Epic BBQ Seasoning Pork Rinds: With a name like Epic on top of Whole Foods product placement, this brand of artisanal pork rinds (chicharron) is just asking to be put under the microscope. Unsurprisingly, the brand is from Austin, TX, and uses all the popular buzz words like "paleo friendly," "nose to tail," and "antibiotic free." So, is it good? Texturally, it's among the best I've had from a bag, managing to be both light and crunchy - not overly fried and dissolves quickly on the tongue. The smoky BBQ flavor is bol... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended wholefoods porkrinds meat chicharron epic bbq seasoning pork rinds 3.5
Zema Madhouse Sweet Potato Spice Cookies: Crumbly mini cookies flavored with sweet potato, ginger, and cinnamon. Gluten-free, substituting gluten-full ingredients with hemp, chia, and flax meal. Sounds too healthy to be any good? Fear not – the flavors are robust (especially the spicy ginger), and pumpkin seeds lend good and varied texture. As far as crunchy cookies go, Zema's madhouse has struck an admirable balance between good-for-you and good-tasting. 3.5/5.0
recommended ginger glutenfree zemamadhouse sweet potato spice cookies 3.5 wholefoods
Bare Cinnamon Banana Chips: Containing only bananas and cinnamon, these literally bare banana chips are super crunchy but not dense, giving them a uniquely crisp texture. In the bag, they clink like bingo chips unlike more weighty alternatives like fried banana chips. No added sugar. Cinnamon is an unexpectedly good pairing. Only downside is they get stuck in your teeth. High price per serving (just 3 in the bag), but well worth a try. 3.5/5.0
recommended fruit bare cinnamon banana chips 3.5
Nabisco Better Cheddars: I've had my fair share of cheddar flavored snacks (at the time of writing this review, there are 64 snacks tagged with cheese reviewed on Tasty Snacking http://www.tastysnacking.com/snacks?tag%5B%5D=cheese), and Better Cheddars occupies a largely untapped space. Unlike typical cheddar crackers (e.g., the Goldfish and Cheese-Its) which are thicker and have a more substantial bite, Better Cheddars are flaky and light, verging into chip-like territory. Similar to other "Flavor Originals" that... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended cheddar cheese crackers nabisco better cheddars 3.5
Nabisco Chicken in a Biskit: Taking advantage of a major sale on Nabisco's Flavor Originals, I purchased two snacks from my childhood: Chicken in a Biskit and Better Cheddars (review forthcoming). I always wondered why the American junk food industry has not seemed to embrace meat-flavored snacks, and Chicken in a Biskit is one of the few I can readily name. The buttery biscuits are coated with a salty, chicken-flavored powder that I always imagined to be ground up bouillon cubes. Always addicting, but needs to be ea... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nabisco chicken in a biskit 3.5
Dang Chipotle Garlic Onion Chips: Berkeley-based snack company that uses whole caramelized sliced onions, crisps them so they're almost chip-like but much lighter in texture, and seasons them for additional flavor. Prominent sweet onion taste without the heaviness of additional cornmeal or flour (like Funyuns or other onion ring-like snacks). Chips at the top of the bag had just a hint of smoke and spice, but those on the bottom were more robust, so shaking may help distribute the coating. Few servings in a bag and kind ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended safeway dang chipotle garlic onion chips 3.5