A lot of companies have thought of a new take on diet desserts. Instead of making new products that are low in calories thanks to artificial sweeteners or less fat, they're taking old favorites and wrapping them up in calorie-specific portions.

I was skeptical at first. I mean, if I want to just eat less of my special treats, I can do that all by myself, and not generate any extra packaging to burden the local landfill.

Lately, though, I've been swayed in favor of these skinny little goodies. I think they have a lot to offer.

Hershey's, for instance, is offering packages of 100-calorie bars of dark chocolate. I think this has value for a couple of reasons. First off, seeing that little bar makes you realize how many calories a really big one has. I tend not to check that kind of thing, but just to think of a bar of chocolate as what's for dessert.

Second, if you're being conscientious and really want to stick to a certain number of calories, or to cut down on sugar, it's much easier not to be tempted if your allotted portion is all in one wrapper. Sure, you could just break off a chunk of a big bar and say to yourself, "Okay, this is it." But you might not feel as finished afterward.

And then it's much more tempting to take just a little bite more of a bar you've already started, exactly because you've already started it. If you have the package of 100 calorie bars, it's true that you could open up another, and then another; but you're more likely to feel that you really shouldn't.

Then there are not-just-plain-chocolate treats that are easier to control when they're already divvied up for you. 3 Musketeers and Twix bars now come in 100 calorie versions. If you wanted a hundred calories of one of those before, you'd have to throw away or carefully wrap up a sticky leftover. Now you have your little treat and you're all done -- neat and simple.

Hershey's also came up with a 100 calorie milk chocolate-covered snack bar that has wafer cookies sandwiched together around a layer of fudge. These come two to the 100 calorie-package. Sure, they're small, but psychologically, it's brilliant. You get to feel as if you had two, and you didn't even cheat!

Speaking of having two -- there's one more reason that these bars are a lot of fun. If you're not on a diet, but also don't want to go too crazy in the sugar and calories department, you can have a lovely mixed dessert without breaking the bank, so to speak. A 100 calorie Twix and a 100 calorie plain chocolate isn't an unreasonable treat in any sense, and gives you all the fun of being a kid again, raiding your Halloween treat sack and trying just a little of everything.