You have to love a food that claims to make you feel smarter just by eating it; especially when it is a junk food. Pirates brand Smart Puffs, Real Wisconsin Cheddar flavor snack, is guilty of that promise. After all, the word “smart” is in the name. Did you make a smart choice in choosing to eat it?
To take the claims right off the package, “YES” the snack has no preservatives, trans fat or gluten; but who cares? Do these attributes change the salty (200 mg) and fattening (7 grams and 1 gram saturated) into a healthy choice? Simply put, no. Also, be wary when a product writes “all natural” since this is a not a term regulated by the FDA. Although Smart Puffs has recognizable ingredients, they underwent processing to enhance flavor and shelf-life so they are no longer fully “natural”.

Keep in mind that if you are looking for a salty chip-like snack, or your children are nagging for the bag of chips, this is a better choice compared to some other brands, especially the artificially flavored cheese options. A pro about Smart Puffs is the 2 grams of protein from the milk ingredients, but think if you want your protein source coming from a snack contributing nothing else to your body. Snacking choices should be made on the premise of choosing one that will give you the most bang for your buck, meaning the most nutrients for the amount of calories. I cannot say that smart puffs are the best fit for that description.

Pirates Booty Smart Puffs Real Wisconsin Cheddar  Grade:

B-: Although a better choice than some other chip brands, it is not the best choice compared to healthier snack options