Corn Chips Cause Joyous Weeping

Published on Wednesday, September 30, 2009, by James Norton / Edit Post

FoodShouldTasteGood Chips

FoodShouldTasteGood Chips

I Paid: $2.69 for a 6-ounce bag (prices may vary by region)

Taste: stars

Marketing: 5 stars

FoodShouldTasteGood is a clunky name for a brand of chips, but everything else about these things—their chic bags, their simple lists of natural ingredients, their flavor and crunch—is as elegant as can be. Currently, there are 11 varieties, and if a sampling of 4 flavors is representative, then this line is one of the best things going on in the entire department of savory casual snacking.

All the chips I tried were primarily powered by the soulful taste of stone-ground corn, and all had secondary (and even tertiary) flavors that were clean and dynamic. The least impressive was Buffalo, which had a little cayenne flavor and nothing more. Better was the Sweet Potato flavor, which had a distinct, sweet, earthy kick of sweet potato on the back end of the chip. The Multigrain variety combined flax, sunflower, sesame, and corn in a balanced yet lively fashion.

Finally, the Chocolate variety—which promised high drama with a potential for a catastrophic crash—turned out to be soberly and confidently executed: The not-too-sweet chocolate finish was heavy on cocoa and light on artificial Hershey’s-style flavor. It was salty enough to still qualify as a savory snack, but you could definitely pair it with dessert and not be viewed as a crazy person.

These FoodShouldTasteGood things are truly addictive chips with a crazy twist: dignity.

James Norton edits the Upper Midwestern food journal Heavy Table. He's also the coauthor of a book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers. For his Supertaster column, he samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. You can follow him on Twitter and fan him on Facebook. His wife, Becca Dilley, takes the photographs for Supertaster. She specializes in weddings and food photography, and is the coauthor of and photographer for the book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers.

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POST A COMMENT |11 Comments

COMMENT

  • I had no idea these guys had a chocolate chip. I believe I will be picking up a bag tonight

  • I agree that these are a great brand of chips. The Jalapeno are the best for dipping in salsa or guacamole. The Olive are so good they almost don't need an accompaniment, but taste great with hummus.

  • I just tried the Chocolate chip and the Cinnamon chip versions for the first time today. OMG good.

  • They're all delicious, but my flavor of choice is definitely the sweet potato - outstanding & addictive! I can't get enough of them! They're almost too good to ruin with dips, salsa, anything - you might miss the flavor!

  • Before I got on the CHOW site, I just inhaled a big bunch of these (in Multigrain flavor) with hummus. I LOVE these chips...they are addictive! I may regret this but I only but them at Costco...I think a 24oz bag is aroung $7. It's a good buy for an incredible product.

  • A friend of mine handed me a bag of these chips, which he'd received free from a computer customer. After my first chip, I was hooked. I've never come across something to healthy and so yummy at the same time. Simple = good and in my particular case, ORGASMIC! My only gripe would be how expensive the chips are in relation to the quantity of chips in each bag. $3 for a 2 oz. bag is a bit pricey...+READ

    A friend of mine handed me a bag of these chips, which he'd received free from a computer customer. After my first chip, I was hooked. I've never come across something to healthy and so yummy at the same time. Simple = good and in my particular case, ORGASMIC! My only gripe would be how expensive the chips are in relation to the quantity of chips in each bag. $3 for a 2 oz. bag is a bit pricey for me, but still well worth the indulgence.-COLLAPSE

  • Greenblink...LOL..as a matter of fact, the first time I ever tried these was in an independent health food store (Sunsplash, Naples) and the dude stocking the shelf said to me, "oh, you've gotta try these." So I suspect the same behavior was happening at this little store!

  • The Chocolate ones with peanut butter are so good. When we first got them at the Whole Foods where I worked, the grocery dept. alone ate half a case.

  • Also, if you subscribe to their e-mail list, they send coupons once in a while...I scored big time when Whole Foods had a special on them and I used my coupon.

  • They are delectable with Goodhealthgourmet's black bean dip...I love the red jalapeno ones with that black bean dip and a little Mont Jack cheese...nuke lightly and go to heaven!

  • Multigrain chips are my favorite and we go thru bags of these! Excellent for nachos!