50 Unhealthiest Snacks on the Planet

Despite what you may have heard, snacking isn’t inherently bad! Choosing nutritious snacks rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants can help satisfy cravings and prevent overeating. However, unhealthy snacks, often highly processed and packed with added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats, can leave you hungrier and derail your health goals.

The purpose of snacking is to curb hunger between meals with nutrient-dense options. Protein-heavy snacks can reduce hunger levels and appetite, while fiber-rich snacks can keep you full by slowing digestion. Snacks without enough fiber or protein can leave you unsatisfied and trigger overeating. Many unhealthy snacks also contain high levels of sodium and added sugars, which can be harmful to your health. But what are some of the unhealthiest snacks you’d commonly find at the grocery store and are better off avoiding?

If you want to find healthy snacks that can leave you feeling full and satisfied until your next meal, it’s important to be able to weed out some of the unhealthy snacks that won’t help you with your goals. Read on to learn about 40 of the unhealthiest snacks on the market today, then check out the 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet.

Doritos Nacho Cheese

A classic favorite, Doritos Nacho Cheese chips should be eaten in moderation, as they’re high in sodium and offer little nutritional value.”Doritos are typically high in calories, fat, and sodium, and the Nacho Cheese flavor specifically contains artificial flavors and preservatives,” says Mary Sabat MS, RDN, LD.

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Oreos

“Each Oreo cookie contains a significant amount of refined sugar, contributing to potential health issues such as weight gain, diabetes, and tooth decay,” says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD at Balance One Supplements. “Additionally, Oreos are made with partially hydrogenated oils, which are a source of trans fats known to increase the risk of heart disease, and high-fructose corn syrup, an artificial sweetener that has been linked to various health problems when consumed in excess.”

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Cheetos

Another popular snack to be wary of is classic Cheetos Puffs, an item full of cheesy flavor—yet incredibly low in fiber and protein.

“Cheetos are considered one of the most unhealthy snacks primarily due to their unhealthy fats, sodium, and artificial additives,” says Best. Unfortunately, regularly eating snacks high in sodium can elevate your daily sodium intake, which in turn can lead to “increased blood pressure and increased risk of heart problems,” she adds.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats Cookies ‘N’ Créme Dunk’d Bars

Rice Krispies Treats Cookies ‘N’ Créme Dunk’d Bars are loaded with 410 calories and a whopping 41 grams of sugar—80% of your daily limit of added sugar. Plus, with 16 grams of fat, 10 of which are saturated, these bars are an incredibly high-fat, high-calorie, low-nutrition treat.

Ruffles Queso Cheese Flavored Potato Chips

Ruffles Queso Cheese Flavored Potato Chips are an unhealthy snack that contain a high level of fat at 10 grams per serving. The higher fat content can add up quickly, making this snack a less healthy option if eaten in excess.

Pringles Sour Cream & Onion

Pringles Sour Cream & Onion are a classic snack, but they’re high in unhealthy fats and sodium. The lack of fiber and protein means they do little to keep you full or satisfied.

Bugles Original

Bugles are another salty snack with minimal nutritional value. With high sodium, 8 grams of fat, and just 1 gram of protein, they don’t offer much to keep you full or satisfied. Additionally, they contain synthetic preservatives like BHT to maintain freshness.

Takis Fuego

Takis were invented in Mexico in 1999, but it took a few years before this spicy rolled tortilla chip gained popularity in the U.S. Since then, they’ve become a go-to snack for those who love intense flavors. However, despite their popularity, Takis are far from a healthy option. With 8 grams of fat, 420 milligrams of sodium, and minimal fiber or protein per serving, these chips offer little nutritional value.

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Mac’s Salt & Vinegar Pork Skins

You might be tempted to reach for Mac’s Salt & Vinegar Pork Skins, but they’re not a healthy choice, especially if you’re watching your salt intake. With 400 milligrams of sodium in just a 1/2-ounce serving, it’s easy to consume a significant portion of the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams in one sitting.

Snyder’s Cheddar Pretzel Pieces

If you’re craving a salty pretzel snack, you may want to steer clear of Snyder’s Cheddar Pretzel Pieces. “Choosing this snack would be the opposite of choosing a nutrient-dense one,” says Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and member of our Medical Expert Board. “These are very low in protein and fiber, which helps to keep you full and satiated for longer periods. Moreover, these pretzel bites are also relatively high in fat, with 3.5 grams being from the saturated kind.”

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Kellogg’s Frosted Strawberry Poptarts

“Pop-Tarts have been around for a while and are a popular breakfast choice for individuals who are short on time,” says Young. “However, this is one of the worst snack choices you can make in terms of your health.” Not only is this snack high in sodium and low in fiber and protein, but Young adds that “Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts contain ultra-processed ingredients such as soybean oil and refined flour, and contain three different types of sugar: refined white sugar, corn syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup.”

