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Food Should Taste Good Chip Review

bags of food should taste good chips

I’ve already spoken about my love for the humble potato, so it should come as no surprise that when I was given the opportunity to try a variety of Food Should Taste Good® chips, I was more than willing to give my taste buds a workout. All chip varieties are gluten free, cholesterol free, have zero grams trans fats, and many are certified vegan. Yes, certified by Vegan Action. All of the chips included in this review are vegan.

Disclosure: I am a BzzAgent and was provided a free sample of this product to review. My reviews and experiences are my honest opinions of the products tested.

bags of food should taste good chips

Before I opened a bag, I was in love with the fact that the vegan status of each product is clearly labeled. I am immediately comforted that I will not have to spend the evening on the phone with the manufacturer asking if ingredient A or C is animal or plant based since they failed to note it. Hungry vegan, you are green lit to begin salivation.

certified vegan label on chip bag

This happens to be the back side of the “Olive” tortilla chip bag.

Food Should Taste Good Olive Tortilla chips

This lovely bag of “Olive” tortilla chips beckoned me to dive in and taste the black, green, and kalamata olives that are used to create the chip. Olives are another favorite food of mine. These chips quickly made their way to the top of my favorite snack list. They are delicious. While other products may tease that certain ingredients are used to create a product, one can actually see and taste the olives in this chip.

Aside from chip duty, the round shape makes it a perfect surface to be used as a cracker. Don’t worry, the chips won’t buckle under the pressure of a roasted pepper or artichoke dip. They would also make a great substitution for bread when used for a light tomato bruschetta.

olive chips food should taste good

My next favorite of the bunch were the jalapeno tortilla chips.

jalapeno food should taste good chips

jalapeno chips food should taste good

Jalapeno flavored chips always find their way into my basket at the grocery store. I love spicy foods, especially the flavor of the jalapeno pepper. Unfortunately, many jalapeno flavored chips on the market either swing to the flamin’ hot and no flavor side, or they have a distinctive chemical taste that isn’t remotely close to the true flavor of a jalapeno pepper.

The savory flavor of the jalapeno pepper is showcased in this chip, thereby creating a chip that doesn’t overwhelm the mouth with heat. The chip flavor is not dominated by a painful spice that will have you running to the nearest faucet, but it still has a spicy bite thanks to the crushed red and jalapeno pepper ingredients. The chip has a very natural flavor. It reminds me of the flavor created when one makes their own picante sauce. I would be confident serving this chip to the person who isn’t truly a fan of spicy foods, as I think the spice in this chip wouldn’t scare them off.

While I am a salsa lover, I refrained and ate these chips sans any topping. If you scoot over to the Food Should Taste Good website, you’ll find plenty of dip and drink recipes to get your next gathering or snack fest off to a great start. They would make a great chip to serve with our Vegan Garlic Strong Guacamole.

Next up, featuring one of the the most loved foods of North Carolina, the sweet potato tortilla chip. FYI:  North Carolina is the No. 1 sweet potato producing state in the United States.

food should taste good sweet potato chip

The sweet potato chip exceeded my expectations. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, but I don’t happen to love them in many other forms. I’m neither a fan of the sweet potato french fry, the sweet potato tofu shake, nor sweet potato soup. The sweet potato chips are slightly sweet, and I found myself reaching for one after another. While they are a chip, I felt like I was eating a little bit of dessert. These might be just the pantry item to keep on hand when you want to squelch that sweet tooth demand. I think you’ll be surprised how a little sweet taste can fulfill a seemingly big craving. They really are very good, and I suspect even a vegetable-hater would find these delightful.

The bag suggests serving them with fruit salsa, raspberry jam, or apple butter. I’ll leave that for you to test out.

food should taste good chips sweet potato

Ah, the blue corn tortilla chip. Blue corn tortilla chips and I have a difficult relationship. I always want to love them, but they frequently leave a bad taste in my mouth. I am happy to report that Food Should Taste Good has released me from my blue corn tortilla chip battle, as I now know I can turn to them when I am in need of a blue corn tortilla chip.

food should taste good blue corn chip

These chips succeed where others have failed because they are not huge slabs of blue corn. Many competitor chips are so thick I’m in a state of panic biting into one, fearing my tooth will snap off with it. This is not the case with these blue corn tortilla chips, as they are crispy and thin. They are clearly still a tortilla chip, but they are thinner than most other brands I’ve tried.

blue corn chips Food Should Taste Good

They are slightly nutty in flavor, thanks to the flax and sesame seeds, but you don’t have to worry about damaging your teeth on the seeds, as they are not hard rocks of texture, but rather soft flavor enhancers. The seeds used in this chip did not bother me at all, and as someone who has had recent dental work, I’m especially sensitive to the way a flax seed can become an ingredient to avoid. Whatever Food Should Taste Good is doing to their sesame and flax seeds should be industry standard, as I’ve given up on other chip manufacturers who obviously had no concern for dental care. I can’t eat your chips if you break all of my teeth with the hard flax seeds you threw into the mix to appease the omega-3 seeking consumer.

