Consumer Corner: PopChips

Snacking is a normal and necessary, if not unavoidable, part of any child’s day.  Whether you are a fellow foodie, a concerned consumer, a proactive parent, or just a health happy nutrition nut, our new series is right up your alley.  “Consumer Corner” is not only an objective review of new and existing products geared toward children, but also an interesting and enlightening account of how products are made and what constitutes them.  The purpose is not to promote or demote any brand or type of food, but instead to give you the tools you need to make your own informed decisions about food purchases.  (Think of us as Switzerland!)  We hope it will take some of the guesswork out of grocery shopping on your life-long journey of healthy eating.

Popchips, Inc. was founded in California in 2007.  What are Popchips?  They are a new innovation in snack chips.  They are not baked, they are not fried, they are…..wait for it…..popped!  It happens using a little heat and pressure on pieces of potato the size of grains of rice or corn kernels.  (This simply couldn’t happen with the bigger slices of traditional chips)

Nutrition Facts: (1 oz./20 chips)

• Calories- 120
• Total Fat- 4g
• Saturated Fat- 0 to 0.5g
• Trans Fat- 0g
• Sodium- 250 to 310mg

What’s In?

• All-natural
• Blend of seasonings
• Safflower and/or sunflower oil for seasoning 
• A little more sodium than traditional fried chips
• Vegan- original, sea salt & vinegar, and salt & pepper only
• Allergens:
  • Nuts- none
  • Dairy- Barbeque, Sour Cream & Onion, and Cheddar only
  • Gluten/Wheat- not an ingredient, but present in the processing facility
  • Soy lecithin- Parmesan Garlic only
• Kosher (certified by kof-k kosher supervision)
• Acrylamide (found in all fried, baked, and roasted products)

What’s Out?

• Not Organic
• Non-GMO
• Half the total fat of fried chips
• Zero grams trans fat
• Low saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• No hydrogenated oils
• No artificial colors or flavors
• No preservatives (this makes proper storage more important to freshness)
• No MSG
• Low in sugar

What are the Options?

• Original potato
• Barbeque potato
• Sour Cream & Onion potato
• Cheddar potato
• Sea Salt & Vinegar potato
• Salt & Pepper potato
• Parmesan Garlic potato

Where are they found? Whole Foods, Safeway, Target, Wegman’s, Jamba Juice, and select Costco locations. You can also order them online.

My opinion, for what it’s worth: I tried the Barbeque and Cheddar flavors.  To me, the taste was similar to traditional fried potato chips of the same flavor, but without the greasy mess.  There is also an airy quality to the crunch.

If you would like to try them yourself, or just want more information, visit www.popchips.com.  Happy snacking!

*This is not an endorsement of any particular product–just an FYI (for your information).  If there are products that you would like us to review, please let us know by leaving a comment.  Or tell us about the products in “Consumer Corner” that you have tried.  In fact, feel free to comment on anything you would like!

Contributing Author:  Cami Ruark