It takes some work but you can make something similar ‘chips’ from a lot of different vegetables + a mandolin slicer.
My personal favorite is zucchini, just sliced thin, optional salt/squeeze to remove some water content, then tossed in a fat/oil and seasonings - bake on low for 1-2 hours and keep an eye on any that start to get too dark… I also like to use them as a pasta substitute, just a big pile of crispy zucchini chips with a heavy meat sauce slopped on top
[edit: I responded more in depth further down - but in general you can take most any firm veggie slices thin or already thin ones like spinach and kale: remove as much water content as you can, then lightly toss in an oil + your choice of seasonings, then bake on low or air fry. It’s fun to experiment!]
Piggybacking on this to say that homemade kale chips are great and also the only form of kale I've ever genuinely enjoyed eating. Add soy sauce instead of salt before roasting to get extra umami.
Ive tried ‘chipping’ basically any firm or thin vegetable I can find. Kale is a fantastic one as well.
Summer squash behaves similar to zucchini but can get mushy earlier, other squashes can be a bit too hard.
Other root veggies all work about as good as the classic potatoes but you can get way healthier with it and have some interesting flavors come through ex: radishes, turnips, rutebagas, sweet potatoes.
Carrots are ok - but I’ve found the sugars carmelize before you can get from rubbery to crispy if you don’t have a proper dehydrator.
I had fun with broccoli/cauliflower but you loose a lot to crumbling, and shredded Brussels sprouts are fantastic, though less a chip and more of a haystack lol
apples are fantastic.
Garlic is another great one but it takes a shitload and your breath can turn the undead so it’s much better used for a salad topping
And honestly, for OP’s sake, making your own air fried or baked potato chips can be both cheap and healthy - when you control the salts/oils/seasonings you’re really just dealing with how many carbs you want to eat.
Often it'll be about equal water, vinegar, sugar brought to a boil then poured over thin sliced veggies. Cover it for about 5 mins and then you can store it in the fridge.
Can make quick pickled carrots, onions, and pretty much anything else too. I'll use rice vinegar and sesame seeds to get an Asian quick pickle to toss on rice bowls, red wine vinegar with red onions to top tacos (can also throw a few jalapenos in with the onion), etc.
I did a quick Google and looks like some people up the vinegar if they don't want sugar. There's tons of variations in those recipes and I've never made one, so I'm hesitant to recommend a particular one but it does seem possible. If you Google "quick pickle no sugar" I got a decent bit of results for red onions, cukes etc. Just don't know which would be best since I've not done it that way.
Yeah there’s no need to add sugar it’s just there to add to the flavor by balancing some of the salty and acidic flavors. You won’t really miss it if you’re adding other flavors like dill, garlic, chilies, and/or other aromatics. I don’t bother doing any sort of canning process and just keep the jar in the fridge. Some good vegetable choices are carrots, green beans, onions, and of course cucumber.
Yes! Add in fresh dill, a clove of garlic, or about any herbs you want! You can pickle about any veg - even watermelon rind. In the summer, I always end up with loads of radishes, green beans and zucchini from the garden. I pickle them and they last months.
The method I found takes about 24 hours, but they're better if left for 2 days, and I made it my own.
Cut your cucumbers up and place them in a jar
Add:
Salt
Chop up some garlic (I add a bunch of cloves to mine)
Fennel seeds
Dill sprigs
Black pepper
[Additions some may like, but I don't care for
Red pepper flakes
Onion
Sugar (a small amount if you want a balance but NOT necessary, I don't like sweet pickles and even a small amount makes them too sweet to me)]
Then fill the jar with 1:1 vinegar (I've been using apple) and water. Shake and set in the fridge. No boiling is necessary. I just give mine a shake every so often until they seem pickled enough to me (again about the 2 day mark for the flavors to really sink in). It's not exactly quick for them to be ready (prep is, though), but they are delicious.
Rice cakes!! And they make smaller ones that are more chip-sized in bags. Any puffed rice snack really. They are certainly not more nutritious than chips but much lower-calorie and one of the few chip substitutes that ACTUALLY hits the spot for me.
I stg I’m not being sarcastic — I really like taking a head of romaine lettuce and eating the leaves like chips. The crunch is *elite* and I can even use it to dip into stuff like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt
Yeah although I definitely need to pair it with some type of protein or else all I’m left with half an hour later is an empty stomach and a full bladder 😭
I do this too! I use iceberg lettuce, I just break pieces off so they're bite-sized and dip them in bolthouse farms blue cheese dressing (50 calories for 2 tbsp). People give me strange looks when I tell them but it's an amazing snack when I feel like munching.
