Serving-Size Shockers!
Think you're savvy when it comes to serving sizes? Read before you chew...
THE GOOD...
94% Fat-Free Microwave Popcorn
If you're craving something salty and crunchy, this is the way to go. You get 5 cups (popped) for about 100 calories -- what a calorie bargain! Not to mention, popcorn is packed with fiber.
Tofu Shirataki Noodles
The best guilt-free noodle substitute ever! And only 40 calories for the whole 2-serving bag! We've been known to eat several bags at a time. (Shhhhh...)
More from Hungry Girl: Your beginner Tofu Shirataki recipe!
Pistachios
Serving sizes for nuts can be pretty lame, but pistachios win the award for the best bang for your calorie buck. You get about 50 of those shell-encased 'stachios for 200 calories, and they're an awesome source of protein. Bravo!!!
Unsweetened Puffed Cereal
When it comes to cereal, some have WAY better stats than others. The unsweetened puffed stuff is definitely your best bet -- you get about 2 cups for 100 calories. It's great in yogurt parfaits, in cereal bars, and also for bulking up trail mixes.
More from Hungry Girl: A treat made with puffed cereal!
Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
Think pepperoni is off-limits if you're watching what you eat? Not if it's turkey pepperoni! You get 17 slices for just 70 calories and 4g fat. It's the perfect topping for lightened-up pizza. Or chop up some slices and toss with your salad for a spicy, protein-packed kick!
Lavash
This Middle Eastern flatbread is kind of like a rectangular tortilla, but it's larger and a little thinner. The best part? It typically has just 100 calories! Heads up: If you can't find it in the bread aisle of the supermarket, check near the bakery or in the ethnic foods aisle.
More from Hungry Girl: Crispy Lavash Squares with a two-ingredient dip!
THE BAD...
Granola
Granola might be healthy for you, but if you're counting calories and fat, the stats add up way too quickly -- a 1/2-cup serving has about 200 calories and 6g fat. Even the "low-fat" granola has nearly 200 calories per 1/2-cup serving. It's best to use this crunchy stuff in moderation, like having a spoonful or two as a yogurt topping.
Hungry for More: Our guilt-free granola swap!
Potato Chips
The stats for this snack don't sound so bad (160 calories or so per serving) until you read the label and realize there are 10 servings in each 10-oz. bag. And no one gets 10 servings out of a single bag of chips. (NO. ONE.) You even have to be careful with BAKED chips -- pay attention to the servings per package, people!
Frozen Pizzas
There's nothing sadder than having to cut that frozen pizza into three servings when you could easily eat the whole thing. Even thin-crust pizzas have the same unfortunate portion problem. If you do eat the entire thing, you'll be taking in hundreds of calories (and perhaps even pass the 1,000-calorie mark). Not cool, pizza! Either opt for individual pies with decent stats, or pair a portion with a big salad.
Walnuts
If pistachios are the winners in the nut category, then walnuts are the losers. You get a measly 8 nuts for 200 calories and 18g fat. There are definitely health benefits to eating these, but it's way too easy to overdo it when consuming these
Hard Cheese
We love cheese just as much as the next person, but a 1-oz. serving is lame -- about a 1-inch cube. We're wagging our finger disapprovingly at a block of cheese right now... so there!
More from Hungry Girl: Our favorite cheese!
Ice Cream
Possibly the most unrealistic serving size of all time, a portion of ice cream is only 1/2 cup. Seriously, try measuring that out yourself -- WAY smaller than anything you'd get at an ice cream shop! Plus, that 1/2-cup serving is based on LIGHTLY PACKED ice cream. So if it's getting soft and dense, you might want to toss it on a kitchen scale to be sure of the weight. (Seriously, we tried it, and the results were shocking.)
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