Snacking is fine — as long as you're snacking on something healthy.Eugenio Marongiu / Shutterstock

7 snack foods, ranked by how unhealthy they are

There's nothing wrong with a little snacking between meals — as long as you're choosing healthy foods.

Unfortunately, many traditional snack foods taste good, but don't have much nutritional value.

We talked to nutritionist Kim Larson, RDN and media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, to identify a few snack foods that are good for you, and some to avoid.

Below is a list of seven types of snack foods, ranked from most to least healthy.

Avoid store-bought trail mixes with add-ins like M&Ms.Hannah Green / Shutterstock

7. Trail mix

"Trail mix can be healthy, especially if you make your own with healthier cereals, nuts, seeds, dried fruit," Larson said.

Avoid store-bought trail mixes with add-ins like M&Ms.Hannah Green / Shutterstock

6. Frozen fruit bars (made with whole fruit)

According to Larson, "These types of refreshing snacks with no added sugars are a better choice for the summer than ice cream."

5. Fruit-flavored yogurt parfaits

"These are not the healthiest yogurt choice because of the sugary fruit and granolas or 'crunch' they often add to these portable store-bought yogurt parfaits," Larson said. "Not the worst choice, but not the best either because of the added sugar content."

4. Frozen snack foods (pizza rolls, soft pretzels, etc.)

"These are high in sodium, and often high in saturated fats and calories," Larson said.

Frozen snack foods are often loaded with salt.niki georgiev / Flickr

3. Pastries and bakery items

According to Larson, "Items like bakery breads have no fiber or minerals because they are so refined. They can also be very high in calories."

2. Granola, granola bars, and energy bars

"Most of these are glorified candy bars with few healthy ingredients," Larson said. "Most of these are high in added sugars and total fat; some even have saturated fats (the kind we are supposed to keep to less than 10% of our total calories) and very little nutrition."

"It's better to make your own granola where you can control the ingredients, sugar, and amount of oils used in making them," she adds.

Many granolas are high in sugar.Vegan Feast Catering / Flickr

1. Potato chips, crackers, corn puffs

According to Larson, "These snacks are filled with air and loaded with sodium, fat, and calories." "Most of these have virtually no nutrition or fiber in them because they are so highly processed."

"Junk foods like these should be looked at as a very once-in-a-while indulgence — not a regular snack choice."

SEE ALSO:The shocking amount of sugar in 9 'healthy' foods