Fritos Chili Cheese Corn Chips

You guessed it. Only 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber put this snack on our list of unhealthy, non-filling snacks. Beyond just the lack of nutrients, Fritos Chili Cheese Corn Chips lists maltodextrin as one of its first few ingredients. This additive can be found in many ultra-processed foods and has been linked to negatively altering your gut microbiome.

Chips Ahoy! Original Chocolate Chip Cookies

A classic chocolate chip cookie is certainly a comforting snack, but you’re better off ditching this sugary item that will ultimately leave you feeling hungrier and with more cravings.

“Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies are considered an unhealthy snack, largely due to their high sugar and unhealthy fat content, as well as their ingredient list, which includes partially hydrogenated oils—a source of trans fats,” says Best. “Ultimately, consuming these cookies in moderation is recommended to minimize the negative health effects associated with their ingredients.”

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Cheez-It Puff’d Double Cheese Snacks

Cheez-It Puff’d Double Cheese Snacks may be lighter and airier than regular Cheez-Its, but they come with 270 milligrams of sodium and 9 grams of fat per serving. These snacks offer little protein and fiber, making them a nutritionally lacking, fatty indulgence.

LAY’S Flamin’ Hot Flavored Potato Chips

LAY’S Flamin’ Hot Flavored Potato Chips bring the heat as well as high fat levels, with 10 grams of fat or 12% of your daily limit in just one small bag of chips.

Auntie Anne’s Classic All Beef Frozen Pretzel Dogs

Each Auntie Anne’s Classic All Beef Frozen Pretzel Dogs contains 690 milligrams of sodium—almost a third of your daily sodium limit in one serving. While the 11 grams of protein may sound appealing, the high fat and sodium levels, along with minimal fiber, make this an unhealthy snack option.

Combos Buffalo Blue Cheese Pretzel Baked Snacks

While COMBOS Buffalo Blue Cheese Pretzel Baked Snacks are packed with buffalo and blue cheese flavor, they’re far from healthy. Loaded with refined carbs, unhealthy fats, and a 16% of your daily value of sodium, these snacks offer little nutritional benefit.

Funyuns

Remember “Flamin’ Hot” chips are often the most unhealthy flavor, and these Funyuns Flamin’ Hot Onion Rings are no exception. They contain Red 40 Lake and Yellow 6 Lake, and a small serving of 13 chips contains almost 300 milligrams of sodium.

Crunchy Cheetos

Similar to the puffy kind, Cheetos Crunchy Cheese-Flavored Snacks also make the list of unhealthy snacks because they’re high in sodium and very low in fiber and protein.

“They’re also high in calories and artificial additives, which have been associated with adverse health effects,” adds Sabat. For instance, they contain Yellow Dye 6, which has been found to potentially contain cancer-causing contaminants.

Gushers

Although Gushers will quickly satisfy a sweet tooth, this nostalgic treat has 10 grams of added sugar and zero grams of fiber or protein, meaning it won’t fill you up in the slightest.

This snack food uses artificial dyes like Red 40, Blue 1, and Yellow 5 & 6. These dyes have been linked to neurobehavioral complications in children, and long-term consumption of Red 40 has recently been linked to ulcerative colitis—chronic inflammation of the colon. In other words, it’s best to stay away from these artificial dyes when you can.

Chewy Dipps Chocolate Chip Granola Bar

Granola bars can be tricky because people often assume they’re healthy, but they’re often just full of sugar and don’t provide very many nutrients. Chewy Dipps Bars are a great example because these chocolate-coated bars have 12 grams of sugar and only one gram of fiber and protein, meaning there’s nothing here to actually sustain you.

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Mott’s Fruit Flavored Snacks

Don’t be fooled by thinking fruit snacks are healthier than candy because this isn’t always the case. Mott’s Fruit Flavored Snacks, for instance, are loaded with sugar, and even though you’ll find some fruit juice puree and concentrate in the ingredients list, its first two ingredients listed are forms of added sugar: corn syrup and regular sugar. Skip these and opt for real fruit, which can provide fiber and natural sugars instead.

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Orville Redenbacher’s Pour Over Movie Theater Butter Popcorn

Popcorn is an obvious choice for movie night snacks, especially the microwavable kind that can be ready in seconds. However, some options are worse than others when it comes to nutritional value (or lack thereof), and Orville Redenbacher’s Pour Over Movie Theater Butter is one of the worst. Popcorn has the potential to be a healthy snack, but this particular item comes packed with 330 milligrams of sodium and 4.5 grams of saturated fat, leaving you no wiggle room to overindulge.

