Rice Krispy Treat Nutrition: Can These Snacks Be Good for You?

Rice Krispy Treat Nutrition: Can These Snacks Be Good for You?
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Rice Krispy Treats

Rice Krispy treats are sweet, tasty bars that are so very easy to make. Moms have been making them for kids for years and adults can either make them for themselves or buy them in convenient packages. But if you’re looking to have a healthier diet, these treats might seem to be scratched off the list.

Looking at the nutritional value for Rice Krispy Treats seems to be a bit of a letdown, with tons of carbs and very little protein. Is there any way to make this treats somewhat healthier?

Nutrition Facts

If you have never had a Rice Krispy treat, you have surely missed out. Made from the popular breakfast cereal, butter, and

marshmallows, these treats take around 10 minutes to make and about 20 to 30 minutes to be ready to eat. Cut into squares, these are been a staple of afternoon snacks or a reward for a job well done.

Nutrition wise, they aren’t a very healthy snack, especially if you manage to eat more than one or you have a giant square instead of a smaller one. For a standard bar, which is about 37 grams, the caloric intake is -

  • Calories - 153
  • Carbs - 118
  • Fat - 30
  • Protein - 5
  • Sodium - 130

The caloric intake isn’t too bad, but the carbohydrates are pretty high, and so is the fat content. Carbs are best utilized eaten from grains, vegetables, and legumes (lentils and beans). The packaged version (those you can find in the stores either in a variety pack or individually wrapped) contain 90 calories, but again limiting yourself to just one can be the hard part.

Healthier Treats

So is there a way to make Rice Krispy treats healthier? The answer is yes, but either adding in or substituting the ingredients. One popular substitution is the type of butter used. Using lite butter or even margarine can cut out some of the fats and carbs, while substitution of the marshmallows can help as well.

Instead of larger marshmallows, use the mini marshmallows, which can cut on how much you use. Another popular substitution is that of peanut butter.

The key with lowering the caloric intake and that of the other nutrition can be traced to the processing. In regards to the packaged treats, there are a lot of artificial preservatives and ingredients that are added, which can be bad for you. Homemade versions of your favorites are always the way to go, as you can better control the ingredients, as well as the portions. Using a smaller pan can result in smaller, bite sized pieces, while substituting some of the ingredients or adding some healthy ones, such as cranberries or raisins can give a boost to some of the healthier nutrients that you need.

References

Calorie Count, https://caloriecount.about.com/calories-rice-krispies-treats-squares-i19438

Nutrition Facts and Analysis, https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/snacks/5639/2

The Original Treats, https://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/the-original-treats.aspx#/recipes/the-original-treats

Homemade Rice Krispy Treats, https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=34972

Image courtesy of Rice Krispies.com