By Mike Pomranz
Since the mid-80s when Frito-Lay stopped selling original, plain Doritos in most local stores, commercial snacks seem to have gone all flavored and fancy. Whatever happened to good old chips and dip, and can any of these newfangled treats compete? Read on as we give you a run down to see if these post-modern munchies can hold up against an old standard -- a bag of Ruffles potato chips and jar of Lay's French Onion dip. Time for a snack attack!
Rachel Been
Tostitos Multigrain
One of the few "plain" products I got to sample, Tostitos Multigrain were quite enjoyable. Multigrain is typically intended to read as "healthy" more so than "tasty," but these chips had a lot of corn chip flavor with a touch of sweetness. And healthiness aside, I'm always happy when I recognize every item in the ingredients list -- especially in a mass-market product). Tostitos Multigrain chips are a solid contender to the Ruffles throne.
Rachel Been
Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili
What was Doritos thinking? Not that this latest incarnation is terrible, just bizarre, with an Asian food flavored, almost teriyaki edge. When it comes to Doritos, I tend to be a purist; Nacho Cheese is pretty much where I draw the line -- sorry Cooler Ranch. While this Spicy Sweet style might satiate some buds looking for a unique taste, I'd probably spend more time at the French Onion dip bowl.
Rachel Been
Rold Gold Pretzel Waves Parmesan Garlic
Speaking of far-out tastes, Rold Gold swings and misses with their Parmesan Garlic Pretzel Waves. Even forgoing determining what a "pretzel wave" is exactly, I can tell you precisely what taste these Frankenstein snacks leave in your mouth: Clam sauce! I'm all for dipping bread in my leftover mussel juice, but this snack just doesn't capture the essence. If I want waves, I'll stick with the Ruffles.
Rachel Been
Sun Chips Peppercorn Ranch
As far as wavy snack chips go, Sun Chips are definitely a step up from the aforementioned "pretzel waves." I'm a big fan of Sun Chips in general. They're light and reasonably healthy aso far as chips go. Still, this Peppercorn Ranch variety leaves something to be desired. The ranch flavor is pretty prominent, weighing down the Sun Chip's natural levity. Personally, I'd prefer plunking some plain Sun Chips in my ol' fashioned French Onion dip jar.
Rachel Been
Cracker Crisps Zesty Herb & Parmesan
Another product to file in the "I'm-not-sure-what-this-is" department, I was skeptical of so-called "cracker crisps." But these part potato, part wheat, bite-size hybrids won me over with their superior light crunch and their simple subtle herb flavor. Dipping chips requires expending energy and snacking is a lazy man's game. Cracker Crisps are pure toss-'em-in-your-mouth simplicity. Go ahead and plop this bag next to me on the couch.
Rachel Been
Stacey's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips
Good things come in small packages, which might explain why pita chips, with their propensity towards smaller bag sizes, rule! Parmesan, garlic and herb are all regularly revisited flavors on this list, but Stacey's is one of the few to truly get it right. They're straightforward and simple, letting the chip do most of the talking. You might feel a little non-macho chowing down on pita chips during the big game, but with their killer crunch and perfectly tasty baked flavor, Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips are a worthy change of pace from those pedestrian potato chips.
Rachel Been
Archer Farms Sea Salt Baked Pita Chips
Stacey's set the bar pretty high, but I'm also a sucker for traditional tastes, so could the standard Sea Salt Pita Chips top their flavored cousins? Oddly enough, where Stacey's showed some restraint, Archer Farms really rocked out with the sea salt making their chips taste a bit like you're slurping up brine. The chips themselves were worthy competitors, but let's go lighter on the sodium next time. Maybe try dipping these guys in your French Onion to help take the edge off.
Rachel Been
Goldfish Flavor Blasted Monstrous Mozzarella Stick Baked Snack Crackers
Goldfish Crackers have been a favorite of mine since childhood, but this Monstrous Mozzarella Stick incarnation is more like a monstrosity. Two possibilities exist here: Either Pepperidge Farm thinks mozzarella sticks taste like stale Cheese Goldfish or my test bag was compromised. I'd like to give the guys down at PF the benefit of the doubt on this one, but the "sell by" date says otherwise. Buyer beware: Once again, stick with the old school styles!
Rachel Been
Market Pantry Bite-Size Rice Snacks Ranch
After spending my day sampling snack foods, rice crackers are actually a wonderful respite. Ranch isn't my favorite fake flavor and shoving my nose in the bag made me nauseous. Luckily, your average snack eater won't be eating these face-first, so I can give these mini Market Pantry rice cakes a big thumbs up as a healthy, crunchy alternative snack.
Rachel Been
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Photo: thedabble, Flickr
