Diet Food Reviews

Crystal Light Cherry Pomegranate Frozen Pops

2010-03-19T10:23:27Z

I was lucky enough to receive a few samples of Crystal Light Frozen Pops to review. The first flavor I reached for was the Cherry Pomegranate because the combination sounds so delicious. Right on the front of the box, it tells you that these are sugar-free and are only 15 calories each - that sounds like my kind of snack!

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pop (50 grams)
Calories: 15
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 0%
Carbohydrates: 4 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 0 grams

The color is quite the berry red that you would expect from a "Cherry Pomegranate" pop. The taste is sweet and ... that's it. The good thing is that there is no after-taste from any artificial sweeteners. The only thing I wish was that there was some kind of flavor other than the sweetness, which to be fair wasn't overwhelming, but there's no cherry or pomegranate flavor. I could have used a little tartness. The ingredient list is not for the faint of heart, and the sweeteners used are the sugar alcohols sorbitol & erythritol, plus sucralose.

]]> Whereas I liked the Crystal Light Cherry Pomegranate Frozen Pops well enough, I think I would prefer a popsicle, or fruit bar with a little more flavor, so I'm looking forward to trying other varieties of Crystal Light Pops to see how they compare. For now, I'm sticking with Tropicana Swirls Vanilla IceCream Sorbet.

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Yolato Pomegranato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bars

2010-03-18T19:32:49Z

I haven't even been to a Yolato store yet, despite the fact that there are several locations I could visit in New York, but I figured buying a Yolato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bar is the next best thing. I picked up a 4-pack of the Pomegranato bars from the grocery store for $5.59, eager to dig in. After all, the combination of tart yogurt and pomegranate couldn't be bad, right?

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 bar (64 grams)
Calories: 80
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 30, 1%
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 14 grams
Protein: 2 grams

Let's talk taste. I have one word for Yolato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bars swirled with Pomegranate Sorbet - yummylicious !These bars are big (64 grams), and they're delicious. They're tart and sweet at the same time, thanks to the pomegranate swirlies. Plus the texture is creamy and amazing. I don't know how Yolato did it, but they really hit on a winning combination here with this frozen, probiotic-filled treat.

]]> Each 64 gram Yolato Pomegranato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bar provides 80 calories, no fat, 30 mg of sodium (1% of the daily value), 14 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein. The ingredients list starts with skim milk & milk, sugar, corn syrup and pomegranate juice concentrate - and continues on with stabilizers, gums & yogurt cultures.

The Yolato Frozen Yogurt Bars are less than half the calories & sugar than in Blue Bunny Double Strawberry Sedona Frozen Yogurt Granola Sandwiches and just about 20 calories less than in the Edys Smoothie Real Fruit and Frozen Yogurt Bars (which we love).

For a break, step away from the ice cream, and check out these yummy Yolato Bars instead.

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Kemps Strawberries 'n Cream Frozen Yogurt Parfait

2010-03-18T10:21:55Z

Are there some foods you only eat in the the winter or summer? I know some people reserve their cold snacks for summertime, but for me, I can eat ice cream any season. This is why I was cruising the freezer aisle in Target the other day where Kemps Strawberries 'n Cream Frozen Yogurt Parfaitcaptured my attention. I decided to forgo my usual (low fat Slow Churned) ice cream treat and try this instead. Kemps says their frozen yogurt is, "full of rich and creamy flavor with less fat and fewer calories than ice cream" - I was definitely looking forward to digging into this when I got home.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 6 ounces
Calories: 160
Total Fat: 1.5 grams, 2%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 50, 2%
Carbohydrates: 35 grams
Fiber: < 1 gram, 18%
Sugars: 22 grams
Protein: 3 grams

I popped open the Strawberries 'n Cream Parfait later that night and gazed at a creation that resembled something from a local FroYo Shop. After experiencing the delight of the first spoonful, I felt like I was in dessert heaven. The topping was a combination of chopped frozen strawberries and strawberry glaze and eneath the firm, red topping was a fluffy, yet smooth layer of frozen yogurt (a very thick layer no less). The "strawberry frozen yogurt" was like a combination of strawberry ice cream and whipped cream - just too tasty for words . Furthermore, the fairly big container makes me feel like I am devouring a whole pint of sinful ice cream. Talk about deception!