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Entenmenn’s Pop’ems Plain Glazed Donut Holes

If you prefer a sweet snack over savory, you may love the sound of a few donut holes to satisfy the sugar cravings. When the sweet tooth hits, however, we suggest steering clear of snacks like Entenmann’s Plain Glazed Donut Holes. In just one serving of four donut holes you’re getting 18 grams of sugar and zero grams of fiber, so this snack is likely to spike your blood sugar. It also doesn’t contain enough fiber or protein to help it stick, so you’ll be left just as hungry as before.

Snack Pack Chocolate Vanilla Pudding

“The Snack Pack Pudding is definitely a snack to leave in the grocery store and avoid bringing home, as it contains a plethora of unclean and highly processed ingredients,” says Young. “This item is also a very low-protein, low-fiber, and high-sugar snack, and foods that don’t have a lot of protein or fiber contribute to hunger, as they don’t contain many—if any nutrients at all.” Young also adds that “this pudding snack contains processed oils such as palm oil, which is 50% saturated fat.”

Nutella

Most everyone loves a spoonful (or three) of Nutella, but this is considered one of the most unhealthy snacks due to its extremely high sugar content in such a small serving size. “This chocolate hazelnut spread is made mostly with sugar and palm oil, which is extremely processed,” says Young. “A one-tablespoon serving of Nutella is about 21 grams of sugar, and the protein and fiber content is very low, which is the opposite of a fulfilling snack.” The problem with Nutella is that because it’s tasty yet devoid of significant nutritional value, it’s difficult to limit yourself to a serving size—before long, the whole jar is gone.

Twix Candy Bar

Twix Bars are an easy snack to grab and take on the go, but sadly, there’s nothing nutritious about this popular candy bar. With very little fiber and protein but a ton of added sugars, this snack will definitely leave you wanting more.

Little Debbie Double Decker Oatmeal Creme Pies

Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies are already infamous for being a delicious snack loaded with sugar, but their “Double Decker” Oatmeal Creme Pies are even worse. Loaded with 40 grams of added sugar and only 2 grams of fiber to help slow digestion, this snack can quickly spike your blood sugar and leave you still hungry.

Another thing to consider with this handheld sweet treat is that it’s fairly high in saturated fat at 9 grams per serving. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting your consumption to around 13 grams for better heart health, but snacks like these get you close to your limit without factoring in the rest of the food you’ll eat during the day.

Hot Pockets

“Hot Pockets are convenient, but [they] typically contain processed meats, refined grains, high levels of sodium, and unhealthy fats,” says Sabat.

Even though these items are often enjoyed as a midday snack, they are loaded with saturated fat and 660 milligrams of sodium, which is almost 30% of your recommended sodium limit for an entire day.

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Hostess Twinkies

No one should be surprised to see Twinkies on our list, as these sugar bombs are a notoriously unhealthy snack choice.

“Twinkies contain partially hydrogenated oils, which are a source of trans fats, and they lack nutritional value,” says Sabat.

These processed cakes also come with a whopping 32 grams of added sugar and absolutely no fiber to help slow down your body’s absorption of the sugar. This can cause spikes in your blood sugar, and the lack of protein will leave you feeling hungry and craving more.

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Lay’s Classic Potato Chips

When you’re craving a salty snack, there’s nothing like opening a fresh bag of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips. Unfortunately, these may not be your best choice, as only 15 chips will give you 10 grams of fat, no fiber, and hardly any protein.

“These chips are also loaded with sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure and other health issues when consumed in excess,” says Sabat.

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Hostess HoHos

These nostalgic chocolate cake treats provide the same complications as the Little Debbie snacks. Hostess HoHos have 40 grams of sugar per serving with hardly any fiber or protein to back them up and your daily limit of saturated fat in one snack.

Hostess Apple Pie

You can probably spot the pattern by now: ultra-processed sweet treats like the ones from Little Debbie or Hostess are more often than not going to be considered “unhealthy snacks” because of their high added sugar content and low levels of protein and fiber. Snacks like these Hostess Apple Pie fit the bill and won’t satisfy your hunger and cravings in the way a healthy, nutrient-dense snack can.

Lay’s Barbecue Potato Chips

If you’re a fan of the Barbecue flavor of Lay’s potato chips, be warned that although this snack is delicious, it won’t do anything for your health goals. For a small serving size of only 15 chips, it still packs in 150 calories, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, and 150 milligrams of sodium. With a tiny amount of fiber and protein, it definitely won’t leave you feeling satisfied, meaning you’ll either eat far beyond the portion size or grab an additional snack anyway.

Keebler E.L. Fudge Elfwich

Whether it’s crackers or sweet treats, the Keebler elves are known for delivering delicious snacks. However, these elves won’t help you in terms of nutrition, especially with the E.L. Fudge Elfwiches. At first glance, the nutrition facts may not seem all that terrible, but the serving size only includes two small cookies, and how can that possibly be a satisfying snack? Most people will end up eating a few serving sizes of this snack, which will cause them to rack up their added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium content.

