3 major snack trends, fact-checked by registered dietitians

We're living in a health-obsessed moment, and for the most part, that's a good thing. But it also means everyone with something to sell is slapping a big, glittery health halo on their product. Nowhere is that more obvious than the snack aisle, where claims of high-fiber cookies, probiotic trail mix, and protein-laced rice treats now line the shelves.

Sometimes it’s obvious b.s. Pump a brownie full of pea protein and it’s…still a brownie. But not always: Some of these newfangled packaged snacks really do deliver the high-quality nutrients you want without the ingredients you don’t. Here, registered dietitians are unpacking three of the biggest snack trends to help you separate healthy from hype.

You’ve got meat sticks, salmon sticks, protein popcorn, protein bars, protein shakes, protein rice treats — you get the drift. “Protein can be beneficial in a snack because it keeps us more full, stabilizes blood sugar, and maintains muscle mass,” says Blair Persyn, RDN, a registered dietitian based in Texas. Increasing protein intake is also critical for minimizing muscle loss as you lose weight. 

While snacks can certainly help you increase your protein intake, they’re not all created equal. Take the example of a plain low-fat Greek yogurt with fruit and compare it to something like a packaged protein rice treat or cookie. All of these can have similar amounts of protein — 15 to 21 grams per serving, depending on the brand — but the yogurt and fruit are whole-food ingredients, low in saturated fat, free of added sugar or sugar substitutes, and contain fiber from the fruit. On the other hand, protein-enhanced snacks and treats can be high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, says Persyn. 

Meat sticks and strips can be a good option, says Persyn, as they do offer a concentrated source of protein. While they usually have 10 to 15 grams per serving, they can be higher in sodium, as salt is used as a preservative. If you have high blood pressure, this is something you’ll want to watch for more carefully, Persyn says.

The grocery store is looking more and more like the drugstore these days, thanks to the term “gut-healthy” popping up in various aisles. For starters, there are the probiotic and prebiotic beverages. Probiotics are live organisms that can be beneficial for gut health and possibly other diseases and conditions, including supporting weight loss and decreasing belly fat. Prebiotics are types of fibers that “feed” probiotics to help them thrive. 

These soda alternatives tend to use sugar alternatives like Stevia for their sweetness, and many are enriched with other types of fiber — like soluble corn fiber — that can also benefit your digestive tract. Meanwhile, there are more and more foods getting the gut-healthy label too, including fruit bars and dried fruit, granola bars, trail mix, and smoothie pouches. 

This all sounds good, but at least when it comes to probiotics, it may not live up to the hype. Unlike whole foods that develop probiotics as a natural result of fermentation, such as kefir or yogurt, these drinks and snacks have them added during processing — and that makes a big difference. 

It’s unlikely the added probiotics in snack foods or sodas will make a meaningful difference for your digestive health, as probiotics need to stay alive in products to have a chance at supporting your gut, says Ashleigh Hansen, R.D., a registered dietitian with Weight Watchers. And there’s no way to tell how many probiotics have survived in that can of soda or bag of trail mix. Refrigeration helps keep them alive, which is why probiotics in foods like yogurt are still kicking. 

“Probiotic snacks are generally not worth the high price for the supposed health benefits,” says Persyn. “For someone wanting to improve their gut health, it is much more efficient and economical to do so by consuming a variety of plant-based foods, fiber-rich foods, and fermented foods like Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and tempeh.”

There is at least one way, however, that these newer sodas sizzle: as a lower-sugar alternative to regular soda. “If this allows someone to drink less regular soda and consume less sugar, that’s a win,” says Hansen. Beyond that, there is also a benefit to choosing fiber-enriched snacks, as more than 90% of women and 97% of men in the U.S. don’t get the recommended amount of fiber in their diet. Just make sure they’re also low in added sugar and saturated fat.

With more and more kinds of sugar substitutes becoming available, you can now find ice cream, chocolate, candy, and other treats that have no- or low-calorie sweeteners — and no weird aftertaste. Think monkfruit, allulose, and maltitol (a kind of sugar alcohol).

There are potential perks: “Sugar-free treats can be great in moderation to reduce overall calorie intake and to keep blood sugar more stable, especially for those with diabetes,” says Persyn. But, says Hansen, some people still find their taste off-putting and they may upset your digestive tract with bloating. 

Some studies also suggest that sugar substitutes can confuse the brain. They taste sweet but deliver few or no calories, and this may increase hunger by disrupting how the hypothalamus signals fullness to the rest of the brain.

They also contain little nutritional value. “I’d recommend not eating these kinds of foods all throughout the day and instead choosing nutrient-rich whole foods most of the time,” Persyn says. One or two servings is okay if it’s taking the place of a different high-sugar snack — and you don’t get a stomach ache from eating them.

While many packaged snacks are ultra-processed foods (after all, low-sugar, high-fiber gummy bears don’t grow on trees), the reality is that sometimes you just need to be able to grab an energy bar and snack on the go. In those instances, it pays to pick one that delivers the most nutrition. A good tool for figuring out what to choose? Looking at the food’s points value in the Weight Watchers Points® program since it quickly conveys the nutritional value. Here are some other ways to consider your options: 

Flip to the back of the product

That’s where you can skip the buzz-wordy label and get down to the need-to-know details. “I would definitely caution against blindly trusting a label without taking a deeper look, as the sole purpose of a food package is to sell the product,” says Persyn. 

For her part, Hansen likens this to picking out a book by the cover alone. She also recommends comparing two similar products in the store, such as two high-fiber snack bars, to help you choose the more good-for-you option. The Weight Watchers Barcode Scanner makes this simple: Just scan both and see how they stack up against each other.

Use the “real food” test 

Look for whole or minimally processed foods where the first few ingredients are easily recognizable. Whole food snack options that Persyn recommends are plain popcorn, reduced-fat cheese, boiled eggs, fruits and veggies, edamame, hummus, plain yogurt, and nuts and seeds. 

Know what to look for

High-protein products should have at least 10 grams of protein per serving, says Hansen. In addition, aim for snacks that are lower in sodium (containing 5% of the Daily Value or less per serving) and added sugars (it should make up less than 10% of a snack’s total calories).

Packaged snacks are designed to be fun — and they’re increasingly designed to be healthy too. The newest snacks are loaded with protein or probiotics and are much lower in sugar than the older versions. Keep in mind, though, that these are still highly processed foods. You can add them to your snack rotation, but they may not be worth the price or have the health benefits you think they do.