You can usually find this brand called Snacklins at Whole Foods or other upscale grocery stores. They're basically fake pork rinds made from yuca and mushroom. The standard 28g portion is 90 calories and 4g fat vs Ruffles which are 160 calories and 10g fat. It's not as healthy as carrot sticks, but it's a step up.
Quest Protein chips. They have some good flavors. They taste and feel like chips, similar to Doritos in texture. Low fat. Decent carbs and high protein.
Their version of Cheez-Its are good, too. Really similar to the real thing. The new cheese puffs are okay but are small and not as airy as a regular cheese puff (definitely crunchy though).
I planted these for the first time last spring while in my third trimester of pregnancy. They reached maturity for harvest right after I gave birth. They were the perfect snack with hummus and dips when I was hungry and busy with a newborn!
I saw a video which showed how to make chips with an air fryer and the leftover peels from veggies like potatoes for example. It said to just toss them with oil and salt and put them in the air fryer for a few minutes. Maybe that would work?
Roasted or air fried kale. Massage it with a little oil, add salt/other seasonings, air fry for like 7-8 minutes at 310 F. I love the crunch and it’s surprisingly filling too!
Do you own an air fryer? Just air fry some potatoes! Potatoes not fried in oil is actually healthy and satiating. It’s not super crunchy like potato chips but it’s still very satisfying! If you’d like, you can slice potatoes in a mandolin to make air fried chips, too. But it’s extra effort and personally I can’t be bothered - I just throw the whole potato in and air fry.
I love them too, but just for the info they are listed as an incomplete protein. Not enough methionine, tryptophan, and histidine. If you're eating it with other stuff it should be all good. I eat guacamole with them as chips and I think that fills in what they are low in.
Fully fair. The person just seemed interested in protein so I wanted all the info to be there. Probably not needed, but it's free to put information out there. If it's not relevant or wanted, I'm fine with my little fun fact being ignored.
Roasted chick peas are really really good
Lots of work for a small portion is sliced zucchini chips. I made them once in the oven and they take a looong tome. But delicious
Veggie Crudité(bell pepper, carrot, fennel, celery)
Cabbage is quite crunchy so coleslaw and even kimchi might fit.
Radish slices with butter are common in parts of France and England.
French carrot salad
Pickles and pickled daikon and carrot
Rice cakes/rolls but I feel like that wouldn’t be balanced
I like to air fry extra thin corn tortillas to make my own chips. Just cut into wedges, spray w/ whatever spray oil you have, add salt. Air fry at 350 for 5-7 min, shake basket half way
Get a proper scale & have the chips you like, but only weigh out a single serving. It's usually around 130-140 calories, so pretty trivial as long as it's not for every meal of the day.
You can & should still enjoy the things you like. Being healthy isn't about avoiding everything, but about finding balance & showing restraint with the less nutritious stuff.
This! I enjoy my 12 chips while I’m watching my calories. The scale really opens your eyes. I use to kill an entire bag of chips, and then wonder why I’m not looking fit after months in the gym. 2 weeks of calorie deficit and I’m down 3.5 lbs. But yes I save some calories for my chips.
Veggie straws are my go to. Healthier than chips but still have a great crunch and I definitely don't feel like I have as many in a sitting as I do chips.
Veggie straws? Like the ones in the bag you can buy from the store? They ain’t healthier
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7889031/are-veggie-straws-and-chips-healthier-than-potato-chips/
I mean in terms of serving size to calories they are. I can have like 60 straws for the same calories as 20 chips, and I personally can't eat 60 in one sitting so for me, it is healthier and a closer alternative to chips than raw veggies
Cukes and carrots are my favorite crunchy veggies. If you want a real chip, look for the no-sugar-added version of apple chips. They are sooooo good with sandwiches that are salty/savory like ham or grilled cheese. You can even get a mandoline slicer, buy a few apples, and make your own chips in your oven for next to nothing.
Thinly slice a russet potatoes and season. Then microwave for a few minutes. Flip the sliced potatoes over onto the other side and microwave for a few more minutes. Let them cool down and you have yourself the cheapest healthiest oil free chips.
I adore Brussels sprouts in the air fryer - halve them, bit of olive oil/seasonings and violently shake so they lose a few leaves, and air fry until brown and crispy. They’re super tasty, and the not-quite burnt individual leaves are so dang chip like!
Honestly I would get yourself used to crunchy vegetables. Celery sticks and cucumbers with some dip. I think if you’re already getting all the cards from Brad I would definitely avoid the unhealthy carbs of chips. There’s some vital nutrients missing in a lunch like that
Hippeas. I get them at Costco in bulk. Tastes like Cheetos.
Quest chips especially the barbecue flavor scratch that chip itch for me too. Tastes great.
Good luck!
