Let me tell you what sucks about getting old; it’s not being able to eat things that I used to eat in the quantities I want to eat them in. I remember when I could eat an entire can of Pringles in one sitting and the only consequence would be constipation. Today, if I were to eat an entire can of Pringles in one sitting not only would I have constipation, I would also increase my blood pressure and make it harder for me to fit into my waist 32 jeans.
I also remember a time when I could eat an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream during a viewing of the movie The Notebook. But thanks to the pints of ice cream I’ve consumed over the years, not only are my arteries clogged, but apparently so are my tear ducts, which makes it extremely hard to express my sadness through crying when Noah and Allie die peacefully together holding each other’s hand at the end of The Notebook.
Because of my ever-slowing metabolism, ever-expanding waistline and the ever-deepening indentation in my couch, I’ve been having to choose healthier snack choices and eating them in reasonable serving sizes. That’s why I’ve been eating these Popchips, which I’ve seen at every Jamba Juice I’ve been to. They’re all-natural potato chips and they contain no preservatives, artificial flavors, cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat. What separates these from regular potato chips is that they aren’t fried. Instead they’re “popped,” which according to the company involves applying heat and pressure to the potatoes until they pop. The Popchips are slightly greasy, but that’s due to their use of safflower and sunflower oil in the seasoning.
Popchips come in flavors for a variety of palates: original, barbeque, parmesan garlic, salt & pepper, and sea salt & vinegar. I’ve tried every flavor and I enjoyed all of them. My favorite out of the bunch was the parmesan garlic.
Are they better tasting than regular fried potato chips?
The short answer.
No.
The long answer that’s long due to too many adjectives.
There’s something about thin, round slices of potato placed in a huge, scalding oil bath that warps them into deformed, golden shapes that tastes so good and makes them extremely crunchy and crack-addictive, which the Popchips can’t match.
They may not be addictive and as crunchy as regular potato chips, but they’re quite delectable and make Lays Baked Potato Chips, which was my previous guilt-free potato chip alternative, taste even more like cardboard. I do wish I could find bags bigger than the one-ounce ones I can get from Jamba Juice because I finish the entire bag at around the 35 minute mark in The Notebook, when Noah and Allie are trying to make sweet, sweet love for the very first time but are interrupted by Noah’s friend.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 bag – (some nutrition values varies between flavors) – 120 calories, 4 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250-310 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 0-2 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.)
Item: Popchips
Price: FREE
Size: 1 ounce
Purchased at: Given by nice PR people
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Delectable. Crunchy. Healthier than regular potato chips. No saturated and trans fats. Better than Baked Lays. Comes in a number of flavors. The Notebook.
Cons: Not as tasty or crunchy as regular potato chips. Hard to find bigger bags of it. Constipation from eating a can of Pringles. My ever-slowing metabolism, ever-expanding waistline and the ever-deepening indentation in my couch. Being interrupted while trying to make sweet, sweet love for the very first time.
Hey the ending to the notebook is totally unrealistic but it does make for a damn good drama. So instead of crying you gorge on chips when you feel sad?
Wait…they die?
These sound pretty good, and they remind me of a certain potato “crisp” that came in a shiny metal red bag. Too bad that I’m already going senile and shouting at the little #*#*er across the street.
Here I thought you were joking about watching The Notebook, but seeing as you knew more details about it than myself (and I have never seen this movie), I am quite suspicious.
So, what other snack items and movies go together, I wonder??
hmmm i think i will have to check out these popchips!
Damn you….damn you to the deepest pit of Linda Lingle’s toilet!!! You spoiled the end of The Notebook!
I have seem bigger bags of Popchips at Target you might try there.
Large bags also found at Safeway and Trader Joe’s (which may not be found out there)
I’ve never heard of these but they look intriguing. While nothing can top ruffles, baked lays are pretty tasty too. This is a fresh take on the healthy junk food trend.
wow, thanks for this one, marvo. i’ve never been in a jamba juice, and i’ve never seen “the notebook”, but these look promising… sodium being a pitfall for this bunny, especially!
i wonder if amazon grocery has them?
oh, and btw,
mele kalikimaka!!
Popchips sound pretty good for us former all you can eat people before we got old
Hey Marvo, thanks for the crap paste. I have been meaning to write you, however with the business of life, I just haven’t. I have yet to use it on an unsuspecting victim, however, I have it patiently waiting for its time to shine…
Now, as for today’s review…I don’t think I will be trying them any time soon, since I already gorge myself on Spicy Thai Chips on a more than regular basis. My butt cannot afford another addiction.
