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Posts with tag snacks

What Do Vending Machines Say About Corporate Culture?

A peak inside a vending machine.
Peek inside a vending machine. Photo: salimfadhley, Flickr.
What do AOL's vending machines look like? "White Castle burgers, five different varieties of Hot Pockets, Klondike bars and Oreo ice cream bars next to a sign offering a discount for Weight Watchers. I think it's safe to say that our vending machine area is being used as a Skinner box," reports Kristyn, a fellow AOL employee.

One employee's behavioral experiment is another's paradise. "I'm really, really jealous," says Jon over at MTV Networks, after being informed of AOL's snack excesses. Featuring far more pedestrian fare like Rice Krispies Treats, Nacho Cheese Doritos and Reese's Pieces, MTV's vending options won't turn any heads. Jon laments that the only real stand-out is the 25-cent can of Coke. "I guess that proves that international conglomerates are in cahoots!" he says. Or it's just a ploy to keep people awake and alert for optimum productivity.

Other big companies aren't faring much better. Jen gave us the scoop on IBM's snack selection, which was similarly standard, with plenty of chips, candy bars and the like. Still, they do try to push some healthier options. "There's a green leaf next to anything that is considered a 'balanced choice,' " says Jen. "It shows IBM's effort in trying to bring about some healthy options to a typically unhealthy way to get food." Don't expect to see any quarter Cokes, though. "The prices are really high, almost $2 for a small bag of chips," she notes. "Price alone would be the reason I wouldn't purchase from the vending machines." Maybe this is IBM's way of discouraging vending machine snacks in favor of fresh fruit or brown-bagged options?

Continue reading What Do Vending Machines Say About Corporate Culture?

Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test

Everyone loves potato chips. To satisfy your potato chips cravings and find the best flavored potato chips, read this potato chips taste test from Slashfood.
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Flavored Potato Chips

We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.

Get snacking!
Rachel Been, AOL
Getty Images North America

Flavored Potato Chips


    We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.

    Get snacking!

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: BBQ
    DIEFFENBACH'S BAR-B-Q
    (Womelsdorf, PA)

    An appealing combo of sweet heat and a whisper of smoke makes this cult chip worth seeking out.

    Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
    Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: BBQ
    LAY'S BARBECUE
    (Nationally available)

    Nearly every taster used the word "subtle" in their description of this chip's flavor, but also noted that the light BBQ spice, minus any overpowering heat, would make it oh so easy to munch one's way through an entire bag at a picnic.

    Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Lay's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: BBQ
    MISS VICKIE'S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ
    (Dallas, TX)

    This chip lives up to its "Smokehouse" title with a sweetly fire-kissed 'cue taste and a tangy, crunchy, full-mouth feel. We just can't seem to quit loving you, Miss Vickie.

    Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Miss Vickie's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Winner: BBQ
    BETTER MADE RED HOT BARBECUE
    (Detroit, MI)

    We were almost put off by the unnatural hue of the chip's surface, but gosh are we glad we blazed on through. This is one standout chip, with a lingering, yet not overpowering sweet heat that creeps up and warms the ears, and leaves the tongue a-tingling. Of all the BBQ chips we sampled, this is the one with the most potentially addictive appeal.

    Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
    Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
    KETTLE CLASSICS SALT & VINEGAR
    (San Francisco, CA)

    An avowed kettle chip disliker on our tasting panel loved the interplay of explosive acidity and unapologetically applied salt so much, she grudgingly used the word "perfection." We could hardly disagree, and boy, did we love the crunchy texture.

    Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
    Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
    MISS VICKIE'S SEA SALT & VINEGAR
    (Dallas, TX)

    Quality potato flavor stands up to a slightly sweet vinegar sting for an especially well-balanced and quite crunchable chip.

    Blogger Monika Bartyzel shared her Miss Vickie's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar
    LAY'S KETTLE COOKED SEA SALT & VINEGAR
    (Nationally available)

    This chip's a major mouthful, with a pleasing tease of malty flavor, and slightly briny salt. Since they're a cinch to find on grocery store shelves, wow the crowd at your next big shindig.

