Are you one of the many folks who love to frequent the grocery store for the sole purpose of getting free samples of meats and cheeses, cereals, snack foods, pre-packaged meals, and desserts? Be careful, as just a few “free” samples can cost you well over 500 calories. Consider these ten facts about the most common food samples.

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  1. One-half of a chicken or beef slider (sample size) is equal to 160 calories.
  2. A 1-ounce sample size of chicken potpie is equal to 180 calories.
  3. A 4-ounce sample of fruit juice is 60-70 calories.
  4. A sample portion of cheesecake contains 80-100 calories.
  5. Just 1/3 of a slice of pepperoni pizza (sample size) is equal to 100 calories.
  6. A sample portion of trail mix is equal to 120-130 calories.
  7. A 1-ounce sample of cheese is 100-115 calories.
  8. A sample portion of potato salad contains 170-180 calories.
  9. A small sample of chips and dips houses an average of 125 calories.
  10. Just one cookie is equal to about 80 calories.

You do the math. Now, this is not to say that you can’t indulge in those free samples every once in a while. Just be sure to do your grocery shopping around lunchtime and make a meal out of it.