]]> Each 6 ounce cup of Kemps Strawberries 'n Cream Frozen Yogurt Parfait provides 150 delicious calories, 2% & 5% of the daily value for total ans saturated fat, 22 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. The ingredient list (which contains live and active cultures) starts off with nonfat milk and continues with a short list of other components (mostly sugars including high fructose corn syrup).

I paid $0.99 for a 6 ounce container of Kemps Frozen Yogurt Parfait. While I loved the taste, the amount of sugar means that this will only be an occasional treat.

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Lean Cuisine Roasted Honey Chicken

2010-03-17T19:26:59Z

It's been quite a long time since I've had any frozen meals for lunch, but since March is National Frozen Food Month (go figure), I decided that I would buy a few Lean Cuisine meals that I hadn't tried yet, and have them for lunch. Lean Cuisine Roasted Honey Chicken is described as, "Roasted chicken in a sweet honey sauce with snap peas, yellow beans and whole wheat pilaf", which sounds simple enough - like one of those basic meals that shouldn't be hard to mess up - so I bought it for $2.50 (on sale).

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pkg
Calories: 280
Total Fat: 4 grams, 6%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 600 mg, 25%
Carbohydrates: 44 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 20%
Sugars: 18 grams
Protein: 18 grams

This meal tastes surprisingly similar to Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken. I think it might be because of the sauce - because no matter what the description they used, all I can say is that it's sweet and it does add a delicious touch that ties all the ingredients together. There's not much else to say about this as it is essentially chicken & rice (or rather orzo), with some vegetables like snap peas, carrots and there is even some wheat berries in this - the combination resulted in a nice texture of this dish.

]]> Each Lean Cuisine Roasted Honey Chicken entree provides 280 calories, a low 6% of the daily value for total fat (5% of the DV for saturated fat), 25% of the DV for sodium, 5 grams of fiber and 18 grams of sugars as well as protein. The ingredients list starts with whole wheat orzo pasta & cooked white meat chicken, but becomes a little complex after that.

Overall, I liked the flavor of this dish, which I thought was very similar to Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken. So you could save some grams of sugar and 20 calories by choosing this one instead.

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Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken

2010-03-17T10:25:15Z

The Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken is described as, "grilled chicken in an apple reduction with cranberries, french cut green beans and whole wheat pilaf." That's quite an appetizing description, and given my love of cranberries, it's no wonder that I scooped this up when I saw it on sale at the supermarket recently at 2 for $5.00.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pkg
Calories: 300
Total Fat: 4 grams, 6%
Saturated Fat: 2 grams, 10%
Sodium: 500 mg, 21%
Carbohydrates: 54 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 24%
Sugars: 24 grams
Protein: 14 grams

I can't recall the last time I had a bad experience with a Lean Cuisine meal, and this meal was no different. While I didn't go, wow, I was pleased with the sweet sauce (which really didn't taste of apples though), the plenty veggies and the texture of the whole grain orzo pasta (I'm starting to prefer this to rice in frozen dinners). This is a solid meal - what you see on the packaging is what you get - and I liked it! The cranberries were a nice touch, and I felt like I was getting a little bit of everything in every bite - no skimping on the meat (like Tai Pei Garlic Shrimp), or the veggies or the sauce. Everything comes together harmoniously to deliver a good meal.

Each Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken entree provides 300 calories, 6% of the daily value for total fat (10% of the DV for saturated fat), 500 mg of sodium (21% of the DV), 14 grams of protein, 24% of the DV for fiber and 24 grams of sugar - told you the sauce was sweet! And it's 5 Weight Watcher Points for those of you who are counting.

]]> The ingredients list can be found at LeanCuisine.com and starts with whole wheat orzo pasta & cooked white meat chicken. The rest of the list is pretty straightforward.

I enjoyed Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken, and the only reason I might not reach for this again is because of the amount of sugar - and that's a totally personal preference. I'm just not really a big fan of "sweet" saucy frozen meals - most (all) already have lots of sodium, I really don't need them to be high in sugars too. But, like I said, this meal is good (and it's not overly sweet), so you will not regret your purchase.