    Blogger Bob Sassone shared his Lay's thoughts on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Winner: Salt & Vinegar
    DIRTY SALT & VINEGAR
    (Gramercy, LA)

    Ka-POW! This chip knocked us in the kisser so hard one of our tasters claimed she popped straight to a London pub for a sec. A solid crunch matches the initial vinegar and unsubtle salt burst for a truly vibrant chip experience.

    Buy these chips at Anchor's Chip of the Month
    Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL


    Runner-up: Sour Cream
    STEWART'S SOUR CREAM & ONION
    (Saratoga Springs, NY)

    After an initial salt kick, a subtle, sweet, creamy flavor underpins an onion essence present enough to please the palate, but light enough not to leave any aftertaste.

    Did we miss or hit your favorite chip? Shout it out on our blog at Slashfood.

    Rachel Been, AOL

Slim Jim - What's in It?

slim jim
Looking inside the Slim Jim. Photo: Rachel Been
When Macho Man Randy Savage snaps into a Slim Jim, what exactly is he snapping into?

According to manufacturer ConAgra, the Slim Jim was invented by Philadelphia sausage-maker Adolph Levis in 1928. The cellophane-wrapped sausage sticks were originally sold in jars that sported an illustration of a "tall, elegant man complete with top hat and cane" named "Slim Jim."

Today's Slim Jim, with an ad campaign that lets you create an avatar and wander around "Spicy Side," is likely a far cry from the original. And it's got Wired wondering where that meat stick comes from.

Continue reading Slim Jim - What's in It?

FINGERFOOD Party Plates

FINGERFOOD Party PlatesFINGERFOOD Party Plates are sure to be a smash this holiday season - a tiny, little smash.

The Party Plates are actually small platters affixed to rings which, as you can see, you can wear while you hold your drink.

These are perfect for hors d'oeuvres (and hand-feeding your cats, and dinner parties thrown by Barbie). My only concern is that they look a little unwieldy, like you might have to master the art of the FINGERFOOD Party Plate, certainly before attempting it while drinking.

Ten reusable plates are just $9.95 from The Spoon Sisters, and they actually recommend bringing your own to a party as a "conversation starter." That would require a level of bravery I don't have, but I would think it fun to pass these out to guests at a party of my own!

Just not over the carpet, naturally.

I am Addicted to Imitation Crab

Imitation crabSlashfood confession time. I, Annie Scott, am addicted to imitation crab.

It's so colorful and friendly, and you can buy it by the pound! Normally, I'm pretty averse to food that doesn't really look like ... food, but the juicy texture! The way it separates in my mouth! It's just dry enough to eat as a finger food and oh, you bet I do eat it as a finger food.

My worst vice? Dipping it in pesto. Seriously, give me a small vat of pesto and a styro-wrapped pound of imitation crab and you have just bought yourself peace and quiet. For like, an hour.

It has a great balance of protein and carbs, fills me up, and is more fun than (and cheap as) a can of tuna fish. And it's delicious.

I don't recommend it for parties, because everyone knows it's not "real" food, but for the comfort of your own private snacking delight? There is no substitute for imitation crab.

What's the best food for a late-night bonfire?



I was just sitting here, typing into the wee hours of the night when I heard sirens. They got closer, and closer, and then stopped in front of my house. I figured I was safe, since the alarms in my building go off if you roast coffee, let alone stir up some big flames. So I go outside, and the abandoned house across the street is a-flame. There's a nice toasty smoke haze to the air, and the sidewalks are littered with late-night passerby and robe-clad residents.

Looking at the smoky, empty house, the sirens and incessantly blinking lights from 6 firetrucks began to fade away. The house was replaced with a more modest late-fall bonfire in my mind, one with loud, crackling flames.

