Tag: snacks

Low Carb Doritos Coming in May

Ashley Bischoff59 Comments

Well, we've just about seen it all now — low-carb beer, low-carb bread, low-carb cookies and now low-carb chips. Frito-Lay announced in a press release that they’ll be introducing low-carb Doritos and low-carb Tostitos in May. Known as Doritos Edge and Tostitos Edge, they’ll have 6g net carbs and 10g protein per bag (product packaging photo, nutrition label photo).

To create the new products, the company will use soy proteins and fiber to convert to a lower carbohydrate chip […]. This move will result in a 60 percent reduction of carbohydrates in both products.

Of all low-carb products, I think the introduction of low-carb bread made the most sense to me — after all, most people eat bread every day. But chips? Is there really a market for people who want to eat healthier yet eat chips on an everyday basis?

I do wonder how these chips will taste, though. Much like their low-fat counterparts, low-carb foods never seem to taste as good as the full-fat/high-carb versions. I suppose we’ll find out in May.

Reese’s Inside Out Peanut Butter Cups

Ashley Bischoff16 Comments

I heard about Reese’s Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups from Supermarket Guru’s New Products page. As you might expect, they’re peanut butter cups, except that the peanut butter bit is on the outside and the chocolate is in the center. But, the review on Supermarket Guru wasn’t so positive:

Here’s what Julie Messerer from Hoquiam, Washington had to say about this product. “The peanut butter is on the outside with a chocolate filling inside. Reese’s is my favorite candy bar (my husband’s, too), and we both agree that it’s too much peanut butter flavoring. We couldn’t taste any chocolate! We’ll stick with the original Reese’s. […] ”

So, on account of the peanut-butteryness, they consider it a “Miss”. But, come on, how could any product have too much peanut butter? Of course, with as much sugar as they probably have, I don’t think I’ll be buying any except perhaps for Halloween festivities (if they last that long). I, for one, welcome our new peanut butter overlords.

Low Carb Chips?

Ashley Bischoff1 Comment

The good news: Randy Blaun appears to have invented a low carb chip.

Can there be such a thing as a healthy chip? Randy Blaun, a writer and self-proclaimed foodie living in New York, claims to have invented just that: french fries that have as many nutrients and as much fibre as a serving of broccoli.

Moreover — and this should be of profound interest to the millions following diets such as the high-protein, low-carbohydrate one proposed by Dr Robert Atkins — Ms Blaun’s chips are low in carbohydrates. They have six to eight milligrams of carbohydrates a serving [I presume that “milligrams” is a typo. — Alex], compared with 20-plus in a serving of regular chips. […]

The bad (or silly, depending on your point of view) news? The guy patented his recipe :-/.

Ms Blaun’s patent application, published in June, reveals her secret ingredient: cauliflower.

Cauliflower chips? Well, not just cauliflower. Also egg whites and calcium caseinate, which is derived from milk, and “just enough potato to make it potato-y”.

I’m not sure what to think of this, though I’ll believe it when I taste it. And if you're confused by someone named “Randy” being Ms Blaun, then that makes two of us :-/.

Chewy Vodka Bars

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Every April 1st brings more April Fools Day jokes — and some sites tend to overdo the effect (such as Slashdot, which is virtually useless on April 1st). However, there have been some clever ones over the years. In that spirit, The Museum of Hoaxes lists its Top 100 Hoaxes. This one may be my favorite:

#58: Chewy Vodka Bars
In 1994 Itar-Tass reported that an alcoholic beverage company had invented a new kind of candy sure to be a favorite with the Russian people: chewy Vodka Bars. These bars, designed to compete with Mars and Snickers bars, would come in three flavors—lemon, coconut, and salted cucumber. The same company was also said to be perfecting another new product: instant vodka in tea bags.

Frito-Lay to Make Snacks without Trans Fat

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I first heard about this on NPR news during my drive to work yesterday, but I've finally been able to find an online citation as well. From MSNBC, “Frito-Lay to make reduced-fat snacks”:

Frito-Lay said that in early 2003 it will eliminate hydrogenated oils and convert to trans fat-free corn oil in Doritos, Tostitos and Cheetos. The company said the change will not compromise the taste of the snacks. […]

The company, the largest unit of Purchase, New York-based PepsiCo Inc., said it will launch Lay’s Reduced Fat chips and Cheetos Reduced Fat snacks in the near future. […]

The coming-addition of reduced-fat Lays and Cheetos is a nice bonus, though I’m especially pleased about their decision to switch to non-trans-fat oils. Maybe it’s becauase it’ll soon be required to list trans-fat on labels? ;)