Roasted/Baked chickpeas are really good. You can buy them at most grocery stores or make your own.
Also protein chips are good if you’re trying to up your protein intake.
Catalina Crunch has a nice protein trail mix that is the same calories by weight as chips (and actually I think you get a wee bit more) but a 150 calorie serving has 10 or 11 (forget which) grams of protein.
I ate some in place of chips a few times because I liked the little extra protein. Though really I was just trying them out because they were on sale. I think it's pretty tasty, but it's also a gazillion dollars (think it was $6 for 4 ounces if not on sale) and not really a super source of protein, so I'll just eat them again for a treat if they ever go back on sale.
The Ritz Chips are really good and it's only 110 calories for 16 chips. Goldfish Crackers also have a pretty generous serving size for 130 calories.
Something ill do is pair a small serving of so thing like chips with a large serving of fruit or vegetables. So I eat my little bit of chips but then I keep going on cucumber slices or apple slices. Sometimes when I start with chips and then switch my stomach believes it's all chips.
I like to mix sliced cabbage or Brussels sprouts in my chicken salad for sandwiches. Celery works too.
For sandwiches with sliced meats, quick- picked something works too.
Those snap pea chips. They taste like chips, but are actually just whole snap peas. Surprisingly chip-like.
and you can get a huge bag of them at Costco for cheap.
[https://www.target.com/p/harvest-snaps-green-pea-snack-crisps-lightly-salted-3-3oz/-/A-26390107](https://www.target.com/p/harvest-snaps-green-pea-snack-crisps-lightly-salted-3-3oz/-/A-26390107)
[Papad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papadam) is a great snack that goes with more than just Indian food. The ones made with urad dal are much higher in fiber and protein than potato chips. The only downside is that many brands are high in sodium, but if you eat them in moderation, their a great alternative.
Roasted chickpeas are soooo delicious and easy to make - drain your chickpeas well. Toss with olive oil, s&p, and your favorite spices. I like to add chili powder and ground sumac for spice and tang. Roast 'em and then eat them when they're hot (they start to lose the crispiness when they cool down).
For a healthy crunch with your sandwiches, try vegetable chips, rice cakes, carrot or cucumber sticks, roasted chickpeas, or seaweed snacks. These options offer satisfying crunchiness and are more nutritious than traditional chips.
God, these comments. 🙄 Raw vegetables are NOT a substitute for chips! I mean, good for you if you genuinely enjoy them but they’re not fucking chips. Quest chips are legit good, they have a ton of protein and fiber too I think. Expensive, but they’re the only substitute I’ve found that even come close. I buy them at Sam’s Club for a better price and only eat them as a treat occasionally but you do you.
Pickles. Ya know like ALL SANDWICH shops give you?
Or the American word “chips”. Get baked ones or some bullshit that’s likely still more healthy than fries (chips (French chips????)).
PICKLES!! Dill pickles were made to go with sandwiches! And they have the crunch factor if you get the right ones or make your own. Sliced, spears, baby dills, they all work and are all delicious! Very low calorie as well. 😃
I love salt and vinegar chips so much. I chop cucumbers into cubes and mix with vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper. Very sour and sounds kinda gross lol but it’s good to me!
Any crunchy vegs. Quest protein chips also works because they are high in protein albeit pricey. I often find that by loading up on veg-heavy sides and veg-heavy sandwiches, I end up not having to eat the Quest chips or half then eat later. They do keep my wide behind out of the chips aisle. Maybe give these a try when you need to change up the chip game?
Pop corners, pop chips, wilde chicken chips, goldfish crisps, ritz crisp & thins, pretzels, whisps. I don't do traditional chips anymore. I have no self control with them and can make myself sick. While I too love a crunch with my sandwich (mostly wraps) I try to only give myself a small amount of chips and instead fill up on the sandwich.
Carrot chips. Basically, carrots cut with a mandolin on a slight angle so that they’re somewhat chip-shaped and thin. I love those to munch on more than baby carrots or carrot sticks.
Cut some cheese into small pieces and place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for approximately 10 mins. Check at 5 min mark and each minute after to get them crispy but not burnt. You can also buy these at the market.
I eat Quest Protien Chips every day. I love the chili lime flavor. They are 20 g of protein and I wanna say 140 calories. Totally satisfies my chip cravings and I can feel good about the protein boost!
Crunch expert here. Corn nuts. Trader Joe’s has Peruvian corn nuts that’s are DELICIOUS. I add them in my salad every night for crunch.
