Here are a few of my latest Calorie Bargain findings.

GREEN MOUNTAIN GRINGO MILD SALSA

Why: We get all kinds of salsas to sample around here, but Green Mountain Gringo Mild Salsa is pretty darn amazing. It's so tasty you'll be searching high and low for more veggies to dip.

Health bonus: There are ONLY 10 calories per 2-tablespoon serving.

What we liked best: The wholesome ingredient list. The nutrition panel is so clean that even your fifth-grader can pronounce all the ingredients.

What it replaces: High-calorie veggie dips.

Ingredients: Ripe tomatoes, fresh onions, fresh tomatillos, fresh pasilla peppers, fresh jalapeno peppers, fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar, fresh parsley, fresh garlic, sea salt, spices.

Nutritional information per serving: (2 tablespoons): 10 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g carbs, 90 mg sodium, 0 g protein

Where to buy: www.greenmountaingringo.com

MANDUKA EKO LITE MATS

Why: You can use this yoga mat for any exercise or stretching routine, not just yoga. What usually happens when your yoga mat flakes and fades? Straight to the landfill — not so great. But the eKO mat, made out of non-harvested, natural tree rubber, is biodegradable. These 100 percent natural mats won't flake, fade or leave footprints in landfills, and will completely decompose at the end of their natural life.

Health bonus: You can get a Recycle Your Mat Kit, with a shipping bag and a prepaid UPS label, so that it doesn't end up in a landfill.

What we liked best: Comfortable mat that's environmentally friendly and comes in loads of colors (seven).

What it replaces: If you're already a yoga aficionado, it replaces non-environmentally friendly mats. If you're a first-time mat buyer, you're getting one of the best mats.

Where to buy: www.manduka.com

RECIPELINK.COM

Why: This amazing site has more than 10,000 links to just about anything related to food: recipes, nutrition information, daily menus, food forums — you name it.

Health bonus: With so much information about nutrition on the Web, it can be hard to find exactly what you want. Recipe link.com provides a one-stop shop for all your nutrition needs.

What we liked best: The gigantic list of links to hundreds of your favorite national brands. You can easily look up product ingredients, nutrition information and product offerings.

What it replaces: Wandering aimlessly around the Internet trying to find the site for your favorite product and then giving up without getting the information you were seeking.

Where to find: www.recipelink.com

AK-MAK WHOLE WHEAT SESAME CRACKERS

Why: These scrumptious crackers are made by an Armenian family that has been using the same recipe for four generations. The wafer-like crackers are made with stone-ground whole-wheat flour and only a handful of ingredients (all of which are easily pronounceable). They are delicious, low-fat, low-calorie crackers.

Health bonus: Throw on some low-fat cheese and you've got an excellent alternative to chips.

What we liked best: They're 100 percent whole grain — nothing else. The crackers have no preservatives or bleach, and they contain a decent amount of both protein and fiber.

What it replaces: Crackers that may contain heart-unfriendly trans fat.

Ingredients: 100 percent stone-ground wheat flour, water, clover honey, sesame oil, butter, sesame seeds, yeast and salt.

Nutritional information per serving: (5 crackers) 116 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 213 mg sodium, 19 g carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 4.5 g protein

Where to Buy: Grocery stores, www.Amazon.com

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.