Being a foodie, that quickly stirred up thoughts bonfire-worthy snacks. When the sky is dark, the air is cold, and the flames are crackling, what foods do you eat?

Partisan party food: what to eat while watching the debate

obama and mccain
So the presidential debate is on after all! And I know the number one question on your mind is not "how will McCain's fiscal policies differ from Bush's?" or "how will Obama deal with the Iran question?" but rather, "what to eat?"

Well, I've got a few suggestions for snacks, based on the candidate's own favorite foods and studies of Democratic and Republican food habits. Serve all the food on blue and red plates and make a game out of it. When one candidate makes a winning point, you eat a snack from the opposite party. When McCain corners Obama into admitting the troop surge in Iraq was successful, you eat a Democratic snack. When Obama says "McCain" and "Big Oil" in the same sentence, eat a red snack. Whichever side has more snacks left at the end wins!

1. Obama, having lived in Chicago for most of his life, enjoys the city's famous deep dish pizza. Turn pizza into a snack with this Food Network recipe for pizza bites. But keep it All-American by subbing out the mascarpone for some less-exotic mozzarella cheese. Add pineapple for a Hawaiian-childhood flair! McCain loves the Tex-Mex cuisine of his native Arizona. Serve these burriquitas (mini burritos) with a side of salsa (but not too spicy - you don't want to appear volatile).

2. According to Urbanspoon's "steak/sushi index", you can predict which cities skew more Democratic or Republican based solely on their number of sushi (Democrat) or steak (Republican) restaurants. So bust out the sushi mat and roll yourself some Obama Rolls (fried eggplant and fresh spinach). Throw some red meat to the Repubs with these steak and potato kebabs from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

3. McCain supporters are said to favor Hardees and family dining chains like Fuddruckers. Copious amounts of ground beef, anyone? Make your Republican burgers bite-sized, with this Emeril Lagasse recipe for sirloin sliders with bacon. Obama fans go for mall favorites like the Cheesecake Factory and Panera Bread. Try this copycat recipe of the Cheesecake Factory's famous (infamous?) fried macaroni and cheese balls.

4. Obama is known to brag about his famous chili. He's even provided America with the recipe, which you can snack-ify by serving it in mini bread cups. Cindy McCain's family recipe farfalle pasta with turkey sausage and mushrooms (Copyright the Food Network) doesn't make great finger food, so try a riff on lemon chicken (her real favorite, according to the Guardian) instead - serve cold lemon chicken salad on crackers or slices of baguette instead.

Tip: Keep some nice sorbet in the freezer to use as a palate cleanser whenever an nauseous homily about "small-town values" and "not playing politics" makes you throw up a little in your mouth. I like Bon Appetit's lemon buttermilk version.

Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test



Here's an indication of how chip-centric my life's been lately -- last night on the subway home from work, a man stepped onto the train, and from 10 or so feet away, I could tell, just by spotting a smidge of the bottom corner of his chip bag, that he was enjoying some Deep River Snacks Olive Oil & Rosemary Potato Chips. I've tasted well over 150 varieties of plain and flavored chips in the past two months (and have learned to rely on plain lettuce for all my other sustenance), but in the taste test linked below have no doubt skipped over one of your faves. I wanna know which ones they are, so please shout it out in the comments section. List of chips is after the jump.

Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test

Plain Potato Chip Taste Test

Continue reading Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test

Did your favorite vending machine snack make the cut?

According to American Merchandiser, the latest list of the top ten snack food choices from vending machines is as follows:

1)Snickers
2) Doritos Big Grab
3) Peanut M&Ms
4)Cheetos
5) Cheez-It Original
6) Twix
7)Strawberry frosted Pop Tarts
8)Rice Krispies Treat
9)Lay's Chips
10)Mrs.Freshley's Jumbo Honey Bun

Now, dear readers, I know you are probably wondering what I was: Who the heck is Mrs.Freshley? And how did she manage to sneak in her honey bun among all these big-name competitors?

