Supermarkets everywhere are being invaded by the 100-calorie snack packs. Kraft really started the wave with its little packs of Wheat Thins and pretzels and such. And now Kellogg's and Frito-Lay and everybody else is getting in on the act. Some of the packs are just smaller amounts of the regular recipe (sometimes for the same price as the bigger bag, sometimes more!), but some recipes have been retooled to add fiber or to cut back on the sugar.

But how effective are these little packs in helping us to maintain a healthy diet. I, for one, am guilty of occasionally eating more than one pack at a time because I'm hungry. In that instance, they don't help at all. But when I am able to stick to just one, I like that I don't have to count out the crackers to make sure I have only one serving's worth. The packs have done the counting for me.

Experts all agree, of course, that fruits and veggies are still the best way to go for healthy snacking. But if you want a sweet or salty little smackerel of something, the 100-calorie snack pack can be a boon.

http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2007/09/12/weighing_in_on_100_cal...