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Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Veggie Burger

2010-03-16T19:23:30Z

The Gardenburger brand was one of the first non-meat faux-burger patties that I bought, but it's been a long while. Somehow, they get replaced in my shopping trips by Boca and Morningstar Farms, so I had forgotten what they tasted like. I decided to get reacquainted with GB, so I dropped $4.99 for a 4-pack of Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Veggie Burgers.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 patty (71 grams)
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 3 grams, 5%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 390, 16%
Carbohydrates: 16 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 18%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 5 grams

Gardenburger describes their bean patties as, "made with the finest blend of black beans, brown rice, savory onions, corn, fresh red bell peppers and Anaheim chilies with a touch of cilantro and garlic. Tex-Mex in true Gardenburger style." call me crazy, but that doesn't sound truly appetizing and unfortunately, I didn't find the taste too delightful either. The black bean flavor was fine, but the texture was the worst. It's really mushy and who wants to eat spicy black bean mush in the shape of a patty?!

]]> Each Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Veggie Burger provides 100 calories,5% of the daily value for total fat, 16% of the DV for sodium, 5 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of protein. The ingredients list starts with cooked brown rice, (medium grain brown rice, water), onions and cooked black beans followed by a few different beans, vegetables & spices.

It's too bad that the taste & texture aren't good because the nutrition facts is stellar. Looks like Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Wraps didn't get good reviews either, so maybe GB needs to stop with black bean products. Are there any Gardenburger Black Bean products out there?! Let us know because I would love to try it.

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Gardenburger Veggie Medley

2010-03-16T10:29:44Z

The first veggie burger I ever had was a Gardenburger, but that was so long ago that I don't really remember what the burger tasted like, but I do remember that it was good. I decided to spend the $4.99 for a 4-pack of Gardenburger Veggie Medley patties.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 patty (71 grams)
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 2.5 grams, 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 380 mg, 16%
Carbohydrates: 17 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 21%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 3 grams

Gardenburger describes this as, "a farmers' market blend of delicious vegetables and grains with broccoli, rolled oats, savory onions, red and yellow bell peppers, crisp carrots, brown rice, and water chesnuts." The ultimate question is though, how does this burger taste? To be honest, not good. When I heated up my patty in the microwave before plopping it on the grill, I couldn't get over the overwhelming smell. Maybe it's just that I don't like the smell of microwaved broccoli, but this patty gave off an incredibly "cruciferous" smell - not appetizing. The taste also wasn't wonderful at all; it was very vegetable-y, without much in the way of seasoning. The brown rice base was mushy, too. Sorry to say it GB, but this was ... yuck !

]]> Each 71 gram Gardenburger Veggie Medley patty provides 100 calories, 4% of the daily value for total fat, 16% of the DV for sodium, 21% of the DV for fiber and 3 grams of protein. The ingredients list is filled with lots of veggie goodness and the nutrition facts are pretty good, so it's even more disheartening that the taste was just not up to par. Unfortunately, I won't be buying this again.

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Reader Favorites: What is Your Favorite Weight Watchers Smart Ones Meal

2010-03-15T20:17:06Z

Did you know March is National Frozen Food Month? I'm not even sure what that means - is there a parade somewhere?! Well, regardless, I decided to review only frozen foods this week (the 2nd week of March 2010). We've already asked what's your Favorite Lean Cuisine Meal, so it's only fair to give another brand a chance. Do you have a favorite Weight Watchers Smart Ones Meal? If so, share your favorite(s) with us.

Mine are:
Weight Watchers Smart Ones Southwest Style Adobo Chicken
Weight Watchers Smart Ones Calzone Italiano
Weight Watchers Smart Ones Artisan Creations Southwestern Style Chicken Fiesta Grilled Flatbread

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Broccoli and Cheddar Roasted Potatoes

2010-03-15T17:35:09Z

Hungry and tired, I flocked to the convenience "type" store that we have in the lobby of our dorm and by-passed the fried foods for a Weight Watchers Smart Ones Broccoli and Cheddar Roasted Potatoes frozen meal. I hadn't tried this before, but as tired as I was - and as much as I wanted to reach for an old tried & true standby like Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Oriental - I decided to try something new.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pkg
Calories: 240
Total Fat: 7 grams, 10%
Saturated Fat: 3.5 gram, 17%
Sodium: 520 mg, 21%
Carbohydrates: 34 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 20%
Sugars: 5 grams
Protein: 10 grams

