How Much Exercise Do You Need to Burn a Handful of M&M’s?

This is an interesting thought experiment to demonstrate the calorie intake vs exercise required to burn the calories in M&M candies (with that delicious candy shell coating chocolate. Oh man. But we digress.)

It is a good demonstration to show kids early how what they eat can affect their overall health and well-being.

How Many Calories are in a Handful of Peanut M&Ms?

The number of calories in a small handful of peanut M&M’s can vary, but it’s roughly around 100 calories for a small serving (about 15 grams).

To burn off those calories through exercise, the duration depends on factors like a person’s weight, intensity, and efficiency of the exercises. As a rough estimate:

• Walking briskly burns about 240 calories per hour.
• Running at a moderate pace burns around 600 calories per hour.
• Cycling at a moderate speed burns approximately 400-600 calories per hour.
• Jumping rope burns around 600-800 calories per hour.
• Swimming laps burns roughly 400-700 calories per hour.

So, depending on the chosen exercises and their intensity, it could take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes of exercise to burn off the calories from a small handful of peanut M&M’s.

What is a Typical Serving of Peanut M&Ms?

A typical serving size of peanut M&M’s is about 1 ounce or 28 grams. This is roughly equivalent to a small, single-serving bag commonly found in vending machines or sold as a snack size.

Sometimes the bag you are consuming is more or less than a serving, so it is probably a good idea to check the bag – in the event you don’t have a scale just laying around.

How Can I Explain This Concept to a Child?

You can tell a child that a typical serving of peanut M&M’s is like having a small handful, usually found in a small snack-sized bag. It’s about the amount that fits in their cupped hands. You might also use familiar objects, like a small toy or a specific number of building blocks, to help them visualize the size.

Additionally, you can explain that this serving contains around 100 calories, and to burn off those calories, they could play a game of tag, jump rope, or go for a short bike ride. Making it relatable and using tangible examples can help children understand these concepts.

They may just tell you to stop it. Or ignore you like mine typically do. In any event, it is important to keep stressing the importance of health and balance between what you eat and what you do. Keep on your kids to stay active. And you should probably do the same after eating your M&M’s…