Hostess Old Fashioned Donettes

With tons of added sugar, only 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein, Hostess Old Fashioned Donettes are an unhealthy snack choice. They won’t keep you full or satisfied, leading to more snacking. Additionally, the amount of added sugar in just three donuts is about 72% of your recommended daily limit.

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Clif Bar Chocolate Brownie

The tricky thing about Clif Bars is that they’re advertised as protein bars you can eat as a snack, but since they’re loaded up with sugar, they’re really only helpful if you’re going to have an intense workout. But if you’re just looking for a protein-heavy snack for your midday work break, you’ll want to choose something much lower in sugar and sodium.

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Starburst Gummies

Those in the mood for a sweet snack they can pop in their mouth may be tempted by Starburst Gummies, but with a teeny tiny serving size of only 7 pieces, you’re still loading your body up with 18 grams of sugar and only a single gram of protein, meaning you’ll be hungrier and have even more cravings than when before you started.

Nutrigrain Strawberry

Nutrigrain Bars can be a bit of a disappointment because they’re often marketed as a tasty granola bar you can enjoy as a snack. But with 12 grams of sugar, along with only one gram of fiber and two grams of protein, nothing about this bar will leave you feeling satiated, not to mention the epic novel-length ingredient list, which includes preservatives, corn syrup, and other additives.

Little Debbie Nutty Buddy Snack Bar

Although most Little Debbie snacks could be considered some of the unhealthiest snacks, the Nutty Buddy bars are the worst. These cookies come with a whopping 9 grams of saturated fat and 22 grams of sugar, and even though these bars are filed under “snack bars” on the Little Debbie website, these nutrition facts scream nothing but a glorified dessert on the go.

Little Debbie Zebra Cakes

With 34 grams of added sugar, Little Debbie’s Zebra Cakes won’t fill you up or energize you. This amount of sugar exceeds the recommended daily intake, and these cakes lack fiber and protein to sustain you until your next meal.

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Smucker’s Goober Grape

We love the nostalgia of a PB&J snack, but if you’re craving a healthier peanut butter and jelly combo, you may want to skip Smucker’s Goober Grape. It’s easy to think that a spread like this wouldn’t be too bad, but 21 grams of added sugar per serving is almost an entire day’s worth.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwich Crackers

“These little sandwich snacks barely contain any protein and are lacking fiber,” says Young. “This makes it a very low-protein and low-fiber snack while being high in fat.” In other words, they’re an unhealthy snack.

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Turtle Chex Mix

Sweet and savory lovers may opt for snacks like Turtle Chex Mix, but this blend of Chex, nuts, pretzels, chocolate, and caramel-coated popcorn isn’t a healthy option. It only has 2 grams of protein and less than one gram of fiber, and it contains artificial dyes like red 40, yellow 5, and yellow 6—all of which are potentially carcinogenic and may lead to hypersensitivity reactions.

Little Debbie Swiss Rolls

Little Debbie Swiss Rolls will definitely satisfy your sweet cravings, but with 28 grams of added sugar per package, you’ll be snacking on more than a day’s worth of sugar. Also, there’s zero fiber and hardly any protein to help keep you feeling full, which means you may be tempted to keep snacking before your next meal.

Great Value Chewy Chocolate Chip Snack Bar

Another great example of unhealthy granola bars is the Great Value Chocolate Chip Bars. Its 7 grams of sugar isn’t that high compared to some of the other bars on the market, but again, like many of these unhealthy snacks on our list, there just aren’t enough filling and beneficial nutrients to help keep you satiated.

Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Tangy Chili Fusion

In looking at the nutrition information, these Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Tangy Chili Fusion snacks may not seem all that bad at first, but after a closer look at their ingredients list, you’ll see that this cheesy snack uses Red 40 Lake and Yellow 5 Lake, two dyes that have been linked to adverse health outcomes.

Not to mention that even without these artificial colorings, you’re still consuming a snack with barely any fiber or protein, which just won’t cut it when finding a satiating, filling snack.

Little Debbie Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

As we mentioned previously, snacks that are lacking in fiber and protein won’t keep you feeling satisfied until your next meal, and these Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins from Little Debbie are the perfect example of this. Of course, this sweet treat will taste delicious, but you’ll still feel hungry after snacking on it.

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Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Chips

Another tempting snack to munch on for those who love a savory midafternoon break, but these Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Chips just won’t do the job of providing a healthy snack. With only 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein, you’ll be left wanting more every time.

Grandma’s Chocolate Brownie Cookies

A classic vending machine snack that many of us remember from childhood, Grandma’s Chocolate Brownie Cookies provide a hefty amount of calories and added sugar. Another tricky characteristic of this snack is that a serving size is only one cookie but each package comes with two, making it significantly harder to stick to a serving.

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