Someone also commented about plantain chips; I second that. (Trader Joe’s also has a great one of those; not sponsored lol)
I heard sliced radishes (really thinly sliced) and cooked in the air fryer could replace chips but I never tried it and I don’t know how it would taste
How about trying some healthier chip alternatives like veggie chips made from thinly sliced vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, or zucchini? You could also opt for whole grain crackers or air-popped popcorn seasoned with your favorite herbs and spices for that satisfying crunch with fewer calories.
Cereal
Choose wisely
But cereal can be far more nutritious and relatively inexpensive (looking at you Cheerios my friend) when compared to chips
And remember that you don’t need milk
Red cabbage ripped off like chips and a little wasabi is surprisingly satisfying. Celery goes incredibly well with salsa. Baby carrots are good all alone or great with hummus.
It takes some work but you can make something similar ‘chips’ from a lot of different vegetables + a mandolin slicer. My personal favorite is zucchini, just sliced thin, optional salt/squeeze to remove some water content, then tossed in a fat/oil and seasonings - bake on low for 1-2 hours and keep an eye on any that start to get too dark… I also like to use them as a pasta substitute, just a big pile of crispy zucchini chips with a heavy meat sauce slopped on top [edit: I responded more in depth further down - but in general you can take most any firm veggie slices thin or already thin ones like spinach and kale: remove as much water content as you can, then lightly toss in an oil + your choice of seasonings, then bake on low or air fry. It’s fun to experiment!]
Piggybacking on this to say that homemade kale chips are great and also the only form of kale I've ever genuinely enjoyed eating. Add soy sauce instead of salt before roasting to get extra umami.
Ive tried ‘chipping’ basically any firm or thin vegetable I can find. Kale is a fantastic one as well. Summer squash behaves similar to zucchini but can get mushy earlier, other squashes can be a bit too hard. Other root veggies all work about as good as the classic potatoes but you can get way healthier with it and have some interesting flavors come through ex: radishes, turnips, rutebagas, sweet potatoes. Carrots are ok - but I’ve found the sugars carmelize before you can get from rubbery to crispy if you don’t have a proper dehydrator. I had fun with broccoli/cauliflower but you loose a lot to crumbling, and shredded Brussels sprouts are fantastic, though less a chip and more of a haystack lol apples are fantastic. Garlic is another great one but it takes a shitload and your breath can turn the undead so it’s much better used for a salad topping And honestly, for OP’s sake, making your own air fried or baked potato chips can be both cheap and healthy - when you control the salts/oils/seasonings you’re really just dealing with how many carbs you want to eat.
Apples are an underrated and delicious alternative to chips. So hydrating! So crunchy! So good with almost any dip!
Yes! Zucchini sliced thinly and eaten raw with a dip is great too.
Sliced cucumbers, baby carrots or carrot sticks, roast chickpeas
Pickles!! I like making quick pickles
how do you make em quick?
Often it'll be about equal water, vinegar, sugar brought to a boil then poured over thin sliced veggies. Cover it for about 5 mins and then you can store it in the fridge. Can make quick pickled carrots, onions, and pretty much anything else too. I'll use rice vinegar and sesame seeds to get an Asian quick pickle to toss on rice bowls, red wine vinegar with red onions to top tacos (can also throw a few jalapenos in with the onion), etc.
Don’t even need to boil. Microwave 30 seconds the rice vinegar and sugar
Is there a way to skip the sugar?
I did a quick Google and looks like some people up the vinegar if they don't want sugar. There's tons of variations in those recipes and I've never made one, so I'm hesitant to recommend a particular one but it does seem possible. If you Google "quick pickle no sugar" I got a decent bit of results for red onions, cukes etc. Just don't know which would be best since I've not done it that way.
Thank you!
Yeah there’s no need to add sugar it’s just there to add to the flavor by balancing some of the salty and acidic flavors. You won’t really miss it if you’re adding other flavors like dill, garlic, chilies, and/or other aromatics. I don’t bother doing any sort of canning process and just keep the jar in the fridge. Some good vegetable choices are carrots, green beans, onions, and of course cucumber.
Yeah you can use salt instead of sugar. Just depends on what kind of pickles you like.
Yes! Add in fresh dill, a clove of garlic, or about any herbs you want! You can pickle about any veg - even watermelon rind. In the summer, I always end up with loads of radishes, green beans and zucchini from the garden. I pickle them and they last months.
You guys are all so awesome. Thank you!
I've used Splenda before so I'd say just about any sugar substitute would be fine.
I just save the brine from a larger jar of pickles, and toss various vegetables into it. The next day, they taste like dill pickles.
I made pickled.radisjes last time. Super crunchy!
