Pretzels on the Nutrisystem diet: Are they allowed?

Sometimes I hear from people who love a specific food and don’t want to give up that food, even if they choose to start the Nutrisystem diet. They often want to make sure they can still have their favorite foods, at least part of the time. I’ve heard someone say, “I really want to start Nutrisystem because I think it would be easy to keep up with my work schedule. But I have to admit, I eat a soft pretzel every day, since there’s a cart next to my work that sells particularly delicious pretzels. Could I still eat pretzels on this diet?”

The answer to this question depends on how flexible you are about the type of pretzels you eat. The diet sells prepackaged pretzels that you can order as part of a package or individually. (And they come in regular and honey mustard flavors.) You are allowed to eat one snack and one dessert each day on this diet, so in theory, you could choose this snack every day so you don’t have to give up this food. The main reason for this is that this dietary item contains only 110 calories and 14 grams of carbohydrates. It also contains 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.

When I explained this option to her, she wanted to know if it was possible to have her regular pretzel (from the vending cart) as part of her garnishes that she can add to each meal every day. She is allowed a side of “smart carbs” each day. And, a slice of sourdough bread is listed as an acceptable example of this type of food. But, I doubt that a large vending cart pretzel is equivalent in calories and carbs to a small slice of sourdough bread. Also, it was doubtful that this item was as high in protein and fiber as its dietary equivalent. Still, I know plenty of people who treat themselves from time to time without any horrible results. It might be a good compromise to have a half serving or view this snack as a special, occasional treat while you get your daily fix of pretzels with the prepackaged diet option.

So, to answer the question posed, the Nutrisystem menu offers two different types of pretzels. And having them regularly is not a problem at all. They are considered a regular snack that is recommended. But buying a non-diet option from a grocery cart without knowing how many calories or carbs it contains suggests it would be better as a treat rather than a daily snack, at least while you’re in the weight-loss phase of the diet.