This list covers 27 junk foods, from “Pizza” to “Powdered Donuts.” Most of these items are heavy on sugar, salt, or fat, and light on real nutrition. You’ll find them in vending machines, movie theaters, gas stations, and grocery aisles, since people reach for them as quick snacks, party food, or an easy dessert rather than a full meal.
Junk food are foods and drinks that pack in a lot of calories, sugar, salt, or fat while offering little in the way of vitamins, fiber, or protein. Manufacturers design most of these products to be cheap, shelf-stable, and hard to stop eating. Pop Rocks even sparked a famous urban legend in the 1970s, when rumors claimed the fizzy candy could make your stomach explode if mixed with soda.
Below you’ll find the table with Food, Category, Main Ingredients, Calories, and Description.
Food: the name of each item on the list, from familiar snacks like potato chips to treats like push pops and pralines.
Category: groups each food by type, such as candy, snack, fast food, or dessert, so you can compare similar items at a glance.
Main Ingredients: lists what actually goes into each food, helping you spot common additives like sugar, vegetable oil, and salt.
Calories: shows the calorie count for a typical serving, so you can see how each food fits into your day.
Description: gives you a short, plain explanation of what each food is and why people consider it junk food.
Junk food
| Food | Category | Main Ingredients | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza | Fast Food | Dough, cheese, tomato sauce | 285 (1 slice) |
| Popcorn (Buttered) | Snack | Corn kernels, butter, salt | 150 (2 cups) |
| Potato Chips | Snack | Potatoes, vegetable oil, salt | 152 (1 oz) |
| Pretzels | Snack | Flour, salt, water | 108 (1 oz) |
| Pringles | Snack | Potato flakes, vegetable oil, salt | 150 (1 oz) |
| Pop-Tarts | Packaged Pastry | Flour, sugar, fruit filling, icing | 200 (1 pastry) |
| Poutine | Fast Food | French fries, cheese curds, gravy | 740 (1 serving) |
| Pop Rocks | Candy | Sugar, corn syrup, carbon dioxide | 60 (1 packet) |
| PayDay Bar | Candy | Peanuts, caramel, nougat | 240 (1 bar) |
| Peanut Butter Cups | Candy | Chocolate, peanut butter, sugar | 210 (2 cups) |
| Peppermint Patties | Candy | Chocolate, peppermint filling, sugar | 140 (1 patty) |
| Peanut Brittle | Candy | Peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, butter | 130 (1 oz) |
| Peeps | Candy | Marshmallow, sugar, food coloring | 140 (5 pieces) |
| Pixy Stix | Candy | Sugar, flavoring, citric acid | 45 (1 stick) |
| Popsicle | Frozen Dessert | Water, sugar, flavoring | 45 (1 bar) |
| Pudding Cups | Dessert | Milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch | 140 (1 cup) |
| Pork Rinds | Snack | Pork skin, oil, salt | 80 (0.5 oz) |
| Pizza Rolls | Frozen Snack | Dough, cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni | 220 (6 rolls) |
| Potato Skins | Appetizer | Potato, cheese, bacon, sour cream | 300 (2 pieces) |
| Praline | Candy | Sugar, butter, pecans, cream | 150 (1 piece) |
| Push Pop | Candy | Sugar, corn syrup, flavoring | 70 (1 pop) |
| Pop Secret Popcorn | Snack | Corn kernels, oil, butter flavoring, salt | 170 (3 cups) |
| Philly Cheesesteak | Fast Food | Beef, cheese, hoagie roll, onions | 600 (1 sandwich) |
| Pigs in a Blanket | Snack | Mini hot dogs, dough | 220 (5 pieces) |
| Puffed Cheese Balls | Snack | Cornmeal, cheese powder, oil | 160 (1 oz) |
| Pop (Soda) | Beverage | Carbonated water, sugar, flavoring | 150 (12 oz can) |
| Powdered Donuts | Pastry | Flour, sugar, powdered sugar coating | 300 (2 donuts) |