2013 SHAPE Snack Award Winners

Hundreds of new snacks hit grocery store shelves each year. Unfortunately, you can't taste-test them all, but we can—and did. The result: 24 tasty and good-for-you noshes that address every craving and situation, from crowd-pleasing chips to late-night nibbles and sweet treats. So dig in!

What made our winners SHAPE-worthy? In addition to being delicious, each serving contains:

200 or fewer calories

No high-fructose corn syrup


0 grams of trans fats

No more than 3.5 grams of saturated fat

No more than 400 milligrams of sodium

Note: Special consideration was given to snacks with pre-portioned packaging, whole grains, reduced sugar, and extra vitamins and minerals.

Show us your snacks! Snap a pic of your go-to snack food, post it on Instagram, and tag @shape_magazine and #snackawards in your post. A few lucky readers may be featured on shape.com and have a chance to win a Snack Awards prize pack.

RELATED: 25 Healthy Grab-and-Go Lunches

Winner for: Best Party Bite

Packed with feel-good ingredients—like oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and amaranth—these light crisps pair perfectly with cheese ($3 for a 5-ounce box).

Nutrition score per serving: 140 calories, 4.5g fat for 30 crackers

Winner for: Best Party Bite

You won't be able to resist these honey-sweetened barbecue chips. But that's okay, given they've packed 18 grams of whole grains into each generous serving ($4 for a 10.5-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 140 calories, 6g fat for 15 chips

Winner for: Best Party Bite

Testers found these "totally addictive"—but with their 17 grams of whole grains per serving, you won't stress about indulging ($3 for a 5-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 140 calories, 7g fat for 10 chips

Winner for: Best Party Bite

Dips can be a diet trap, but not this Greek yogurt–based one, with 80 percent less fat and half the calories of regular brands ($3.50 for a 12-ounce cup).

Nutrition score per serving: 25 calories, 1g fat for 2 tablespoons

Winner for: Best Party Bite

Most baked chips are made from potato flakes, but these briny ones are slices of real spuds. "I could eat them all day," enthused a snacker ($3.50 for a 4-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 120 calories, 3g fat for 20 chips

Winner for: Best Party Bite

Seasoned with Middle Eastern spices like paprika and turmeric, these crisp, protein-rich baked garbanzo beans are a unique alternative to nuts ($4 for a 6-ounce pouch).

Nutrition score per serving: 120 calories, 4g fat for 1 ounce

Winner for: Best Office Bites

These partially popped and baked popcorn "hearts" have all the appeal of the regular stuff, plus 3 grams of filling fiber per serving ($1.50 for a 2.7-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 110 calories, 3g fat for 1 ounce

Winner for: Best Office Bites

They taste just like the fruit chews all kids (and many adults) love—but these gummies boast 35 percent less sugar ($3 for 8 packs).

Nutrition score per serving: 70 calories, 0g fat per 0.8-ounce pack

Winner for: Best Office Bites

"Give me more!" demanded one editor. And after a nibble of these sweet and salty morsels, you'll understand why. Try them on their own or as a topping for plain yogurt ($6 for 6 bags).

Nutrition score per serving: 100 calories, 8g fat per 0.67-ounce bag

Winner for: Best Office Bites

This fresh-tasting classic has just seven ingredients (and they're all things you can pronounce). Each package comes with two bars, so you can enjoy them twice in one workday ($4.50 for 5 pouches).

Nutrition score per serving: 180 calories, 7g fat per 2-bar pouch

Winner for: Best Office Bites

It's hard to believe one 100-calorie snack can supply 8 grams of protein, but Chobani's new Bite line makes it happen. With its sophisticated flavor profile, this yogurt "tastes like a decadent dessert" ($3 for 4 cups).

Nutrition score per serving: 100 calories, 1.5g fat per 3.5-ounce cup

Winner for: Best Office Bites

One tester noted that this grab-and-go option had the "ideal chip-to-dip ratio." The crisps are made from chickpeas too, which pleased our gluten-free eaters ($3 each).

Nutrition score per serving: 195 calories, 8g fat per 3-ounce package

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

These frozen, chocolate-covered, almond-sprinkled banana slices were the highest scorer of the entire awards. "It's exactly what I want around 9 p.m.," said one taster ($4 for 6 packs).

Nutrition score per serving: 120 calories, 3g fat per 4-piece pack

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

A generous caramel ripple runs through light vanilla ice cream in this no-sugar-added indulgence. Who needs the Good Humor man? ($5 for 8 bars)

Nutrition score per serving: 70 calories, 3.5g fat per bar

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

When a sweet nibble alone just won't cut it, reach for this popcorn covered with sticky caramel and savory cheese. "It takes care of all my cravings!" said a judge ($3 for a 6-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 140 calories, 5g fat for 2/3 cup

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

We shouldn't say which chocolate-coated, caramel- and peanut-filled candy bar this tastes like... but nearly all of our samplers noted the similarity. You won't miss the corn syrup and preservatives, though ($5 for an 8.5-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 100 calories, 6g fat per bar

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

"Better than ice cream!" marveled one fan of this velvety indulgence. Others appreciated the pre-portioned size, which offers "the ideal amount of sweetness for a before-bed treat" ($3.50 for 3 cups).

Nutrition score per serving: 100 calories, 2g fat per cup

Winner for: Best Nights Bites

These crunchy, chocolatey cookies reminded a happy snacker of her mom's family recipe. But this lighter version is guaranteed to be a lot easier on your waistline ($7 for a 7-ounce box).

Nutrition score per serving: 70 calories, 3.5g fat per cookie

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

This meaty and "spicy with a kick" hunger buster is loaded with 12 grams of protein and has 30 percent less sodium than most of its competitors ($6 for a 3.25-ounce pouch).

Nutrition score per serving: 80 calories, 1g fat for 1 ounce

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

The familiar red-wax package has a new flavor hiding inside: mozzarella! Testers lauded the smooth texture, and we like that it provides 20 percent of your daily calcium needs ($5 for 10 pieces).

Nutrition score per serving: 50 calories, 3.5g fat per piece

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

Less is definitely more with these heart-healthy nuts. Our staff loved that a light dusting of salt (just 45mg of sodium per serving) was the only addition to this pick ($3 for a 5.25-ounce bag).

Nutrition score per serving: 180 calories, 15g fat for 1 ounce

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

This chewy rice treat has something its famous snap-crackle-pop cousin doesn't: protein, and lots of it (13 grams!) ($2 each).

Nutrition score per serving: 140 calories, 3g fat per bar

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

CVS Pharmacy created this tasty blend of raisins, pineapple, apricots, cranberries, cherries, cashews, almonds, and more. "I enjoy everything in here!" exclaimed a fan ($7 for a 13-ounce pouch).

Nutrition score per serving: 130 calories, 4.5g fat per 1/4 cup

Winner for: Best Post-Gym Bites

A tester declared this "brownie-like" bar with chunks of salty peanuts to be "the whole package." It has 13 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber—so we can't disagree ($1.50 each).

Nutrition score per serving: 180 calories, 6g fat per bar

Photography by Claire Benoist