The cheese sauce resembles the yellow substance that is pumped over tortilla chips when you order nachos at the concession stand (and smells kind of like it too), which could be a plus, or not, depending on your preference. There is also a little bit too much sauce. However, a surplus of sauce does not equal an abundance of flavor. It was somewhat cheesy, but needed some spices or ... flavor. The potato chunks appeared to have actually been roasted, which was pleasant. However, the cubes were so big that the starchiness of the potato overpowered any chance for the cheese sauce to shine. The broccoli is abundant and tastes like frozen broccoli. My overall impression was that this is a mediocre side dish. I would not call it a main course. Furthermore, in the 8 minutes it takes to cook this meal, you could probably microwave your own potato and steam some fresh veggies, concocting a much healthier and tastier version.

]]> A 10 oz tray of Weight Watchers Smart Ones Broccoli and Cheddar Roasted Potatoesprovides 240 calories, 10% of the daily value for total fat and 17% of the DV for saturated fat; 520 mg of sodium (21% of the DV), 4 grams of fiber (17% of the DV) and 10 grams of protein. The ingredient list is about as long as this review.

I paid $4.00 for this over priced meal at my school cafeteria and am thankful it came out of my dining bucks and not my wallet. Apparently, someone is buying Weight Watchers Smart Ones Broccoli and Cheddar Roasted Potatoes Frozen Meal and keeping it in the marketplace! It sure isn't me (well not anymore) - looks like it's the folks at Heat Eat Review Is it you too?

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Weight Watchers Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce

2010-03-15T10:24:13Z

Have you seen Weight Watchers Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce sitting in the freezer aisle and wondered whether or not you should give it a try? I mean, who wouldn't like a big serving of meaty and cheesy lasagna for only 300 calories? I was intrigued. I actually picked this up in the cafeteria of my dorm because it was this or the traditional dorm food that I was quickly growing tired of.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pkg
Calories:300
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 3 grams, 14%
Sodium: 780 mg, 33%
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 18%
Sugars: 8 grams
Protein: 17 grams

The microwave instructions for this baby require 4 minutes at high and 4 minutes at medium and 2 minutes of cooling ... with all that work, this had better come out as good as Lean Cuisine Cheese Lasagna with Chicken Scaloppini or Amy's Tofu Vegetable Lasagna. I opted to be a rebel and just pop it in the microwave until it seemed to be done. At 4 minutes, I took it out, looked at it and threw it in for another minute. After 5 minutes total, my meal was piping hot and ready to quiet my grumbling tummy.

One thing I will commend Smart Ones on is the sturdiness of their containers. Also, the meat sauce most definitely has a generous portion of baby meatballs dispersed throughout. Other than that, I was less than impressed. The noodles are very al dente and get tough around the edges. The picture on the box couldn't be more deceiving because the "layer" of ricotta between each thick, flavorless, tough noodle is thin enough to see through. The sauce has a nice flavor; but there is not enough of it and about half way through, it's about 85% noodles and I was left wondering where all of their accompaniments went.

]]> Each 10.5 oz package of Weight Watchers Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce provides 300 calories, 9% & 14% of the daily value for total and saturated fat, 780 mg of sodium (33% of the DV), 18% of the DV for fiber, 8 grams of sugar and 17 grams of protein. The nutrition profile is not too shabby, while the ingredient list is so long that I'm afraid to read it!

This meal supposedly takes 10 minutes to cook. If you find yourself reaching for Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce, please refrain and spend those 10 minutes heating up Amy's Vegetable Lasagna or even whipping up a grilled cheese sandwich ... anything is better than what awaits you after those 10 minutes. The $3.00 that I paid for this overpriced, mediocre meal might as well have gone in the trash. Although, to its defense, I did consume this whole meal ... I just never wish to do so again.