I would like to say that I have watched the Notebook more than 2 times, but I am not a pretty cryer, and with chips crumbs everywhere, I might just get hauled in for treatment. Maybe I will take the crap paste with me…won’t THAT be a pretty sight!
Oh, and you are the only dude I know that has watched the Notebook more than the mandatory once-by-girlfriend-demand.
The notebook?! I don’t like you anymore :<
Strong men also cry.
My favorite chips are Terra Gold Yukon Salt & Vinegar, which I hardly ever buy because I end up eating the whole bag within two days. They do have less fat than regular potato chips, though. But these chips definitely sound worth a try, and if I see any of them, I’ll pick up a packet.
@yawnie – I gorge on whatever is around me within a 50 foot radius.
@govtdrone – That’s what makes me cry. They live together and die together. How tearjerking is that?
@Reprobate – Pringles come in a bag?
@Heidi – What other snack items and movies go together? Pretty much any snack that you can eat throughout a movie and then after the movie regret eating the whole thing in one sitting is a great snack that goes with any movie.
@julie – Yes, check them out. But don’t stare too long at them because that’s just creepy.
@dramastically – I also tell little kids that Santa Claus and the tooth fairy don’t exist.
@Heather – Unfortunately, we don’t have a Target here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific ocean, yet.
@kevin – Our Safeways here don’t even carry the smaller bags of Popchips and I’m pretty sure I won’t see a Trader Joe’s here during my lifetime. But the marketing person at Popchips said they would send me some of the bigger bags, which I’ll probably give away in a prize drawing or get gluttonous and eat them all while watching The Notebook for the umpteenth time.
@Natalie – Have you tried Baked Ruffles? I heard they exist, but I haven’t seen them anywhere. I won’t believe it until I see it and consume the entire bag during a viewing of The Notebook.
@bionic bunny! – Yes, the folks at Popchips say they’re available via Amazon.
@Neil – I wish I could transplant my head onto a younger body. That’s the only cosmetic surgery I would pay for. That way I can eat like crazy again and ruin that body.
@cjwsbg – I also have The Notebook on my iPod – just in case I need to cry quickly.
@Liv – Well, I like you even more now that you don’t like me anymore to make up for the fact that you don’t like me anymore. I’ve got a lot of like to pass around.
@Reprobate – Strong men also rip phone books in half.
@Chuck – You usually can’t go wrong with Terra Chips. I should buy them more often from the natural foods store down the street, but I’m too lazy to wait at the crosswalk that takes FOREVER to change.
One thing I do appreciate that’s come with age is not getting anymore zits. Sure, during my teenage years my metabolism was fantastic and I could probably eat 5 Jumbo Jacks and curly fries a day without gaining a pound. But at the same time, if I did that, I’d gain 5 more zits a day due to hormone levels and heredity.
My girlfriend goes to Jamba Juice all the time. I’ll have her pick one of these pop chips up for me next time. Sounds interesting!
They’re crisps…they aren’t bad, I’ve had them before. They make you miss potato chips though. I prefer the Kettle Chips, they are fried…but man are they delicious…
Have you tried Kettle Bakes? They’re from the Kettle Chips people, but they’re baked with healthier oils and coated with sea salt. I think they’re even tastier than regular potato chips.
As for this popped chip version, I’ve seen it in my local Costco, but every Costco is different and I live north of Seattle. You might want to check with your closest Costco to see if they carry it so you won’t run out while watching “The Notebook.”
No disrespect, but do you really enjoy that movie? Because I watched it with a bunch of moms during a Mom’s Movie Night and we all universally hated it except for one woman who’s known to cry at anything. I’m just sayin’
@Pomai – I remember when I had a metabolism…and a 30 waist.
@ph – Kettle Chips are the bomb diggity. I love all the different flavors they come in. Some of them sound gross, but turn out to be very good, like Beer Cheddar and a yogurt flavor I tried.
@Jenny – I have tried one of the Kettle Bakes flavors, but I wasn’t too impressed with them. As for the movie, I thought it was entertaining. I wanted to watch it because it was referenced in SNL’s “Lazy Sunday.”
OMG! I’ve got the perfect review idea for you!
The next time you go to Jamba Juice, get a shot of wheatgrass. It’s awesome and extremely healthy!
the popchips would taste a lot better with less SALT