Are you a single snack pack type of person? I am totally guilty of single serving snacks. When I travel, I like snack sized portions–even though I know I am paying more than if I had purchased the full size product. Unfortunately, snack-size portioned goods come at price to both our wallets, our planet, and apparently, our waistlines. According to an article I just read an article on Treehugger, the only people who really benefit from pre-portioned snacks are the manufacturers. Don’t it always seem to go?
I don’t think it will blow anyone’s mind to find out that single-portioned snacks cost more. Afterall, we have pretty much all accepted that you pay for convenience–and that’s totally what they are: super, duper convenient. When I know I am going to be on a plane or in airports all day, it is just easier to toss bars and snacks that are already bagged and portioned out for me into my backpack. I have always figured that I am saving money by buying them at the grocery store, rather than the airport. Still, if I really wanted to save, I could make them from scratch {or toss whole foods, like almonds, sliced apples, etc.} into baggies. I’ll admit, though, sometimes it’s that “one more thing” you have to do before you can travel, and so sometimes I forget.
Obviously, snack-sized portions means little snack-sized packaging. Since my almost zero-waste experience, I have totally seen how extra packaging can add up quickly–especially when you multiply it by everyone in the family. The environmental impact of our packaging is pretty mind-boggling, if you stop to think about it. {Is it just me, or are there a ridiculous amount of things to feel guilty about in life? Sheesh.}
Finally, the article suggested that snacking actually increased our waistlines, because, in general snackers tend to eat more calories than non-snackers. I’m going to say, I have always kind of attributed maintaining my own weight with snacking. Instead of having large portions throughout the day, I peck at smaller snacks. So, I am not totally convinced this one is true across the board–though, these broad generalizations never apply to everybody, everytime, I guess.
My take-away from the article is that I am probably going to keep on snacking, but I may consider packaging my own snacks all the time now from here on out..
Are you a pre-portioned snacker?
~Mavis
Nancy says
Help! I subscribe to your blog and now I can get no images. First line says something about img then all words. I can’t unsubscribe and resubscribe (that has worked before). What can I do? Thank you-love reading you!
Nancy says
Hi
Have you tried kale chips yet? They are easy to make taste great and won’t hurt your waste line. I’m not even a kale fan and I love kale chips. Also there are several different recipes to try. Just as thought I had while you were mentioning snacks
Nancy
Karen says
First, the few pre-packed snack items we buy all come from Costco, so hopefully I am getting a good price. Second, everyone in the house knows they are for lunches or traveling only. If this mama catches you eating them at home because you are too lazy to fix a snack or meal, there is hell to pay! Finally, I do try to recycle as much as I can.
Mavis says
I like your sensible approach to it.
Linda M says
I agr that snack packs create more waste. However,I do not agree that smacking itself creates more waist as the study says. My best friend has been a grazed for years….eats when she is hungry only….small amounts at a time. She is in her 60’s and has always remained svelte and healthy this way.
Shelle says
I was just thinking about this as I packed my daughter’s lunch last night. She had a sandwich in a re-usable container, a whole banana, a packaged cheese stick, a juice box, a granola bar and a frozen go-gurt. In that meal, only the sandwich and banana didn’t create potential landfill waste. I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of ways to lessen the amount of packaging we throw away, just with lunches. I suppose I could slice cheese from a large block, make homemade granola bars, and freeze individual containers of yogurt, but dang, just throwing in the packed stuff really is too convenient!
Dena H says
Well, I don’t buy the pre portioned snacks unless I am on Weight Watchers which I am currently on. I buy them at Costco and I find them a decent price compared to having to buy snack bags and taking the time to divy up snacks myself. I know, makes me sound lazy, but I work A LOT, and have to travel lots of miles each week for my job. So, I feel, buying convience items is ok with me. If you know anything about Weight Watchers, the food portion of the program designates points to food. I know in the morning when I am packing my lunch and snacks for the day that I can reach in and grab my snacks and go. It’s fast and gets me out the door and onto my commute. As far as for the recycling aspect. The city I live in has a great recycling program and I use it to its fullest extent.
Vy says
I take baggies of vegetables to work to snack on, and little cheeses. Definitely cheaper to make your own!
Gardenpat says
I choose a time once a week to package up “single portion” snacks for the family. I made things from scratch or buy a big Sam’s club container and ration out individual portions into ziploc snack or sandwich baggies or Rubbermaid containers (all of which I wash and reuse!) It saves money and it keeps us from randomly eating amounts that we “thought” were a single serving portion! I keep a snack basket on the breakfast bar so it’s fast and easy to grab and go for lunches, etc!