Lastly, the good ol’ standard multigrain tortilla chip. Again, I was apprehensive, as my multigrain chip experiences of the past rated right up there with the blue corn tortilla chip, but Food Should Taste Good came through once again.

chip multigrain Food Should Taste Good

The multigrain, as the blue corn, has brown rice, flax, sesame and sunflower seeds, and quinoa as featured ingredients. They are very good–a great staple to keep in the pantry as they will be welcome at any party. The nutty flavor makes this a great chip to combine with a hummus dip. You won’t have to worry about the chip breaking off mid-dip, and thanks to the dental awareness at Food Should Taste Good (see blue corn statements regarding flax seeds), you won’t have to worry about breaking your tooth off either. The multigrain tortilla chip is a solid performer, as it is really just a good tasting tortilla chip.

None of these chips were extremely salty or oily. You won’t walk around with colored fingers or create large oil spills when you eat them.

Check out the Food Should Taste Good site. The company has an interesting history. There are many more products to test out at Food Should Taste Good, so look for them in your favorite shop.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, you can pick up a small bag for $1.00 at the snack bar in Target (at least at the N. Charlotte SuperTarget location). Go forth hungry vegan shopper, grab a bag on your next outing, and let us know what you think!

 

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Will Travel for Vegan Food Visits I Heart Veg

image of Kristin and Jeannie

In May 2012 in Weaverville, North Carolina, I met Kristin Lajeunesse, the vegan who “Will Travel for Vegan Food” and through whom I live vicariously as she drives around the United States seeking out and exalting the amazing vegan fare being produced by compassionate hearts and hands throughout the country.

A great journey driven by passion and benevolence motivates and inspires everyone met along the way.

– Jeannie’s motto for living

Kristin wanted to meet me and chat about my new vegan bakery. Unfortunately, the weather had turned cold, windy, and rainy, but good conversation warms the heart. When I get the chance to talk about veganism, my love of Asheville, and my own business dream, I warm up pretty quickly. Thank you, Michelle Wolf, for telling Kristin about I Heart Veg!

Kristin drives her trusty van “Gerty” around the United States to uncover vegan eats and share her hungry vegan adventures with the world. She has a goal of eating at every 100% vegan restaurant in the country. She’s relied on generous spirits along the way who have offered her a spot on their couch or welcomed her trusty steed into their driveway.

As Kristen explained her idea behind the journey and the obstacles she has tackled along the way, I quickly became an admirer of hers. Instead of making excuses for the stumbling blocks she’d encountered on the trip, she stayed true to herself and released that which held her back and forged ahead on her journey. This lesson can take a lifetime to learn.

Her journey is a difficult one, and she is driven with passion. Driving solo for miles across this nation is an exhausting endeavor— both mentally and physically. The great vegan food and people who make it keep her fueled and rejuvenated for the miles that lie ahead.

She is supporting vegan entrepreneurs. It isn’t always easy being a veggie. While our numbers continue to grow, we need all the advocates and ambassadors we can get.

She is chasing a dream. I have the utmost respect and admiration for anyone who tries to accomplish a goal. I love courageous people. I know how easy it is to be distracted by negative thoughts and take the easy road and choose to shut out your vision.

Kristen is open to where the road ahead might lead, the detours that may require a reroute, and the impact others can have on our own lives. She is truly blossoming on her trip, and the impact it has had on her shows in every update and blog post.

Additionally, I love that her parents are vegans, and that her brother got the ethical food choice ball rolling in the family.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of her journey.

Kristen wrote about I Heart Veg in the blog post detailing her trip to Asheville, North Carolina. The post went up when Loren and I were faced with the decision to close the bakery in Asheville and move to Charlotte. Needless to say, when we read the post, we dissolved in tears, and I couldn’t write about it at the time. Her kind words were just so beautiful, and came at such a time of grief, that I, frankly, couldn’t speak.

After 13 months on the road, Kristin has recapped her year, and listed me as one of the 14 most memorable people she has met on her journey. I bawled. Heavy, ugly bawling. Kirsten, thank you. I’m so touched and empowered.

It has been a difficult year. We had a major move (twice), incalculable struggles and obstacles, a family death, and an uncharted map. We, like Kristin, are still on a journey. I don’t know what the future has in store for us, but I know we will continue on; we must. Passion should NEVER be ignored, and once it has taken hold, it will not be silenced without a fight.

Three times in my life I refused to take a leap. I was offered opportunities that would have expanded my world and taken me on a very different path. I’m not saying any path may have worked out, but I was scared of the unknown, and that fear was life altering. I cannot know who I would have become had I taken those chances, but I know my lack of action affects me to this day.

Life is short. I want to jump, leap, and do all I can while I can. I want to live. Not exist, not get by, but live. Once you recognize how precious every moment is, you can’t help but be forced to live in every moment.

Kristen, drive on, my sister! Thank you for coming out to meet me, and the generous spirit in which you’ve shared my work and dream with others. I am, forever, a member of your sisterhood of the traveling vegan expanding pants. You are on a great journey, thank you for taking us along. You will always have a spot at our vegan table.

Follow her travels, and send loving thoughts her way! Make a donation to help continue her journey.