The vending machine is not the place to turn for a healthy balanced meal, even with the industry's efforts to improve the selection. So your goal is to make smart choices to keep your meal within the calorie-conscious range while picking items that can fill you up and provide at least a bit of nutrition in the form of fiber or protein. Generally, you can choose a couple of different snacks— check out recommended portion sizes and their calories on the back of the pack—or enjoy just one snack if you're also having a drink with calories.
How to be calorie-wise at the vending machine:
1. Watch out for the word baked. Per ounce, baked chips have almost as many calories as fried chips. And crackers and cookies, always baked, still contain plenty of fat and calories.
2. Plan to share. Vending machine packs have gotten bigger over the past few years and often are big enough to share with one or two other people. A suitable portion generally is 1 to 2 ounces.
3. Be smart about sodium by choosing snacks that are less salty, like granola bars and cereal bars. Manufacturers are starting to bring down the salt in snack foods, but there's still enough to make you feel parched. Thirst is a particular problem on planes, where the dry air and limited drink service can cause mild dehydration.
4. Go for gum as an almost calorie-free way to burn a few calories chewing, to clean your teeth, and to resist the temptation of the vending machine.
CHIPS, CRACKERS, AND PRETZELS
FRITOS ORIGINAL CORN CHIPS (3 3/8 OZ BAG)
1 bag: 560 calories
3/4 bag: 420 calories
¼ bag: 140 calories
SUNCHIPS (1 OZ BAG)
15 chips (1 bag): 140 calories
45 chips (3 bags)
420 calories
15 chips (1 bag): 140 calories
ANDY CAPP'S HOT FRIES (1 OZ BAG)
50 fries (1 bag): 150 calories
133 fries (2 2/3 bags)
400 calories
50 fries (1 bag): 150 calories
DORITOS NACHO CHEESE (1 OZ BAG)
11 chips (1 bag): 150 calories
29 chips (2 2/3 bags)
400 calories
11 chips (1 bag): 150 calories
SNYDER'S OF HANOVER SOURDOUGH SPECIALS PRETZELS (1.65 OZ BAG)
8 pretzels (1 bag): 160 calories
20 pretzels (2½ bags)
400 calories
8 pretzels (1 bag): 160 calories
BAKED LAY'S POTATO
CRISPS (1 3/8 OZ BAG)
21 crisps (1 bag): 160 calories
52 crisps (2½ bags)
400 calories
21 crisps (1 bag): 160 calories
FUNYUNS (1¼ OZ BAG)
16 pieces (1 bag): 175 calories
36 pieces (2¼ bags)
390 calories
16 pieces (1 bag): 175 calories
CHEEZ-IT REDUCED FAT CRACKERS (1½ OZ BAG)
38 crackers (1 bag): 190 calories
76 crackers (2 bags)
380 calories
38 crackers (1 bag): 190 calories
CHEDDAR GOLDFISH (1½ OZ BAG)
75 goldfish (1 bag): 200 calories
150 goldfish (2 bags)
400 calories
75 goldfish (1 bag): 200 calories
WHEAT THINS TOASTED CHIPS (1½ OZ BAG)
21 chips (1 bag): 220 calories
37 chips (1 3/4 bags)
385 calories
21 chips (1 bag): 220 calories
TRISCUIT ORIGINAL CRACKERS (1.94 OZ BAG)
12 crackers (1 bag): 240 calories
20 crackers (1 2/3 bags)
400 calories
12 crackers (1 bag): 240 calories
LAY'S POTATO CHIPS (1 7/8 OZ BAG)
28 chips (1 bag): 280 calories
42 chips (1½ bags)
420 calories
28 chips (1 bag): 280 calories
RITZ BITS PEANUT BUTTER (3 OZ BAG)
36 sandwiches (1 bag): 420 calories
36 sandwiches (1 bag): 420 calories
36 sandwiches (1 bag): 420 calories
Chex Mix: 1 bag Traditional Chex Mix: 220 + 8 Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Specials Pretzels
160 = 380 calories
Cheese and Chocolate
2 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
220 + 38
Cheez-lt Reduced Fat Crackers
190 = 410 calories
- good fats
Unless they're made from dried fruit, fruit-flavored snacks contain none of the real thing.
