How These Snacks Made the List
Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.
How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.
Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!
17 low-carb snack ideas
Kashi TLC Trail Mix chewy granola bar is delicious & is better nutritionally than the Nature Valley bar above: 140 calories, 5g fat, 20g carbs, 1g fiber, 6g sugar, 95mg sodium.
8/30/2010 04:50:39 PM Report AbuseIF YOU DON'T AGREE DON'T DO IT. DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH YOUR IDEAS. I FOUND EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT AND NEEDS TO FIND WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
8/21/2010 08:44:56 AM Report AbuseBETTER HOME.. THANK U FOR HUNTING OUT THE DIABERTIC RECIPES THAT ARE ON THIS WEBSITE.. U MAKE LIVEING SO GOOD AS I DIABERTIC. THANK U JOHN
8/17/2010 12:14:41 PM Report AbuseI'm allergic to artificial sugars. Even Splenda made me very ill. Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what do you do? I am really careful with carbs because of this.
8/17/2010 10:03:28 AM Report AbuseHow are some of these recipes "diabetic"? I don't know about anyone else but raisins, milk, rice, noodles, graham crackers, oranges, etc. all screw up my BS levels. Carbs seem to affect me more than sugar.
4/12/2010 09:51:43 AM Report AbuseI was hoping for specific snacks one could prepare for a diabetic, not a listing of commercially prepared products - how do we know those companies didn't pay for an endorsement from you?
4/8/2010 10:11:45 AM Report AbuseBumble Bee Solid White Albacore In Water is much better health wise than StarKist. Why you put StarKist first is curious.
4/7/2010 01:07:02 PM Report AbuseDannon Light and Fit has 80 Calories 15gms of carbs 5 gms protein and 0gms of fat. Less money and much healthier. Buy low fat plain and add berries to it and it'll be just as good as well.
4/6/2010 09:52:07 PM Report AbuseTotal carbohydrate value includes sugar value
4/6/2010 09:32:30 PM Report AbuseSurely the amount of SUGAR in these snacks isn't the issue - the issue should be total carbs, and GI properties of the carbs.
4/6/2010 07:53:13 PM Report AbuseThe amount of sugar per serving should have been included
4/6/2010 06:28:11 PM Report Abusesome of these snacks i have already had and it helps wit comtrolling my sugar levels guess it workson some but if you havent tried it dont beat down the suggestions remember they are only "suggestions"
4/6/2010 04:14:17 PM Report AbuseI agree w/ anonymous - how about a list of 100 calorie combinations of veggies, a couple whole grain crackers or fruit, nuts, low fat cheese/yogurt?
4/6/2010 03:47:42 PM Report AbuseAll of these snacks are just great, but, there was no mention on sugar content!!! I have been instructed by my Doctor to avoid sugar. How much sugar is there in this stuff?
4/6/2010 02:54:45 PM Report AbuseI think the point of the list was to give diabetics a good list of quick and easy snacks. As a PWD, my busy schedule can derail healthy snacking. If you are on the go a lot, you don't have time to go to the kitchen and prepare a truly healthy, balanced snack. These are simply alternatives that are pre-packaged and still within the recommended carb/fat/calorie levels. Certainly a PWD would agree that the foods on this list are not the best, but you can agree that in a pinch, they are good.
4/6/2010 02:40:21 PM Report Abusethis list is horrible! this is not how diabetic people should learn to eat. additives and processing takes everything nutritious out of food, and paying extra for pre-portioned food is very deceiving, again, teaches nothing about how to eat! having struggled with insulin dependence for many years, this list is discouraging. go get a good diabetes educator to help you understand how to eat rather than buying boxed and bagged crap! it will server you better over time, i promise.
4/6/2010 02:22:12 PM Report AbuseIt would be helpful if these "list" were actually lists instead of having to go through so many pages. For this article, a more aptly named title would be 25 Better Choices of Prepackaged Snacks. When I see Healthy Snack Choices, I was thinking more of low/no preservatives or chemicals, organic, or natural.
4/6/2010 02:09:52 PM Report AbuseI gave up looking. Way too much got to this page, not there yet, click again, still not there. Will cancel soon if this site does not improve.
