Can You Make Good Vending Machine Choices?

Even though fruit snacks say fruit in the name, raisins are the healthier choice for a sweet snack. Fruit chews don't have much real fruit in them. They are more like candy in disguise. They have a lot of unhealthy added sugars.

Raisins are healthy because that are real fruit. They have no unhealthy added sugars and they are good for your heart! One small box makes a good snack. Or try fresh fruit like an apple or banana.

Water is always the very best drink choice. You don't need a sports drink unless you've been exercising hard and sweating for more than an hour -- like after you've played soccer.

So are sports drinks healthy? No. They still have added sugar, even if it's a bit less than sodas. Some sports drink bottles can have enough in them for 4 people! If you drink too much, that can make you gain unhealthy weight.

Pretzels are the better choice. Packaged peanut butter crackers you find in a vending machine may have sugar mixed in. Added sugar can make you gain unhealthy weight. Pretzels can give you a crunchy snack without added sugar.

Remember to read the label to see what one serving size is. One bag or package may have enough food for two snacks. Eat just half now. Save the rest for another day.

Yep -- candy isn't healthy. The protein bar is better. It has more protein  and vitamins than the candy bar. Protein is good food for your muscles.

But be careful! Both protein bars and candy bars are not healthy. Protein bars and candy bars can have a lot of unhealthy saturated fat and added sugar. Don't eat a protein bar every day.

Try packing string cheese or about 12 nuts for a protein snack instead.

Plain low-fat milk would be the healthiest. But low-fat chocolate milk can be OK for you too. Drink just one serving. Some bottles can have more than one serving. Check the label to find out. Drinking more than one serving is unhealthy.

Why is milk better than juice? Juice has a lot of unhealthy sugar in it. Low-fat chocolate milk has sugar but it also has protein for your muscles and calcium to give you strong bones.

You get the same flavor, crunch, and saltiness from the baked chips. But you get a lot less unhealthy saturated fat.

Too much unhealthy fat that is in fried foods like chips and French fries is bad for your heart.

If you want  chips, go for the baked. And eat just one small mini bag.