I rounded up 15 willing mouths at 3 different taste panels to rate a total of 15 100-calorie snack packs (7 savory, 8 sweet). The tasters rated each snack on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being high), and then listed their favorite from the bunch. And the winners are...

Savory (not sweet) Snacks

  

Name:Baked Cheetos
Quantity: about 40 corn curls
Other Stats: 4 g fat (0.5 g sat); 14 g carb; 180 mg sod.
Taster comments: Portion size is just right - very good - hands don't get as orange as with regular Cheetos - less flavor/less salty than regular Cheetos - good portion! - more airy - like rice cakes - not as cheesy - good texture - not a good finish - seems fair - has "poofiness"
Average rating: 2.65 on scale of 1 to 5

   

Name:Cheez-It Right Bites
Quantity: about 21 crackers
Other Stats: 3 g fat (1 g sat); 14 g carb; 230 mg sod.
Taster Comments: above average portion size - gross aftertaste - disappointment - dry - needs salt - really good - portion size only OK - taste the same
Average Rating: 2.92 on scale of 1 to 5

 

Name: Doritos, Nacho Cheese
Quantity: about 27 mini chips
Other Stats:6 g fat (1 g sat); 12 g carb; 140 mg sod.
Taster Comments:decent portion - tastes exactly like a Dorito - great, but need more - not a good portion size - flavor is all there - tastes like Doritos - realistic - it gets me that they're smaller - it's probably equivalent to about 5 real-size Doritos - I would rather go for the Cheetos.
Average Rating: 4.33 on scale of 1 to 5

 

Name: Baked Goldfish
Quantity:about 62 little fish
Other Stats: 3.5 g fat (1 g sat); 14 g carb; 170 mg sod.
Taster Comments:very impressive portion - tastes like regular goldfish - milder Cheddar than Cheez-Its - love the portion! - cute! - crunch is good - weird aftertaste - get a lot, but they're less cheesy - no cheese flavor - they're teeny tiny - taste different - I hate fish.
Average Rating: 3.42 on scale of 1 to 5  

Name: Cheez-It Extra Cheddar Party Mix
Quantity: about 27 pieces
Other Stats: 3.5 g fat (1 g sat); 14 g carb; 280 mg sod.
Taster Comments:different textures - variety is nice - decent portion - I love it! - extra cheddar - the puffs taste like Kix - love it, but not enough - portion is not great - good puffs - good flavor
Average Rating: 4.59 on scale of 1 to 5

 

Name: Pringles, Sour Cream & Onion
Quantity: about 13 chips
Other Stats: 4.5 g fat (1.5 g sat); 12 g carb; 125 mg sod.
Taster Comments:could easily eat them all and I want more - OK portion size - they feel thin - not as much flavor - I'm not a huge fan of these - not a lot of flavor - portion size is small - they taste waffery - realistic portion for 100 calories - satisfying - not very many
Average Rating: 3.42 on scale of 1 to 5

Name: Sun Chips, Harvest Cheddar
Quantity: about 19 little chips
Other Stats: 4.5 g fat (0.5 g sat); 13 g carb; 135 mg sod.
Taster Comments:good crunch - good flavor - portion is OK - taste like cardboard - seem thicker - taste is exactly the same - the bigger chips are better - these look better than the Doritos - good size - aren't these already healthy?
Average Rating: 3.81 on scale of 1 to 5 

 FAVORITE SAVORY SNACK: Cheez-It Extra Cheddar Party Mix
LEAST FAVORITE SAVORY SNACK: Baked Cheetos

Sweet (not savory) Snacks

 

Name: Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps
Quantity: about 17 thin crisps
Other Stats: 3 g fat (0.5 g sat); 18 g carb; 140 mg sod.
Taster Comments: looks like a lot - poker chips - good and crunchy - more like a cracker than a cookie - get a slightly bitter aftertaste - that's good - don't taste enough chocolate - I didn't think I would like these, but I do.  
Average Rating: 3.14 on scale of 1 to 5

Name: Fudge Stripes, Cookes & Cream
Quantity: about 9 little cookies
Other Stats: 4 g fat (2.5 g sat); 15 g carb; 85 mg sod.
Taster Comments:they look nice - small portion, doesn't look like much - don't like the white chocolate flavor - have an odd smell - really good - chocolatey - have no taste - very pretty - these are decent - delish from start to finish - flavor explosion in my mouth - I'm not sure about these - I don't like the taste
Average Rating: 3.46 on scale of 1 to 5 

Name: Fudge Dipped Pretzels
Quantity: about 13 mini pretzels
Other Stats: 4 g fat (3 g sat); 15 g carb; 130 mg sod.
Taster Comments: good portion - wish they were saltier - I like these better than the other chocolate-covered pretzels - pretzel flavor is stronger - not as smooth - taste cheap - not the same salty finish as the other pretzels
Average Rating: 2.88 on scale of 1 to 5 