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Food Should Taste Good Potato & Chive Chips

2010-03-13T11:54:39Z

This is the 4th variety of Food Should Taste Good chips that we've reviewed here on Iateapie.net. So far the MultiGrain and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips are our favorites, while the Chocolate Chips were just okay. I recently received a free sample of Food Should Taste Good Potato & Chive Chips and with the excellent track record for this brand, I couldn't wait to try it.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 ounce (12 chips)
Calories: 140
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 gram, 3%
Sodium: 120 mg, 5%
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: 4 grams, 16%
Sugar: 0 grams
Protein: 2 grams

Normally, I am not one to reach for potato chips; but this cross between a tortilla chip and a potato chip put a smile on my face. The somewhat thin and crispy chips possess a scrumptious, mouthwatering lightness. The flavor profile is comparable to that of a baked potato. It tastes almost as though someone baked the skin of a potato into a chip ... in a weirdly delicious way. They are not overly salty and the flavor profile is thorough, entertaining your taste buds from start to finish (as opposed to simply being a coating that enhances the chip).

A 1 ounce serving of Food Should Taste Good Potato & Chive Chips provides 140 calories, 11% & 5% of the daily value for total and saturated fat, 5% of the DV for sodium, 16% of the DV for fiber, no sugar and 2 grams of protein. The ingredients are simply, stone ground corn, potato (Russet & Superior), high oleic sunflower and/or safflower oil, corn bran, chives and sea salt.

]]> These all natural chips are Gluten free, Kosher, lactose free and contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Yes - this is another Food Should taste Good Chip that I'm enamored with. A 7 oz bag of Food Should Taste Good Potato & Chive Chips cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.00 - not to mention you can get $1.00 off instantly by signing up as a fan at FoodShouldTasteGood.com.

Whereas the total fat is a little on the high side - this is a snack and should be treated as such - the simple ingredients list and delightful taste means I will be buying this again.

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Back to Nature Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

2010-03-12T20:25:28Z

At the $0.99 Cents store the other day I was delighted to find Back to Nature Crispy Oatmeal Cookies. I have seen them many times on the shelves of my neighborhood grocery store, but for some reason I hadn't tried these before - and I've tried many, many Back to Nature goodies.

Can you say delicious delights three times fast? You better learn how if you plan on eating these cookies. Most of the time, when you find an oatmeal cookie, you also find chewy raisins, but not with Back to Nature's variety. One bite into these crispy cookies relinquishes a subtly sweet, honey-like taste. The crunchy cookie snaps with each bite and turns into a smooth and sinful tasting mouthful. Though there are no gooey raisins dispersed throughout the batter, the raisins make a slight appearance in the form of raisin paste, which adds a hint of natural sweetness to the cookies.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 26 grams (2 cookies)
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 5 grams, 8%
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 100 mg, 4%
Protein: 2 grams
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: < 1 gram, 2%
Sugar: 8 grams
Protein: 1 gram

A serving of 2 Back to Nature Crispy Oatmeal Cookies provides 120 calories, 8% off the daily value for total fat, no saturated fat, less than one gram of fiber, 8 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein. The ingredient list is very basic, which is appreciated, but alas, Back to Nature uses unbleached enriched flour. The benefits of choosing these cookies over the average brand is the use of non-hydrogenated oils, no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup, plus the use of unrefined sugar, natural rolled oats, real honey and just a touch of cinnamon to finish it off.

]]> I have seen Back to Nature Crispy Oatmeal Cookies on sale for as low as $2.50. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed these cookies and could see myself buying them again. But curiously, a 25 gram Nutridel Almond Cookie provides half the calories - 59 calories and 2 grams of fat - which means, these will definitely have the upper hand when I'm on the hunt for cookies. And Nutridel cookies are made with all natural ingredients as well.

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Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

2010-03-12T11:23:54Z

For my crunchy fix, Glenny's Soy Crisps for a crunchy fix. However, I had the opportunity to try Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar PIta Chips the other day, and I decided to review them and see what everyone else thinks about this treat. I picked up a 1.5-ounce bag for $1.25 and looked forward to trying it.

Stacy's Pita Chips are made from "all natural pita" and then twice baked. I'm used to having soy crisps that have a light, airy texture, so the pita chips were pretty different - harder. When I opened the bag, I got a strong, delicious whiff of cinnamon, but as I bit into one, I could tell that this wasn't exactly what I was going for, texture-wise. However, the cinnamon and sugar flavors were perfect.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 59 grams
Calories: 200
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 4%
Sodium: 180 mg, 7%
Carbohydrates: 30 grams
Fiber: 2 grams, 9%
Sugars: 9 grams
Protein: 4 grams

Each 1.5-ounce package of Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips provides 200 calories, 11% of the daily value for total fat but only 3% of the DV for saturated fat, 180 mg sodium (7% of the DV), 8% of the DV for fiber, 9 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein.

