veggie’ label: these are not veggies. They are essentially puffed starch and have no fiber, protein, or nutrients. Instead, just eat fresh veggies!
Ice Creams and Frozen Yogurt
Cooling, sugary, creamy indulgence? Yes. Healthy? Nope. All of them are calorie bombs filled with sugar and artificial flavors. Alternatively, try frozen bananas blended with cocoa powder!
White Bread
White bread is refined and stripped of nutrients and provides no more than a quick burst of blood sugar followed by a crash. Sourdough or whole grain bread? Way better options.
Sugary Drinks
Sodas and flavored drinks are just loaded with calories, zero nutrition, and enough sugar to shock your system — they’re the gold standard for bad snacking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, frequently consuming sugary drinks is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. You can swap this for water, soda water with a twist of lemon, or unsweetened iced tea.
Baked Chips
Sounds healthier than fried chips, but they are usually absolutely full of artificial flavours to make up for the lack of oil! You can slice and bake your own at home for less calories and less guilt.
Rice Cakes
Light? Sure. Nutritious? Not at all. All of these carb-heavy snacks contain no or very little fiber and protein meaning that they will spike your blood sugar and leave you feeling hungry.
Store-Bought Smoothies
Many packaged smoothies “sound” healthy, but they’re crammed with sugars and artificial ingredients. Better results can be achieved if you make your smoothies at home with real fruits and greens.
Gluten-Free Snacks
Gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s healthier; it doesn’t have fiber and its loaded with sugar and refined starch. But rather go for naturally gluten-free whole foods like nuts, quinoa or sweet potatoes.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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