Well, I did a little research. Turns out, the honey bun has been awarded "Pastry Product of the Year" several times. And the damage? One honey bun contains 590 calories, 29 grams of fat, 37 grams of sugar, and - I'm sure - a whole lot of deliciousness (quickly followed by a whole lot of stomachache).

Engobi snacks for your caffeine fix

Engobi caffinated snacks.
All I can say is, "wow". I came across these Engobi snacks on Cakehead, and I couldn't get over it. I mean, caffeinated snack chips? It doesn't sound very good to me, and Cakehead didn't give the snacks a great review. Surely you can't be so hard up for a caffeine fix that you can't grab a cup of coffee, or even bring some chocolate covered beans with you.

One commenter in Cakehead mentioned some caffeinated Japanese candies. What do you think? Is this a good product? What are some of your favorite caffeine products?

Munchos -- That '70s chip

I don't have much of a relationship with potato chips these days. I consider them a guilty treat, to be eaten at parties but never at home. It's like having soda in the house -- if I buy it, they will eat it. And if they eat it, chips, I mean, they'll be hooked, and I'll never hear the end of it. The best I can offer my kids is the occasional package of tortilla chips, something to dredge up the salsa with.

Ah, but I have a past. And my past is filled with processed foods of the sort that I'd never let my kids near, lest they come to understand the dark pleasures of Hostess products.

My parents had no such compunction with me. I grew up on Wonder Bread and TV dinners and Uncle Ben's Converted Rice. I ate a Hostess Fruit Pie almost every day. But among my most treasured taste memories: Munchos brand potato chips.

Continue reading Munchos -- That '70s chip

Corned Beef and Cookies: The Boston Globe in 60 seconds

Milk Chocolate Toffee Bar Cookies

Cut down salty snacks to keep kids from drinking soda

kis drinking sodaWe've already heard all the reasons why soda is bad for kids, so we won't go into them. Again.

However, we will say that just as bad as soda is the thing that makes kids thirsty for soda in the first place: salt. According to a British study published in an American Heart Association journal, kids who eat salty snacks and meals get thirsty and often turn to sodas to quench their thirst. Researchers go on to say that the salt isn't coming from the salt shaker, but from manufactured food.

The solution? Cut back on salty, processed snacks.

As if we needed to say that.

Make your own granola bars with YouBar

you barsIf you stand in front of the shelves at the grocery store with a blank stare on your face, maybe you're just not able to decide on which of the bazillion protein bars you want to get. If that's the case, why don't you just make your own?

With YouBars, you can make your own, and you don't even have to go to the kitchen to get them; unless your computer's in the kitchen. You just pick all the ingredients you want in your bar, submit your order, and magically, they appear at your door! You get to pick the base, protein source, and any number of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and other "stuff." The handy ordering form also keeps a running total of nutrition information as you make your choices.

It costs $40 for a box of 12, which comes out to about $3.33 a bar. That's quite a bit more expensive than what you'd pay at the store, but getting to name your own bar might be worth it.

Slashfood Bowl: Support your team with Giants or Patriots snack helmets

wincraft football team snack helmets
I have to admit that when I throw a Super Bowl party, I don't usually serve foods on Super Bowl or football-themed plates and platters. It's usually enough for me to have the game on in the background and let the food just speak for itself. However, because we happen to be hosting the Slashfood Bowl this week, I thought it would be nice to show off Wincraft's Snack Helmets that come in the opposing teams' helmets. Since I play fairly, I'm representing Marisa's New York Giants in addition to the Patriots. (I didn't really care either way for anyone who cares - my heart belongs to the Colts).

The helmets hold snacks on top and in a small section near the face mask. Both are available on Amazon.com for about $45 (depending on the seller).
Super Bowl Week at Slashfood

Next Page >

Tip of the Day

December may have peppermint bark, but have you thought to incorporate the taste of autumn into white chocolate with a rich pumpkin swirl?

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