5/6/08 | Thin & Crispy Potato Chips
[ Currently Eating: Senseo Coffee ]
I was originally going to make this review a Food Battle between Lays Sour Cream ‘n Onion Chips and these Thin & Crispy Sweet Maui Onion ChipsI found at the dollar store. I had big plans for the “battles” - they were going to become the signature review on Cheap Eats. But somehow, after having just the Pringles one, I lost interest. It’s just difficult (and contrary to the whole Cheap Eats manifesto) to keep buying similar products just to review them.
Also, like most people, I’ve been trying to cut out the unnecessary snacks. Getting a whole bag of Lays just to compare them would not be a good thing. Because I would be tempted to sit in front of the TeeVee and watch re-runs of MythBusters while eating the entire bag. Watching Adam and Jamie bust those myths is just so spellbinding that the motion of chip-to-mouth becomes dangerously automatic…
So anyhow, it’s just the one bag of potato chips up for review. I looked in vain on the packaging for another brand name besides Thin & Crispy. Nope - it’s like those generic blue and white brand items that just say “canned corn” or something. It was also difficult to find out who makes these - at the bottom corner of the bag it says “Snack Alliance Inc.” which sounds sort of sketchy. Er, I guess they’re not so proud of them?
I don’t know why they wouldn’t be proud, because these will give any brand-name thin chip a run for their money. As far as the name goes, they deliver exactly that - thin, crispy potato chips. Granted they’re laden with salt, fat, oil - but so are other brands of chips.
Like I’ve said, I’ve never run into freshness problems with dollar store items. This bag was no exception. The chips were plenty crunchy. In appearance and texture, they’re a bit “rougher” and maybe more rustic than standard Lays chips. They’re sort of a cross between Lays and maybe a lightly cooked kettle chip. None of the chips are really burnt, but you can see some of the edges have a little skin, are a little toasted and are sometimes more crumpled.
As far as taste goes, I really liked these. I believe there were three other flavors, but I’ve only tried the onion one so far. And when they say “Maui Onion” they mean standard onion powder (as far as i can tell). It’s sort of a tangy flavor combination, but I think that also comes from the sour cream or cheese solids added in. There isn’t a thick coating on the chips, I think it may actually have less than Lays does.
Overall, I was pretty pleased with my dollar bag of chips. The chips are so thin that even with this enormous looking bag, you’re only getting 6 ounces. I haven’t bought Lays in awhile, so I don’t know how their chips compare in price per weight. Buying a large econo-bag of Lays will probably be cheaper, but I’ll stick with the smaller bags unless there’s a party on the horizon.
Price: 99 cents for 6 oz. bag
Found At: Dollar Store
Cheap Eats Score: 7/10
May 8th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I’ve been reading this blog for a couple years now, and it seems like all of the articles have been moving towards packaged / canned foods, rather than leftovers and homemade meals. I really like the older posts!
May 8th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Dollar stores can be a STEAL for food… was amazed the other day when they had sundried tomatos, red bell peppers, and even capers, which are usually like $4-$5.
Sodas too… i love their $1 energy drinks, that you pay $2 everywhere else.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Back in my hometown cheap grocery stores are common where one can buy off brand items. My mom always got our snacks from there and the truth is I much prefer the cheap chips and pop over name brands. They tasted so much better and had more flavor. Plus a $1.50 for a whole case of pop is awesome.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I thought from the name it would be some kind of pineapple onion chip, like on a pizza. Sounds good, the thinner and crispier the better. Not a thick chip fan outside of the occasional Ruffle.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
john - sorry to hear that. the brutal truth is that posts about junk food and packaged food usually get 10 times the attention than homemade stuff. Evidence, today’s (5/15) posts about McD’s and about Homemade Lemonade. I try to strike a balance - but also, recipes and homemade helpful cheap eats posts take much more time than just posting junk food.
yummyummm - I got those red bell peppers in a jar too, not half bad actually!
andie - yeah, i’ve been overlooking the chips until now. I’m going to take a closer look. If its junk food I need to buy, then might as well try get it cheap.
jeanna - it tasted very sour cream n onion to me.. but pretty good.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:22 am
This brand of chips is the bee’s knees. I also recommend the British styled “Salt & Vinegar” chips.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
You have to try the Salt & Vinegar chips. They are the bomb! Have a tuna sandwich with the chips
November 20th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
eating the habanero flavored ones right now. Yummmmm!
May 29th, 2009 at 4:21 am
i’m eating the habanero ones as well. they run a little over a dollar a bag at my local winco foods. they have like the whole product line but this is all i’ve tried. i bought them because of the habanero flavor. no place here stocks the kettle chips habanero (they’re too pu$$y and figure everyone too wimpy to like hot food, i guess).
August 11th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I haven’t tried these, but I have tried the Stuffed Jalepeno flavor. Yummy!! I have wondered about the maui onion flavor and now I am really wanting to try them.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Yep they have more than three flavors. I became addicted to their “Salt-n-Pepper” chips. I tried other brands versions but they all had the flavor wrong, mostly they all just had too strong of a pepper taste. The Thin & Crispy ones had just the right blend of seasonings. They seem to be gone from the shelves now. I’m kind of bummed but on the good side I’m eating less chips now.