Start Making Choices: Make Nutritious Snacking Choices on the Go

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Simple ideas for living healthier on a budget.

Make Nutritious Snacking Choices on the Go

Eat smartly in an airport, at a rest stop, or even from a vending machine.

Vending Machines

Best picks: A small bag of plain pretzels. Pretzels are a satisfying, low-fat crunch without any trans fats or added sugar, and the single-serving-size bag means you get built-in portion control. A close second is a small bag of peanuts or almonds, which is packed with protein that will fill you up.

Worst picks: Potato chips, corn chips, and tortilla chips. Most snack chips are low in protein and fiber, and some are high in the two worst kinds of fat: saturated fat and trans fats.

Gas-Station Mini-Marts

Best picks: Low-fat yogurt, which is loaded with calcium and protein. A package of low-fat string cheese or even a small carton of skim milk can be nearly as filling, especially when paired with a piece of fruit.

Worst picks: A cream-filled doughnut. This high-sugar, high-trans fat combo has no redeeming qualities.

Movie Theaters

Best picks: A child-size popcorn (about five cups). With eight grams of fiber, it will satisfy your urge to munch and keep you feeling full. It's only 300 calories if you skip the "butter" (actually butter-flavored oil).

Worst picks: Anything jumbo size or called a value combo. For instance, that large popcorn (20 cups) with extra "butter" and a large (44-ounce) soda add up to almost 2,000 calories. An entire movie-size package of Milk Duds has 595 calories.

Mall Food Courts

Best picks: A lean-turkey sub on wheat or multigrain bread with mustard and plenty of vegetables. The whole grains and vegetables have fiber to fill you up while providing vitamins and minerals. Turkey is low in fat, and the protein helps control your appetite. Or, if there's a sushi counter, order a salmon roll and some low-fat, high-fiber edamame. Fish is the protein source with the most nutrients for the lowest number of calories.

Worst picks: General Tso's chicken with white rice. This dish is deep-fried, often with dark-meat (fattier) chicken, and it's served with nutrient-barren white rice.

Stadiums and Concert Arenas

Best picks: Peanuts in the shell. You'll get some protein and healthy monounsaturated fat, without extra fat from oil-roasting. Plus, shelling the peanuts slows you down, so you'll realize you're full before you eat too much. Just keep portion size in mind and aim to stick to a one-ounce serving, or 20 whole peanuts (with each shell containing two nuts).

Worst picks: Nachos with melted cheese. The snack has 350 calories and 19 grams of fat per six- to eight-chip serving. Not to mention the high sodium content. And let's be honest: Who stops at eight chips?

Airports

Best picks: A protein or energy bar from a newsstand. Look for one that has less than 200 calories and three or more grams of fiber. Avoid chocolate-coated bars, since these are often higher in fat and laden with sugar.

Worst picks: Salty snacks, such as potato chips. When you're about to get on an airplane, the last thing you want to eat is something high in sodium, since it can make you feel bloated and dehydrated.