4/6/2010 01:51:06 PM Report AbuseI agree; this list is atrocious. Natural PB (Smuckers natural or Crazy Richards has my vote), natural nuts, plain greek yogurt are all good. Most of the rest is just junk. If you feel the need to put "good for you" in quotes (slide 20) -- even if it is for editorial reasons, then maybe these aren't the best snacks for you. This doesn't teach anyone to eat healthier at all; it's the same junk in smaller portions. Buy a food scale; it's cheaper. And why no fresh fruit, lean turkey etc on the list?
4/6/2010 01:38:40 PM Report AbuseI was tempted to subscribe until I saw this list of prepackaged not-too-nutritional "snacks" Sorry, these are not for me (with the exception of the Yogurt products).
4/6/2010 01:25:17 PM Report AbuseI agree - way to much clicking here and there and too much junk, who is in charge with what is picked -seems like it is being pumped by manufactures... and many recipes don't come out well. Very disappointed in this site,.
4/6/2010 12:27:08 PM Report AbuseSome of your suggestions are great-just surprised that there were so many prepackaged and processed food items including-not healthy-too many chemicals, sugar and oils.
4/6/2010 10:37:05 AM Report AbuseYour ideas for snacks was interesting. However, most of the brands are not available in the area where I live. Are there any 2nd options that are for the brands that are found in most grocery stores?
4/6/2010 10:15:10 AM Report AbuseWhats wrong with natural peanut butter? It has no sugar nor salt-just ground up peanuts. I like Teddie brand. Just wondering why you suggest Jif which has both added? And I agree too many prepackaged foods have hydrogenated oils.
3/5/2010 02:46:18 PM Report AbuseWay too much processed and packaged foods in your recommendations! We eliminated hydrogenated oils from our diet, which is often found in these packaged foods. I'm surprized.
12/16/2009 11:38:35 AM Report AbuseThis website is waaaay too complicated and messy! i have to hit 4 times to get to the 25 top rated snacks and then find out that somehow we're down to 17?!? Too much clutter and ads! Thanks, but I'm not going to wade through all this stuff.
12/9/2009 11:47:20 PM Report AbuseCongrats, janefinley1; reducing calories from added sugars can help with weight loss. Two natural nut butters (without sugar) made Honorable Mention; however, our 50-person taste panel, including people with diabetes (PWDs), preferred the winning PB. Artificial sweeteners are government-approved and can help PWDs significantly reduce cal. and carb. intake. If you prefer to avoid such sweeteners, your choice is respected, and we hope you enjoy our snacks that do fit your personal food philosophy.
11/5/2009 08:21:30 AM Report AbuseFrom the editors of Diabetic Living: We are currently putting together a printer-friendly version of the snacks. Look for it soon! Great suggestion!
11/4/2009 05:05:11 PM Report AbuseGo to PRINT ALL at the top, you can copy and paste or print all of them-very nice.
11/3/2009 04:20:35 PM Report AbuseYIKES! I was alarmed that you recommended snacks with artificial ingredients and SUGAR. I think I could do a MUCH better job at suggesting healthy snacks! JIF peanut butter has sugar added; buy only those with peanuts and salt. Artificial sweeteners like Splenda are bad for you. I use all-natural Stevia. I eliminated all sugar and honey and lost 15 pounds in 2 months. My blood sugar and cholesterol each went down 12 points. I don't have diabetes yet, and I don't plan to get it!
11/3/2009 02:38:13 PM Report AbuseI agree. I would prefer the listing, maybe with a picture of the products. It would be much easier to shop that way.
11/3/2009 02:20:56 PM Report Abusegalefick@aol.com
11/3/2009 01:50:01 PM Report AbuseI agree: could you put all the valuable info in a few pages along with the slide shows. I would like to pin up the info on a board to remind me what is good .
11/3/2009 01:28:34 PM Report AbuseWhat's with the slideshows? It would be fantastic if I could print this information off for my father who is a diabetic and does not have the internet without having the print every single slide...
11/3/2009 01:24:30 PM Report AbuseThis is the most information I have gotten yet. I am going out this afternoon after work and get some of these snacks. My worst time is in the evening while watching tv. Now I can have something that is legal. I lost 60 lbs on weight watchers and that triggered the type 2 diabities. It layed dormant, and now I can't eat the same things was allowed to before. Thank you.
11/3/2009 10:35:31 AM Report Abuse