Product Review: Keebler Right Bites

Someone at the construction magazine I worked at introduced me to 100-calorie snack packs.

My favorite, by far, is Keebler Right Bites Fudge Stripes flavor in a 100-calorie pack. That's probably because the Keebler Fudge Stripes were the cookie of choice to be found in Gram's cookie jar as kids. I know it seems peculiar that the queen of homemade bread had those cookies in her cookie jar, but, as she explained it, "The way you kids eat cookies, it's the only way I can keep up." My cousins Todd and Sara and I used to stay with my grandmother in the summer and Todd was a human garbage disposal, with the exception of green beans (he loathed them).

Anyway, back to my favorite new cookie. The only problem I have with them is that I want to eat more than one 100-calorie pack, but that's life.

Healthy Snacks Revisited

As we get back to school and head into fall, it's time to think of some healthier snacks.

One of my all-time favorites, which also is good in lunches are flavored (the ones without added sugar). There is a fabulous one that is Mott's Healthy Harvest; see prior product review here.

Another thing I enjoy is trail mix. Now here you have to be careful with the portion size: stick to 1/4 to 1/3 cup by dividing it into little snack bags. The best trail mix I ever made featured chocolate covered Raisinets, Chex Rice cereal, a small package of the Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwiches, pecans, walnuts, raisins and dried cranberries. Aunflower or pumpkin seeds also are good.

For some additional ideas, try this article from Self or another from Eating Well magazine as well as my prior post about quick snacks.


  

Avoid Brain Decay by Eating Berries, Walnuts and Bright Veggies?

I'm thrilled; it seems as though my favorite fruits and vegetables — such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and colorful peppers — may be able to somewhat reverse the aging process.
Yes, you may have heard that these are good for you already in the media. But this news comes from a professional scientific journal: Science Daily. In its Aug. 24, 2010 edition, an article titled "Eating berries may activate the brain's natural housekeeper for healthy aging" gives the scoop: berries, walnuts and other, brightly-hued red, orange and blue druits and vegetables are high in polyphenolics. This means act as "housekeepers" in your brain cleaning up residue that otherwise would impede normal brain function.

I'll have to get back to you on the results, but I plan to make a salad with as many of these things as possible in it sometime soon.