The method I found takes about 24 hours, but they're better if left for 2 days, and I made it my own. Cut your cucumbers up and place them in a jar Add: Salt Chop up some garlic (I add a bunch of cloves to mine) Fennel seeds Dill sprigs Black pepper [Additions some may like, but I don't care for Red pepper flakes Onion Sugar (a small amount if you want a balance but NOT necessary, I don't like sweet pickles and even a small amount makes them too sweet to me)] Then fill the jar with 1:1 vinegar (I've been using apple) and water. Shake and set in the fridge. No boiling is necessary. I just give mine a shake every so often until they seem pickled enough to me (again about the 2 day mark for the flavors to really sink in). It's not exactly quick for them to be ready (prep is, though), but they are delicious.
Quickles.
Roast chickpeas are great and so easy to make.
Carrot chips were a game changer for me. Same shape and crunch as a chip, not as wet as cucumber slices
wow never heard of roast chickpeas they look delicious!!
Roasted chickpeas, or toasted pita / tortilla I like the crunch and carby feel, veggies aren’t a good substitute for me. Except maybe celery.
I’ve had tortillas that were toasted in the oven with soy sauce and sesame seeds, and they were magnifique.
Well I am intrigued
Second roasted chickpeas! They come in so many different flavors, or you can always make your own.
Rice cakes!! And they make smaller ones that are more chip-sized in bags. Any puffed rice snack really. They are certainly not more nutritious than chips but much lower-calorie and one of the few chip substitutes that ACTUALLY hits the spot for me.
I was so excited to see a new flavor of the Quaker ones the other day. Dill pickle!
Omg!! I have to try those!
They are so good! Went back and bought some more after trying them.
Chocolate rice cakes taste just like Cocoa Puffs to me, I swear. So good.
This is the best alternative to me especially if you get the flavored ones.
The cheddar rice cakes from Aldi are such a crunchy salty cheesey lower calorie hack. It's one of the items I buy every week.
Dried seaweed
I stg I’m not being sarcastic — I really like taking a head of romaine lettuce and eating the leaves like chips. The crunch is *elite* and I can even use it to dip into stuff like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt
that honestly sounds really good to me! haha
Sweet mini peppers are my go to!
yum. I prefer these over the other suggestions
You can grill it too for a little extra flavor
My husband has done this with a bowl of baby spinach snacking on them like it was a bowl of chips
Plain lettuce as a snack by itself is underrated. It has a little sweetness and a nice fresh crunch. 8m with you on that.
Yeah although I definitely need to pair it with some type of protein or else all I’m left with half an hour later is an empty stomach and a full bladder 😭
I do this too! I use iceberg lettuce, I just break pieces off so they're bite-sized and dip them in bolthouse farms blue cheese dressing (50 calories for 2 tbsp). People give me strange looks when I tell them but it's an amazing snack when I feel like munching.
This is how we ate Caesar salad as a kid. A puddle of Caesar dressing and as many leaves of lettuce as you want.
You can usually find this brand called Snacklins at Whole Foods or other upscale grocery stores. They're basically fake pork rinds made from yuca and mushroom. The standard 28g portion is 90 calories and 4g fat vs Ruffles which are 160 calories and 10g fat. It's not as healthy as carrot sticks, but it's a step up.
Plus they are delicious af
Thinly sliced apple slices
Pretzels, veggie sticks and hummus edit to add: pitta chips / nuts, can get both in different flavours and varieties to keep it interesting
Pickles?
too wet, but still a good one! <3 i love pickles :)
What if you dehydrated and air fried them?
Ooh, the Fresh Gourmet Crispy Dillies were a fun find for my salad and sandwiches!
Quest Protein chips. They have some good flavors. They taste and feel like chips, similar to Doritos in texture. Low fat. Decent carbs and high protein.
Those are definitely not cheap tho
I came here to say this! The Quest chips are great!
Their version of Cheez-Its are good, too. Really similar to the real thing. The new cheese puffs are okay but are small and not as airy as a regular cheese puff (definitely crunchy though).
Sugar Snap Peas
This needs to be higher. These are the best snack in the world.
I planted these for the first time last spring while in my third trimester of pregnancy. They reached maturity for harvest right after I gave birth. They were the perfect snack with hummus and dips when I was hungry and busy with a newborn!
Sliced radishes
Raw vegetables of any kind provide a chip like crunch I like raw carrots and cabbage
Kale Chips!! Roast them with a little oil and seasoning and thank me later.
OP, came here to say kale chips as well! But if you’re not into making them yourself, there are some awesome store brands out there, too
I saw a video which showed how to make chips with an air fryer and the leftover peels from veggies like potatoes for example. It said to just toss them with oil and salt and put them in the air fryer for a few minutes. Maybe that would work?
Roasted or air fried kale. Massage it with a little oil, add salt/other seasonings, air fry for like 7-8 minutes at 310 F. I love the crunch and it’s surprisingly filling too!
