All packaged snacks have serving sizes — but with our busy day-to-day routine it’s oftentimes hard to follow these suggested guidelines.  We want to make healthy decisions, yet time often constrains us from doing so.  I’ve found it helpful to pre-measure my favorite snacks’ serving sizes, so that when in a rush I can quickly pack up my snack and go.  By having a mental image (snapshot) of the correct serving size, I can better estimate the healthy portion suggested on the nutrition facts.  Pictured below are images of 7 snacks found in my pantry.  Each is measured out to its correct serving size, and is placed in a sandwich sized bag.

Veggie Stix/Serving Size: 1 oz

Mini Pretzels/Serving Size: 20 pretzels

Barbeque Pop Chips/Serving Size: 20 chips

Baked Cheese Crackers/Serving Size: 31 crackers

Wheat Thins/Serving Size: 16 thins

Cinnamon Teddy Grahams/Serving Size: 24 teddys

Dry-Roasted Peanuts/Serving Size: 39 peanuts

My advice?  Take some time to make measurements of appropriate serving sizes for all of your favorite snacks.  If I’m not taking my snack on-the-go, I often like to place it in a cupcake paper (easy to hold and usually the perfect size for most snack portions).  Calorie conscious?  Read College Lifestyles’ “Six Snacking Substitutes Towards a Healthier You,” and become a member of “MyFitnessPal“.  It’s a free website that provides a fabulous way to keep count of your daily caloric intake… and yes, there’s an app for that!

Don’t let your eating habits take control of your life — be sure to read Maggie’s interview with eating disorder survivor and speaker Lee Blum.

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.   Having a mental snapshot of her favorite snacks’ serving sizes has really come in handy, by both saving her time and by allowing her to experience a healthier everyday lifestyle.