The FITNESS Guide to Healthy Snacking

Snack Facts

Top Drawer Fixes: Twenty-three percent of us are ready when a craving hits -- we keep a stash of goodies in our desk drawer at work. What you'll find nestled between the paperclips and Post-its:
1. Candy/candy bars/gum
2. Chips
3. Chocolate

Favorite Food Fixes: Thirty-nine percent of us tear into a bag of chips. Twenty-five perfect dip into the cookie or candy jar. Just 19 percent bite into healthy snacks such as fruit, nuts, low-fat yogurt, and cheese.

-- Americans spent more than $32 billion on packaged snack foods last year

-- Seventy-six percent of us are impulse eaters, grabbing whatever treats we can get our hands on when we get the urge to snack.

-- The best way to stop stress? No contest: Seventy-two percent of us snack to cope with crazy (or just plain crazy-busy) days. Only 28 percent reported turning to exercise for relief. Women are slightly more likely than men to chew their way to calm.

-- Just 30 percent of us check the calorie count of our snacks before we start crunching away.

What is up? You're eating these good-for-you foods, just not enough at snack time:
Fruit: 49 percent eat regularly; 46 percent eat occasionally
Cheese & crackers: 33 percent eat regularly; 56 percent eat occasionally
Nuts: 30 percent eat regularly; 56 percent eat occasionally