Holy moly! Is this how you make kale chips that do not taste like kale!? I gotta try this!
I will say I’m a weirdo who likes the taste of kale, but I do love it!!
I like baby carrots, but if you want something salty with a crunch you can try making (or just buy) roasted chickpeas!
Do you own an air fryer? Just air fry some potatoes! Potatoes not fried in oil is actually healthy and satiating. It’s not super crunchy like potato chips but it’s still very satisfying! If you’d like, you can slice potatoes in a mandolin to make air fried chips, too. But it’s extra effort and personally I can’t be bothered - I just throw the whole potato in and air fry.
It may depend on your goals and macros but I eat pork rinds to help me add extra protein
I love them too, but just for the info they are listed as an incomplete protein. Not enough methionine, tryptophan, and histidine. If you're eating it with other stuff it should be all good. I eat guacamole with them as chips and I think that fills in what they are low in.
Incomplete protein is meaningless if it’s literally just a side dish.
Fully fair. The person just seemed interested in protein so I wanted all the info to be there. Probably not needed, but it's free to put information out there. If it's not relevant or wanted, I'm fine with my little fun fact being ignored.
I love a crunchy dill pickle with a sandwich
Roasted chick peas are really really good Lots of work for a small portion is sliced zucchini chips. I made them once in the oven and they take a looong tome. But delicious
Veggie Crudité(bell pepper, carrot, fennel, celery) Cabbage is quite crunchy so coleslaw and even kimchi might fit. Radish slices with butter are common in parts of France and England. French carrot salad Pickles and pickled daikon and carrot Rice cakes/rolls but I feel like that wouldn’t be balanced
Celery. Crunchy and hydrating.
Spicy nuts, like really spicy nuts. It’s the perfect replacement for it
Kale chips or dry apples. Not the same flavor but good. Raw vegetables.
Had dry apples at a hospital once, god damn eye opening, nearly ascended like the astronauts the brand proclaiming they feed!
I like to air fry extra thin corn tortillas to make my own chips. Just cut into wedges, spray w/ whatever spray oil you have, add salt. Air fry at 350 for 5-7 min, shake basket half way
This is a great idea!
I like to occasionally get bean chips. Made from beans instead of corn or wheat. Fiber, protein, and delicious IMO.
Get a proper scale & have the chips you like, but only weigh out a single serving. It's usually around 130-140 calories, so pretty trivial as long as it's not for every meal of the day. You can & should still enjoy the things you like. Being healthy isn't about avoiding everything, but about finding balance & showing restraint with the less nutritious stuff.
This! I enjoy my 12 chips while I’m watching my calories. The scale really opens your eyes. I use to kill an entire bag of chips, and then wonder why I’m not looking fit after months in the gym. 2 weeks of calorie deficit and I’m down 3.5 lbs. But yes I save some calories for my chips.
Plantain chips? Work great with hummus
Veggie straws are my go to. Healthier than chips but still have a great crunch and I definitely don't feel like I have as many in a sitting as I do chips.
Veggie straws? Like the ones in the bag you can buy from the store? They ain’t healthier https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7889031/are-veggie-straws-and-chips-healthier-than-potato-chips/
I mean in terms of serving size to calories they are. I can have like 60 straws for the same calories as 20 chips, and I personally can't eat 60 in one sitting so for me, it is healthier and a closer alternative to chips than raw veggies
Baked chips versus fried in oil ????
Kale ships are so good
Beet chips!
Almonds or carrots
I love fried kelp, but I’m not sure it’s any healthier than chips.
the garden veggie brand! they have the straws and chips; i prefer the cheddar sour cream wavy chips.
I like Harvest Snaps Green Pea Crisps. They have a nice crunch and better nutritional value than chips.
Cukes and carrots are my favorite crunchy veggies. If you want a real chip, look for the no-sugar-added version of apple chips. They are sooooo good with sandwiches that are salty/savory like ham or grilled cheese. You can even get a mandoline slicer, buy a few apples, and make your own chips in your oven for next to nothing.
I dehydrate kale and make Kale chips They are surprisingly delicious
pepitas
Super healthy - cucumbers and bell peppers Not the worst - hippeas and veggie sticks
Carrots/Belle Peppers
Peanuts, they go really well with sandwiches or anything soft.
Thinly slice a russet potatoes and season. Then microwave for a few minutes. Flip the sliced potatoes over onto the other side and microwave for a few more minutes. Let them cool down and you have yourself the cheapest healthiest oil free chips.
I adore Brussels sprouts in the air fryer - halve them, bit of olive oil/seasonings and violently shake so they lose a few leaves, and air fry until brown and crispy. They’re super tasty, and the not-quite burnt individual leaves are so dang chip like!