Name: Fudge Stripe Cookies
Quantity: about 10 mini cookies
Other Stats: 3.5 g fat (2.5 g sat); 16 g carb; 65 mg sod.
Taster Comments: portion is OK - don't like the combination - taste good - better than the cookies 'n cream cookies - dense cookie - lame - good - very good - portion might be OK - cookie is not good. - even though small, have good substance - my favorite - love the taste.
Average Rating: 4.42 on scale of 1 to 5 

Name: Lorna Doone Shortbread Cook Crisps
Quantity: about 18 little squares
Other Stats: 3 g fat (1.5 g sat); 16 g carb; 120 mg sod.
Taster Coments: good portion! - looks classy - taste like realy thing - love the simplicity - buttery, crispy - decent portion - small - bland - really good - don't really like these - taste a lot like the original - I'm usually not into Lorna's but these seem good for 100 calories
Average Rating: 4.07 on scale of 1 to 5 

Name: Milano Cookies
Quantity: 2 cookies
Other Stats: 4.5 g fat (2 g sat); 12 g carb; 35 mg sod.
Taster Comments:happy with the portion - these melt in my mouth - taste white cake, then chocolate - elegant tasting - simple elegance - melt in your mouth - these are rather original - something different - I can bake better sh*t in my kitchen - awkward - now that's good - I'd buy these.
Average Rating: 3.17 on scale of 1 to 5

Name: Mister Salty Milk Chocolate Pretzels
Quantity: about 11 pretzels
Other Stats: 3.5 g fat (2 g sat); 16 g carb; 160 mg sod.
Taster Comments: good combo - darker chocolate taste - I like the chocolate on these pretzels better than the other ones - the portion is a let-down - could use more.
Average Rating: 3.61 on scale of 1 to 5 

Name: Oreo Thin Crisps
Quantity: about 22 thin crisps
Other Stats: 2 g fat (0 g sat); 19 g carb; 160 mg sod.
Taster Comments: very hefty portion - poker chips - these stick in my teeth - taste like the cookie part of an Oreo - not as satisfying - delish wafer, but this is not an Oreo - good, but don't taste like an Oreo - there's a lot there - really good - portion is good.  
Average Rating: 3.08 on scale of 1 to 5 

 FAVORITE SWEET SNACK: Fudge Stripe Cookies
LEAST FAVORITE SWEET SNACK: Fudge Dipped Pretzels 

Thank you to all my taste testers out there! If you're looking for a 100-calorie snack that doesn't come from a package, check out this recipe I developed for Cuisine Lite: Fresh & Fabulous.

Seeing the fruits of my labor is one of the joys of my occupation. It makes up for all those things I do that I can't quantify, and those moments when I wonder if I'm making a difference in the world.

I had a fun moment the other night when I realized four of my "babies" are out there on the newsstands at the same time. Live long and flourish, my little babies.

1. Diabetic Living
This was the first issue I had a hand in at my new position as food & nutrition editor for Diabetic Living magazine. It's our Fall 2010 issue filled with all sorts of delicious recipes and good information for people living and thriving with diabetes.

2. Fresh & Fabulous
The bookazine Fresh & Fabulous is the last project I managed as the health editor at Cuisine at Home magazine. It's the second publication in the Cuisine Lite series, and it's full of fresh and fabulous recipes, like this one.

3. Clean Eating
As a freelance health writer, I developed a piece on winter squash for Clean Eating magazine. It includes tips for picking, preparing, and cooking butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash, as well as my Shafer-approved recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto.

4. Maximum Fitness 
I had the opportunity to develop a series of protein shakes for Maximum Fitness magazine. This was such a fun project, and I was able to test many of them on my hubby as he was training for his first marathon. This month's issue features my Post-Workout Chocolate Berry Shake. I will also have shakes appearing in the next four issues of MaxFit.

In the words of Laura Ingalls, it was a hard winter. And I've been in a funk. My mom sent me an email a few weeks ago letting me know that my little rose (a gift that had been transplanted into a flower bed in her backyard several years ago) starting peeking out of the ground. It looks tired and battered, but it's alive! After a winter like this, I don't feel unlike that little rose. I made it through the hard winter, but it wasn't easy.

I guess I didn't exactly know I was in a funk while I was in it. I knew I was sad. I knew I wasn't myself. But I didn't know what it was or how long it would last. Looking back, it was a funk. Yes, that's exactly what it was. I'm starting to realize, though, that I wasn't alone. In recent conversations and correspondence, I'm starting to discover a lot of my friends, family members, and acquaintances have been in their own funks, as well. Maybe all of America has been in a funk. Maybe.

If you were/are in a funk, I hope you realize you're not alone. I hope you know things will get better. For many of us, a funk is part of our natural emotional cycle of life, and it's not a bad thing to admit we're experiencing a funk as it's happening. BUT ... since being in a funk is not fun or healthy, I came up with 10 things we can do to manage even the funkiest times of our lives. And just as it has for me, I know pretty soon your rose will bloom again.