I know people who are Stacy's Pita Chips enthusiasts, but honestly, I don't really get it. The taste is just okay, nutrition facts aren't that great - natural doesn't mean low fat - and the ingredients list , while not bad, starts off with enriched wheat flour, organic sugar and sunflower oil.

]]> Overall, I liked the flavor of Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips but would have been happier with a lighter chip. These probably won't replace Glenny's in my heart (and stomach) for my go to chips. Still, if I'm feeling for a slightly sweet and cinnamony chip, Glenny's MultiGrain Cinnamon and Sugar Pastry Crisps doesn't have a high rating either, so I would probably stick with Food Should Taste Good Cinnamon Tortilla Chips.

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Country Choice Organic Fit Kids Cinnamon Toast Snackin' Grahams

2010-03-11T20:21:06Z

When I was a kid, on of my favorite afternoon snacks included graham crackers and peanut butter ... a "graham-wich" if you will. As I got older, I ditched the graham crackers in favor of whole-wheat toast in an effort to be a little healthier. However, there is something so simple and good about a graham cracker and a glass of milk that makes me feel like I am eight years old again, without a care in the world. When I stumbled upon Country Choice Organic Fit Kids Snackin Grahams at my natural food store, I knew I had to try them. Each pouch contains about 15 little graham flavored snacks in fun shapes such as baseball gloves, soccer balls, and ice skates.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 28 grams (18 cookies)
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 3 grams, 5%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 100 mg, 4%
Carbohydrates: 21 grams
Fiber: 2 grams, 8%
Sugars: 6 grams
Protein: 2 grams

The taste is exactly like the wonderful old-fashioned graham crackers that I remember ... sweet and slightly cinnamony. These taste just as good as Annie's All Natural Honey Bunny Grahams BUT this has 2 grams of fiber whereas Annie's has none. Each 28 gram snack bag of Country Choice Organic Fit Kids Cinnamon Toast Snackin' Grahams also provides 120 calories, 5% of the daily value for total and saturated fat, 4% of the DV for sodium, 6 grams of sugars and 2 grams of protein.

I was also impressed with the ingredient list, which was completely pronounceable: Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cane Syrup, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Organic Cinnamon, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, Cream of Tartar.

]]> The only tiny hiccup with this delightful snack is the price. You can purchase them online at CountryChoiceOrganic.com at $4.99 for an 8 pack, or at Amazon.com ($30.46 for a 40 pack).

These snacks are delicious, already in portion controlled bags and made with the right stuff, so don't hesitate to get these - you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this. I cannot wait to try the chocolate flavor.

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Teddy Grahams Banana

2010-03-11T11:25:55Z

Even though I'm an adult, I still like eating snacks with cute shapes ... as long as they're at least moderately healthy. Annie's All Natural Honey Bunny Grahams has my love, but I'm willing to try new things and I was totally intrigued by Teddy Grahams Banana. Similar to the traditional Teddy Grahams, these have whole grains and calcium, but they also are made with real fruit.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 30 grams
Calories: 130
Total Fat: 3.5 grams, 5%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 130 mg, 5%
Carbohydrates: 23 grams
Fiber: 1 gram, 4%
Sugars: 8 grams
Protein: 2 grams

These Teddy Grahams have the cute bear shape but have little freckles on them from the little pieces of dried banana in them, which were basically tiny banana chips. I love that there actually were real pieces of fruit in the snack, but they also kind of stick to your teeth, which is a bit of an inconvenience. Ultimately, I did like having the dried banana in there, and the little bears really do have a nice overall banana flavor.

]]> Each serving of Teddy Grahams Banana is 24 pieces which provides 130 calories, 5% of the daily value for total fat, saturated fat and sodium, 1 gram of dietary fiber and 2 grams of protein. A serving also has 10% DV calcium and 4% DV iron.

I paid $2.00 for a 10 ounce box (about 9 servings) of Teddy Grahams Banana at the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The taste is not what you would expect from a graham snack, but the variation is pleasing. Nutritionally, they don't claim to count as a serving of fruit, but I do appreciate the use of whole grains and the inclusion of calcium. The price is pretty good, and I would definitely recommend trying this new variation on a classic graham snack.

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