In the world of bummer mail (bills, political candidate flyers and misspelled address labels), a box of new food samples is a welcome surprise in the middle of the week. Nothing makes a dietitian happier than receiving a gift pack of snack samples.

I received an assortment of delicious snacks from Bare Snacks, PopCorners Popped Corn Snacks, Off the Eaten Path and Stacy's.

In addition, the snacks were adorably packaged in a khaki picnic backpack complete with a wine bottle "side kick" pouch, plastic flutes and dinnerware. I thought this was a really original idea!I've powered through the coconut and apple chips from Bare Snacks.

Both are good sources of dietary fiber, with the coconut chips providing 5 grams per half cup serving and apple chips providing 4 grams in a 2/3 cup serving. The saturated fat content is a bit high with the coconut chips, but I think they'd make a great topping for yogurt or oatmeal given their crunchy texture.

The apple chips were sweet without additional added sugar. If you're looking for something crunchy and sweet, these will fit the bill.I also enjoyed the PopCorners Popped-Corn snacks. These are a great gluten-free option that's much lower in fat than fried corn chips or tortilla chips.

They weren't outrageously high in sodium either, but missed the mark to be considered "low sodium" by about 40 mg per serving.If you're craving something a bit sweeter, their kettle corn chips have minimal added sugar and are low in sodium. Additionally, there's just 4 ingredients in the chips.

Their popped chips are never fried and don't contain artificial flavors.Another interesting snack was the hummus crisps by Off the Eaten Path. Lord knows I love that name! The rosemary and olive oil crisps are low in saturated fat and provide 4 grams of dietary fiber thanks to their chick pea and rice base.

They also provide 2 grams of fiber per serving, which is better than nothing. Their black bean veggie crisps provide 4 grams of fiber per serving and have a rich, savory taste.Stacy's pita thins are always a welcome snack in my house. They're savory and crunchy and go well with hummus or yogurt-based dips.

I've also enjoyed them with a few hunks of good cheddar.If you're tired of the same old snacks or looking for something new, portable and healthy, I'd give these snacks a go!

Thanks for the lovely surprise on my porch!

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