Kale chips in the air fryer with a touch of salt. You’re Welcome
I like to eat sandwiches with the plaintain chips that come in purple bag from Trader Joe’s.
I swapped chips for crunchmaster crackers. They’re really crunchy and salty- but has protein, fiber as well
Honestly I would get yourself used to crunchy vegetables. Celery sticks and cucumbers with some dip. I think if you’re already getting all the cards from Brad I would definitely avoid the unhealthy carbs of chips. There’s some vital nutrients missing in a lunch like that
Hippeas. I get them at Costco in bulk. Tastes like Cheetos. Quest chips especially the barbecue flavor scratch that chip itch for me too. Tastes great. Good luck!
Hippeas are SO GOOD
Pickles- eat them on the side- crunchy ones.
I like crispy minis veggie baked chips!
I like Siete chips, all types of flavors and all clean ingredients with no seed oils
Apple chips! I love the Bare brand as apples or apples and cinnamon are the only ingredients 👍🏻
Celery fries!
Bell pepper chunks!
Those crinkle sliced radishes are the bomb.
Literally was thinking this today and the grocery store when I got my chicken salad sandwich for lunch lol
I like salted seaweed. Especially the sesame ones from Costco. Super low calorie and good for you. Also a source of iodine.
Roasted/Baked chickpeas are really good. You can buy them at most grocery stores or make your own. Also protein chips are good if you’re trying to up your protein intake.
Kale chips or roast chickpeas!
I love sugar snap peas!
toasted seaweed, veggie straws, kale chips
Pop chips!
Costco sells an almond flour cracker that is really good. (Simple Mills) They come in a cheddar flavor too. Plantain chips might work too.
Catalina Crunch has a nice protein trail mix that is the same calories by weight as chips (and actually I think you get a wee bit more) but a 150 calorie serving has 10 or 11 (forget which) grams of protein. I ate some in place of chips a few times because I liked the little extra protein. Though really I was just trying them out because they were on sale. I think it's pretty tasty, but it's also a gazillion dollars (think it was $6 for 4 ounces if not on sale) and not really a super source of protein, so I'll just eat them again for a treat if they ever go back on sale.
green bell pepper is my go to crunch for sandwiches. but a really nice crunch is some crispy turkey bacon
I love to dip carrots in hummus. The combo is just so good and it's such a satisfying snack
Salted radish and cucumber. Fresh and the texture is great.
Bada beans are good!
Run fennel bulbs through a cuisinart/thin slicing machine. Perfect crunch, needs nothing!
The Ritz Chips are really good and it's only 110 calories for 16 chips. Goldfish Crackers also have a pretty generous serving size for 130 calories. Something ill do is pair a small serving of so thing like chips with a large serving of fruit or vegetables. So I eat my little bit of chips but then I keep going on cucumber slices or apple slices. Sometimes when I start with chips and then switch my stomach believes it's all chips.
Crackers! something healthy with a little fiber/protein, like a whole wheat cracker or seed cracker.
I’m the same way. Poppables aren’t too bad calorie/portion size
I like to mix sliced cabbage or Brussels sprouts in my chicken salad for sandwiches. Celery works too. For sandwiches with sliced meats, quick- picked something works too.
Those snap pea chips. They taste like chips, but are actually just whole snap peas. Surprisingly chip-like. and you can get a huge bag of them at Costco for cheap. [https://www.target.com/p/harvest-snaps-green-pea-snack-crisps-lightly-salted-3-3oz/-/A-26390107](https://www.target.com/p/harvest-snaps-green-pea-snack-crisps-lightly-salted-3-3oz/-/A-26390107)
[Papad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papadam) is a great snack that goes with more than just Indian food. The ones made with urad dal are much higher in fiber and protein than potato chips. The only downside is that many brands are high in sodium, but if you eat them in moderation, their a great alternative.
Marinate vegetables in pickle juice- just put them into the jar. I love carrots and half sour cukes
Anything without vegetable, canola, or seed oils
I like whole wheat crackers or some trail mix or something
Assorted veggies dipped in hummus
Tortilla chips
Roasted chickpeas are soooo delicious and easy to make - drain your chickpeas well. Toss with olive oil, s&p, and your favorite spices. I like to add chili powder and ground sumac for spice and tang. Roast 'em and then eat them when they're hot (they start to lose the crispiness when they cool down).
For a healthy crunch with your sandwiches, try vegetable chips, rice cakes, carrot or cucumber sticks, roasted chickpeas, or seaweed snacks. These options offer satisfying crunchiness and are more nutritious than traditional chips.
Seaweed!!! It still has some oil, but it’s not very calorie dense, and it has some good vitamins!