CANDY
LIFE SAVERS (14-PIECE ROLL)
14 pieces (1 roll): 210 calories
28 pieces (2 rolls): 420 calories
1 piece (1/14 roll): 15 calories
WELCH'S FRUIT SNACKS (2¼ OZ BAG)
1 bag: 210 calories
2 bags: 420 calories
1 bag: 210 calories
REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS (2¼ OZ PACKET)
3 peanut butter cups (1 packet)
330 calories
4 peanut butter cups (1 1/3 packets)
440 calories
2 peanut butter cups (2/3 packet)
220 calories
SKITTLES ORIGINAL FRUIT (61 G BAG)
1 bag: 250 calories
1 2/3 bags: 410 calories
1 bag: 250 calories
SNICKERS (2.07 OZ BAR)
1 bar: 280 calories
1½ bars: 420 calories
1 bar: 280 calories
GRANOLA BARS, COOKIES, AND PASTRIES
NATURE VALLEY GRANOLA BAR (3/4 OZ)
1 bar: 90 calories
4½ bars: 405 calories
1 bar: 90 calories
KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES TREATS (0.78 OZ PIECE)
1 treat
90 calories
4½ treats
405 calories
1 treat
90 calories
HO HOS (3 OZ PACKAGE)
3 Ho Hos (1 package): 370 calories
3 Ho Hos (1 package): 370 calories
1 Ho Ho (1/3 package): 120 calories
FAMOUS AMOS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (3 OZ BAG)
11 cookies (1 bag): 450 calories
10 cookies (7/8 bag): 390 calories
5½ cookies (½ bag): 225 calories
MINI CHIPS AHOY (2 OZ BAG)
9 cookies (1 bag): 270 calories
13 cookies (1½bags)
405 calories
9 cookies (1 bag): 270 calories
ENTENMANN'S JUMBO ICED HONEY BUN (5.75 OZ)
1 bun: 660 calories
2/3 bun: 440 calories
½ bun: 330 calories
Crackers
12 Triscuit Original crackers: 240 + 1 bag Kellogg's Low Fat Granola Crunch Blends
160 = 400 calories
- fiber
NUTS AND SNACK MIXES
KELLOGG'S LOW FAT GRANOLA CRUNCH BLENDS (1½ OZ BAG)
1 bag: 160 calories
2½ bags: 400 calories
1 bag: 160 calories
TRADITIONAL CHEX MIX (1 3/4 OZ BAG)
1 bag: 220 calories
1 3/4 bags: 385 calories
1 bag: 220 calories
PLANTERS TRAIL MIX NUT & CHOCOLATE (2 OZ BAG)
1 bag: 320 calories
1 ¼ bags: 400 calories
1 bag: 320 calories
PLANTERS SALTED PEANUTS (2 OZ BAG)
1 bag: 330 calories
1 ¼ bags: 410 calories
1 bag: 330 calories
Trail Mix: 1 bag Planters Trail Mix Nut & Chocolate
320 + 1 Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treat
90 = 410 calories
- good fats
Nuts are among the healthiest snacks, with plenty of good fats, fiber, protein, and minerals.
GUM AND MINTS
BREATH SAVERS (12-MINT ROLL)
12 mints (1 roll): 60 calories
80 mints (6 2/3 rolls): 400 calories
1 mint (1/12 roll): 5 calories
CERTS BREATH MINTS (5-MINT ROLL)
5 mints (1 roll): 25 calories
80 mints (16 rolls): 400 calories
1 mint (1/5 roll): 5 calories
SUGARLESS GUM (5-STICK PACK)
5 sticks (1 pack): 25 calories
80 sticks (16 packs): 400 calories
1 stick (1/5 pack): 5 calories
DOUBLEMINT GUM (5-STICK PACK)
5 sticks (1 pack): 50 calories
40 sticks (8 packs): 400 calories
1 stick (1/5 pack): 10 calories
TIC TAC FRESHMINTS (0.625 OZ BOX)
40 mints (1 box): 80 calories
200 mints (5 boxes): 400 calories
5 mints (1/8 box): 10 calories
BUBBLE YUM ORIGINAL GUM (5-PIECE PACK)
5 pieces (1 pack): 125 calories
16 pieces (3 1/5 packs): 400 calories
1 piece (1/5 pack): 25 calories