The 18 Worst Snacks You Should Avoid

Snacking is a universal habit. In other words, it’s a global practice typically celebrated as a time to indulge, refuel, or conquer desires between meals. Not all snacks are the same, however. Some give us vital nutrients and energy; others are filled with excess sugar, unhealthy fats, toxic additives, and nothing besides calories. 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) estimates that an unhealthy diet is linked to about 678,000 deaths every year in the U.S. These choices can ruin your long-term health, get you into serious health risks, and leave you hungrier than ever afterward. According to experts, nutrition data, and health evaluations, here’s an in-depth analysis of the 18 worst snacks you should avoid.

Doritos Nacho Cheese

Doritos Nacho Cheese chips are a fan favorite, but they’re loaded with calories (150 in 12 chips), unhealthy fats, and sodium, with little protein (1g) or fiber (1g) to keep you feeling full. You have to worry about the artificial flavors and preservatives. 

Choose This Instead: Try air-popped popcorn with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a healthy, cheesy version.

Oreos

Oreos—the world’s best–selling cookie—are loaded with refined sugars (14g per 3 cookies) and trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. They also contain high fructose corn syrup, a heavily studied ingredient linked to diabetes and obesity. 

Choose This Instead: Break for whole-grain biscuits with dark chocolate chips for a little indulgence without the downside.

Cheetos

10g of unhealthy fat, artificial additives, and only 2g of protein per 21 pieces pushes Cheetos on the list of the least-filling snacks. Like other orange foods, their coloring comes from Yellow Dye 6, a dye linked to potential health risks. 

Choose This Instead: Roasted crunchy chickpeas or nuts; they are savory and hearty with extra protein.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats Cookies ‘N’ Crème Dunk’d Bars

Each bar contains 410 calories, 40g of sugar (almost 80% of the recommended daily sugar allowance), and 10g of saturated fat. This ingredient pack is a quick sugar rush, concluding with energy crashes.  

Choose This Instead: Choose honey or date-sweetened homemade granola bars.

Pringles Sour Cream & Onion

You might know that Pringles are notorious for being more processed than regular potato chips. They also come with 9g of unhealthy fats and less than 1g of fiber, so you’re not getting much nutrition for your calories.

Choose This Instead: Baked kale chips seasoned with garlic powder deliver crunch without the guilt.

Takis Fuego

One ounce of these intensely flavored snacks packs a punch of 8g fat and 420mg sodium (one-third of the recommended daily sodium intake). Takis have no meaningful protein or fiber, so they are empty, spicy, salty calories.

Choose This Instead: Try spiced roasted sweet potato slices (a delicious and nutrient-dense snack).

Snyder’s Cheddar Pretzel Pieces

Pretzels may be a safe savory choice, but this kind contains 3.5g of fat per 1/3 cup (protein at 2g, fiber at 1g).  

Choose This Instead: Pair with whole–grain pretzels and hummus for extra protein and nutrients.

Kellogg’s Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts

Pop-Tarts are marketed as a quick breakfast food or snack. Still, the list of ingredients shows ultra-processed ingredients, including refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and soybean oil, along with almost no fiber (1g) or protein (3g).

Choose This Instead: Fresh strawberries on top of whole grain toast provide natural sweetness and fiber.

Chips Ahoy! Original Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are loaded with refined sugar and trans fats, two major culprits weakening heart health. Three cookies mean roughly 11g of sugar and 140 calories with no significant nutritional benefit.

Choose This Instead: You can upgrade to homemade oatmeal cookies sweetened with mashed bananas, which are much healthier.

Cheez-It Puff’d Double Cheese Snacks

These snacks are airy in structure, but they are only 1.5g of fat and 270mg of sodium per 40 pieces. Unfortunately, they don’t contain the fiber or protein to help you feel satisfied.

Choose This Instead: Another good idea is to pair low-fat cheese with a handful of whole-grain crackers.

Auntie Anne’s Classic All Beef Frozen Pretzel Dogs

Each of these frozen snacks is loaded with 690mg of sodium and 16g of fat, already adding to sodium and saturated fat intake limits. It can lead to bloating and high blood pressure.

Choose This Instead: Enjoy small lean turkey sausages with high-fiber wraps.

Gushers

A pouch of these childhood snacks contains 0g of protein, 0g of fiber, and 10g of added sugars. Two artificial dyes in Gushers—Red 40 and Yellow 5—have been connected to neurobehavioral problems.

Choose This Instead: A healthier sweet fix comes from real fruit slices and a tiny drizzle of honey.

Chewy Dipps Chocolate Chip Granola Bar

Although these bars are branded with granola, they are lacking in nutrition. They contain 12 g of added sugar and only 1 g of fiber, which will not keep you from searching the local grocery store’s shelves for extra treats.

Choose This Instead: Grab a snack bar with at least 5g of fiber and 0 grams of added sugar.

Mott’s Fruit Flavored Snacks

These snacks, marketed as healthy fruit snacks, are primarily refined sugar and corn syrup, with 10g of added sugar per serving.

Choose This Instead: Snacking whole fruits such as grapes or apples provides fiber and natural sugar.

Twix Candy Bar

With 250 calories and 25g of sugar, Twix bars aren’t great for your diet. They add to your waistline and can cause sugar crashes.

Choose This Instead: The next time you crave, a few squares of 70% dark chocolate will satisfy it without the sugar spike.

Little Debbie Double Decker Oatmeal Creme Pies

These pies are sugar bombs—they pack 40g of added sugar and 9g of saturated fat per serving, which does not do much to alleviate hunger.

Choose This Instead: Choose homemade oatmeal bites mixed with nuts and maple syrup.

Hot Pockets

Hot Pockets are often a convenient meal or snack, but they contain 660mg of sodium and 6g of saturated fat. Made with processed meats and refined grains, they’re not good.

Choose This Instead: You could try stuffing whole wheat pita with lean protein, fresh veggies, etc.

Hostess Twinkies

Even in terms of trans fats, Twinkies are the most infamous snack on this list. A serving contains zero fiber and just 2g of protein but packs 32g of sugar. 

Choose This Instead: A small homemade sponge cake topped with fresh fruit is indulgent and healthier.

When choosing snacks, choose high-fiber, protein-rich foods with natural ingredients. Avoid ultra-processed foods containing added sugar, saturated fat, and unnatural preservatives. Also, always ensure you balance your meals by checking nutrition labels and watching your portion sizes.

Remember: Snacking itself isn’t bad; the issue is how much (and what kinds) you snack on.

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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