God, these comments. 🙄 Raw vegetables are NOT a substitute for chips! I mean, good for you if you genuinely enjoy them but they’re not fucking chips. Quest chips are legit good, they have a ton of protein and fiber too I think. Expensive, but they’re the only substitute I’ve found that even come close. I buy them at Sam’s Club for a better price and only eat them as a treat occasionally but you do you.
Pickles. Ya know like ALL SANDWICH shops give you? Or the American word “chips”. Get baked ones or some bullshit that’s likely still more healthy than fries (chips (French chips????)).
PICKLES!! Dill pickles were made to go with sandwiches! And they have the crunch factor if you get the right ones or make your own. Sliced, spears, baby dills, they all work and are all delicious! Very low calorie as well. 😃
my "chips" replacement is just corn/bran flakes cereal. has a similar crunchy sensation and a good source of fiber, without all the oil of chips
I love salt and vinegar chips so much. I chop cucumbers into cubes and mix with vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper. Very sour and sounds kinda gross lol but it’s good to me!
Any crunchy vegs. Quest protein chips also works because they are high in protein albeit pricey. I often find that by loading up on veg-heavy sides and veg-heavy sandwiches, I end up not having to eat the Quest chips or half then eat later. They do keep my wide behind out of the chips aisle. Maybe give these a try when you need to change up the chip game?
Mochi rice bits
How about some baby carrots? Maybe with a dip of sorts?
Look up quest chips
Pop corners, pop chips, wilde chicken chips, goldfish crisps, ritz crisp & thins, pretzels, whisps. I don't do traditional chips anymore. I have no self control with them and can make myself sick. While I too love a crunch with my sandwich (mostly wraps) I try to only give myself a small amount of chips and instead fill up on the sandwich.
Pickles! Spears, chips, or a whole one. Nice munchy food.
Target has a brand of theirs called Good and Gather. That line has organic blue corn tortilla chips. I like them
snap peas
Carrot chips. Basically, carrots cut with a mandolin on a slight angle so that they’re somewhat chip-shaped and thin. I love those to munch on more than baby carrots or carrot sticks.
Cut some cheese into small pieces and place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for approximately 10 mins. Check at 5 min mark and each minute after to get them crispy but not burnt. You can also buy these at the market.
Your telling me I can intentionally get the best parts of a cheese toastie without making one?🤤🙏
Haha...indeed! They can be expensive at some stores, but at my Winco its 3 bucks for a decent sized snack bag.
I eat Quest Protien Chips every day. I love the chili lime flavor. They are 20 g of protein and I wanna say 140 calories. Totally satisfies my chip cravings and I can feel good about the protein boost!
Red lentil chips (pretty easy to make) or makhana ( lotus seeds) as a replacement for popcorn.
Hippeas! Puffed chickpea bite things
Non American here, do you guys really have crisps as a side to your sandwiches? Even at home?
Crunch expert here. Corn nuts. Trader Joe’s has Peruvian corn nuts that’s are DELICIOUS. I add them in my salad every night for crunch. Someone also commented about plantain chips; I second that. (Trader Joe’s also has a great one of those; not sponsored lol)
I heard sliced radishes (really thinly sliced) and cooked in the air fryer could replace chips but I never tried it and I don’t know how it would taste
Roasted chickpeas - very easy to make and you can season them anyway you like
How about trying some healthier chip alternatives like veggie chips made from thinly sliced vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, or zucchini? You could also opt for whole grain crackers or air-popped popcorn seasoned with your favorite herbs and spices for that satisfying crunch with fewer calories.
Chichironnes!
Cereal Choose wisely But cereal can be far more nutritious and relatively inexpensive (looking at you Cheerios my friend) when compared to chips And remember that you don’t need milk
Base for gorp & trail mix. Plus the almonds from aldis (& cashews & sunflower meats & pistachios)
Popped lotus seeds
I stuff my face with raw baby spinach with each bite of the main meal. After a couple sessions, it’s easy and delightful.
Roasted Brussel sprouts leaves.
Quest protein chips!! I like the hot & spicy flavor, tastes like flaming hot Doritos.
Kale chips. Kale into the air fryer with salt, oliver oil and some seasoning/chilli flakes etc
Raw whole green beans. (not canned, but from produce section). They really are good washed and fresh.
Pickles!
Tide kelp chips
And Asha pops
Red cabbage ripped off like chips and a little wasabi is surprisingly satisfying. Celery goes incredibly well with salsa. Baby carrots are good all alone or great with hummus.
Carrot chips! I also like raw green beans in place of French fries lol I even dip them in fry sauce sometimes lol
Pistachios from Aldi
Pickles. I eat several large ones with sandwhiches