(KAIR)--According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans at the start of the 21st century are consuming more calories daily than their counterparts did in the 1950s, and most of those additional calories come from snacks.

In fact, snacks now account for about twenty-five percent of all calories consumed. But how does this extra snacking impact a person's budget? K-State Research and Extension specialist Mary Meck Higgins says that recent studies have shown that replacing less healthy snacks with more healthy ones does not cost more. In fact, the less healthy snacks very often cost more than their healthier counterparts. She adds that another way you can save money if you are going to buy more fruits and vegetables would be to look for the sales in the weekly grocery ads.

Because snacks can be purchased in so many places, it can be difficult to determine how much is actually spent on snack foods. However, Higgins says that no matter where a snack is purchased, it cannot compare to fruits and vegetables. Even if you set aside the cost, if you also look at the nutritional value, fruits and vegetables would win every time.

The simple solution to eating too many unhealthy snacks would be to stop buying them. However, Higgins says that is not always practical and a better solution would be to have a designated place where everyone in the family can store their favorite snack.

For more information on healthy snacking, visit your local extension office or go to their website, ksre.ksu.edu.