Thursday, January 24, 2013

Potato Chip Perfection

I have found the perfect chip to pair with my earlier post on Heluva Good Dip!
Kettle Brand Bakes

I was shopping at Whole Foods today and came across an aisle end cap that featured a sale on potato chips. Since chips are one of my major weaknesses, I of course had to stop and check it out. The brand name caught my eye first. I've been a big fan of Kettle Brand chips ever since I saw their CMO speak about their branding and customer engagement strategies at a marketing conference a few years ago. They do a great job involving their customers in choosing the next new product or flavor.

Anyway, I've been on a bit of a health kick since the new year, but I still can't deny my cravings for salty snacks. These baked chips seemed to be a good compromise - they're still delicious, but better for you than regular Lay's. I know I don't normally need much to justify why I eat a snack food, but Kettle Brand Bakes actually make me feel good about what I'm eating. There are three ingredients listed (potatoes, safflower and/or sunflower oil, and sea salt) on my bag of Sea Salt flavored chips, so I know that I'm not eating a lot of artificial things. Also, believe it or not, the chips actually look like they came from potatoes! Unlike the Baked Lay's, which I still eat, but are just a bunch of tiny chip particles mashed together to form a chip shape, Kettle Brand Bakes look like they were sliced off a potato. Probably because they were. Again, this shouldn't be a crazy concept, but I swear that 90% of all food has been so processed that you can hardly tell what it started out as. These chips are baked and sprinkled with just the right amount of sea salt. When it comes to dip-ability, these are the best because they're thicker than most potato chips and are less likely to break when you cover them in delicious chip dip. They even taste good!

Kettle Brand Bakes
They look like they're made of real potatoes... because they are!

According to the Kettle Brand website, the Bakes chips come in five different flavors: Sea Salt & Vinegar, Hickory Honey Barbeque, Sea Salt, Cheddar & Roasted Tomato, and Sour Cream & Onion. I'm a traditional girl, so I got a bag of Sea Salt. Delish!

Like I mentioned earlier, I got my chips on sale at Whole Foods - 2 for $5. The bag size is smaller than your typical potato chip bag, but that's probably a good thing because once I start eating, I practically eat the whole bag in one sitting, regardless of bag size. According to Kettle Brand's product locator, they stock these at pretty much all the major grocery stores around me.

So go grab some Heluva Good Dip with your Kettle Brand Bakes, and get ready for a tasty treat!