10. Write down a list of all things for which you are thankful. Keep the list. Look at it often. Read it out loud.

9. Surround yourself with friends who care about you. Let them know how you're feeling.

8. Clean something. Just one project at a time - a closet, the desk, a kitchen drawer.

7. Write a card, letter, or email to a friend. They will be happy to hear from you.

6. Open the windows. If it's too cold, open the window shades. Do this every morning. You need sunlight.

5. Go for a walk. You don't have to walk fast or far. Just walk somewhere, then come back home and drink a big glass of water. The feel-better results are almost instant.

4. Change your bed sheets. Or buy yourself brand new sheets - good ones.

3. Hang out with little kids. They will make you smile.

2. Watch America's Funniest Home Videos. Seriously - this works for me every time.

1. Play this song really LOUD. Now get up and DANCE!!!!

The 5.8 billion people in the world today have, on average, 15% more food per person than the global population, of 4 billion people, had 20 years ago.

Below is an interesting chart posted on the Seed Savers Exchange blog displaying the cost/savings of growing vegetables at home for a family of 4. It shows a potential savings of hundreds of dollars compared to buying the produce at a grocery store.

Vegetable	# of Plants*	# of Seeds Needed	Estimated Yield**	Cost	Estimated Savings***
Cherry tomatoes	1-4	50	4-18 lbs.	$2.75	$9-51
Slicing tomatoes	8-20	50	80-400 lbs.	$2.75	$196-993
Pepper	20-24	50	10-13 lbs.	$2.75	$35-46
Eggplant	2-4	50	13-25 lbs.	$2.75	$6-8
Kale	16	100	21 lbs.	$2.75	$47
Basil		250	2 lbs.	$2.75	$5
Parsley		250	2 lbs.	$2.75	$2
Totals				$19.25	$300-1152

*Information from The Gardener’s A – Z Guide to Growing Organic Food, Tanya Denckla
**Estimated yield data is approximated according to yield data from Diggers Club in Australia.
***Prices found in Decorah, IA, for mostly non-organic, conventionally grown food.  These prices are much lower than what you would pay for the specialty produce you will be growing in your garden.

Men's Health says an order of Outback SteakhouseAussie Cheese Fries with Ranch is the #1 Worst Food in America because it contains 2,900 calories, 182 grams of fat, and 240 carbs. Geesh!

We have 3 to 6 lbs. of microbiota (harmless bacteria) living on and in our bodies.

Before the FDA would stop production, peanut butter would need to contain 30 or more insect fragments OR one or more rodent hairs. Any amount less will still pass inspection.

Americans eat an average of 22 lbs. of tomatoes each year. They get more than half of that in the form of ketchup and tomato sauce. 

Well, eleven years later, Tupac's words seem both buried in history and more urgent than ever. We made some changes in America. Yes, we have our first black president. But, eleven years later, some of his lyrics can be pulled straight from the headlines. Instead of a war on poverty, we still have that war in the Middle East. We still have drugs -- on the streets, in classrooms, killing all of Hollywood, it seems. And the news is filled with stories of people making "Gs" today -- yep, still in a sleazy way.

But how about the things that are more within our control? How about those changes we can make a little closer to home? How about changing the way we eat? Jamie Oliver claims he will do that.

I have to admit: when I first watched Jamie Oliver on The Naked Chef, I was not impressed. He came off as just another pretentious, network-created, good-looking host who was a lot more celebrity than he was chef. Today, I eat my words.

Not only does Jamie have the food background to support his current success, but he's making his ride all his own (or at least it seems that way). His magazine is awesome, his TV shows are good, and his food is delicious. There was something wrong with the way we eat in America long before Tupac ever wrote his lyrics and long before I ever made that speech. Still, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little jealous I didn't come up for the concept of Jamie's new show myself. Jamie's Food Revolution will debut Friday, March 26th on ABC [9-10 EST]. According to the release, "the impassioned chef, TV personality, and best-selling author is determined to take on the high statistics of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes in the US, where the nation's children are the first generation not expected to live as long as their parents. Oliver is inviting viewers to take a stand and change the way America eats, in home kitchens, schools, and workplaces, in this thought-provoking new series."

I'll be watching. Heck, who couldn't learn a thing or two about eating better? Teach us, Jamie! After we change the way we eat, maybe we can tackle that next part: changing the way we treat each other.

So, if you'll play along, I invite you to take the Little Calorie Census. Mine is more of a fun, informal health- and food-based poll that will let your voice be heard!

Also, we've started planning our weekly meals again. We used to be very diligent about this, but we let it slide a bit because of busy schedules. Here's what we're serving up this week. I promise I'll post recipes/photos if they're blog-worthy.

Monday: Chicken/Mushroom/Pea Risotto

Tuesday: Ravioli w/ Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Veggie Omelets w/ Steamed Brussels

Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas

Friday: Not sure yet - we usually go out for dinner on Fridays

Saturday: We'll be making that deep-dish pizza we enticed you all with on our Christmas card this year.

He says it's just the normal thing to do, as opposed to something considered special. Right on Bode!

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