Canadians like to snack. According to a recent Ipsos Reid survey, 84 per cent of us are regular snackers.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Noshing between meals boosts lagging energy levels, quells hunger and food cravings, and provides nutrients missing from meals. A small snack of fruit, nuts, yogurt or an energy bar will help tide you over until the next meal.

If you forget to tuck an apple or granola bar in your bag, there’s always a coffee shop, pizza place or juice bar to get something to go.

But depending on what snack you grab, you may be eating more than you think – and more than you need. With big food the norm these days, many store-bought snacks deliver a meal’s worth of calories and often more.

Consider these numbers: a small bag of Kernels low-fat caramel popcorn, 900 calories; Cinnabon classic cinnamon roll, 810 calories; Starbucks grande white chocolate mocha, 500 calories. Each of these “snacks” puts a hefty dent in a 2,000-calorie diet – the amount an average adult needs.For busy people, snacks provide a source of fuel when blood sugar dips and concentration wanes. To boost your blood sugar and keep it relatively stable until mealtime, snacks should provide carbohydrate (the low-glycemic variety), protein and a little fat. (Low glycemic foods such as apples, pears, nuts, legumes, whole grains, yogurt and soy milk are digested and converted to blood sugar slowly. As a result, the body gets a more balanced release of energy rather than a quick burst.)

Snacks are also an important way for growing children and adults to meet daily calorie and nutrient needs. A U.S. study of 2,002 adults aged 65 or older found that snacking helped ensure they consumed diets adequate in calories and protein.

Nutrient dense, low-glycemic snacks include fruit and almonds, a latte (or yogurt) with a piece of fruit, a cup of bean soup, whole grain crackers and tuna, raw vegetables and hummus or an energy bar.

But even the healthiest snack can add inches to your waistline if you don’t control portion size. Studies show that as the amount of snack food increases – and package size swells – volunteers consume as much as 81 per cent more calories and don’t compensate by eating less at the next meal.

For physically active people, snacks should supply 250 to 350 calories. If you’re trying to control your weight, keep snacks to 150 to 200 calories (women) or 200 to 250 calories (men).

CINNABON CLASSIC

CINNAMON ROLL

This snack is more than a meal, it’s a 810-calorie decadent splurge that requires more than one hour of jogging to burn off. (The Pecanbon packs a whopping 1,030 calories.) If you can’t resist the smell of cinnamon, opt for the smaller-sized Minibon (339 calories, 13 grams of fat) – then head to the gym.

STARBUCKS FRUIT

MUESLI SCONE

It’s a challenge to find a calorie-wise snack to pair with your Starbucks coffee. All Starbucks scones deliver 470 calories, muffins have 440 calories, even the healthy-sounding banana loaf serves up 430 calories and eight teaspoons worth of sugar. You’re better off skipping the pastry and ordering a grande latte made with non-fat milk (130 calories, 0 grams fat).

BOOSTER JUICE FUNKY

MONKEY SMOOTHIE

This large smoothie (710 millilitres) serves up 517 calories, mostly from sugar. And it’s not all from natural fruit. Thanks to the frozen yogurt or sorbet in most Booster Juice smoothies, you’re also getting refined sugar. If you really want a liquid snack – without fibre – opt for a custom-blended fruit and vegetable juice.

KERNELS SMALL LOW-FAT

CARAMEL POPCORN

This 900-calorie whole grain snack (nine cups) may be low fat, but it’s not light on sugar. The majority of its calories come from nearly 24 teaspoons worth of refined sugar. Save calories with the grab size (three cups) of Dill Pickle (160 calories), Jalapeno Jack (166 calories) or Air Caramel (252 calories).

NESTLÉ KING-SIZE COFFEE CRISP

Resist the urge to supersize your chocolate bar to the tune of 390 calories. If you’re looking for a treat, stick with the regular-sized (50 grams) version for 260 calories. For a more nutritious snack, pair an apple with a snack-size chocolate bar (total: 150 calories, four grams fat).

PIZZA PIZZA SLICE,

CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

Walk into a Pizza Pizza for this slice and you’ll leave with more calories (730) than an all-dressed burger. The slices start at 570 calories (cheese only) and go as high as 830 (bacon, chicken, mushroom melt). If you’re looking for a snack to tide you over until dinner – not ruin your appetite – try the Stuffed Garden Veggie Sandwich (310 calories).

TIM HORTONS 12 GRAIN BAGEL WITH CREAM CHEESE

It’s the four slices worth of bread and high-fat spread that bumps up this snack to 474 calories. Waistline-friendly snack options include yogurt and berries (160 calories, two grams fat) and low-fat muffins (290 calories, 2.5 grams fat).

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based

dietitian at the Medcan Clinic,

is on CTV’s Canada AM every Wednesday. Visit her website at lesliebeck.com.

Recipe

Get a healthy dinner on the table tonight with Leslie Beck’s garden vegetable lasagna. Find the

recipe at globeandmail.com/life.

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Grab and go snack savvy

Fading energy and hunger can hit you anywhere ñ at the mall, in your car, or at the movies. Here are some numbers you need to know to make smart snack choices. (Keep in mind the average adult needs about 2,000 calories and no more than 65 grams of fat, 20 grams of saturated fat and 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.)

Via theglobeandmail.com