Flat Earth - Baked Veggie Crisps Review

If you watch more than 15 minutes of TV a week, most likely you've seen the Flying Pig commercial. When we first saw the commercial, we laughed. It's a Frito-Lays product and even if it IS semi-healthy and natural, it's still Frito-Lays. I remember fondly telling my husband, "Well, I bet they are terrible for you. I know I would never eat them!"

A few weeks later, I ate those words. Literally.

On a trip to see family, we were introduced to them. The bag, Farmland Cheddar, was in front of us and I couldn't help but already assume it would be disgusting. I had tried several other veggie chips that weren't quite the best.

I was wrong. I was so wrong. One bite and I was sold. Now we buy 2 bags a week! They are great with a meal, as a snack, at home, at work, etc.

Positives:

1) A decent variety: With 6 flavors, there's something for everyone. Three are veggie flavored (Farmland Cheddar, Tangy Tomato Ranch, Garlic and Herbs) and three are fruit flavored (Apple Cinnamon Grove, Peach Mango Paradise, Wild Berry Patch). Even if you don't like to go crazy and fruit the fruit-flavored chips, you'll find something you'll like. I suggest starting with Farmland Cheddar and moving from there.

2) Wide market: This isn't regional. You can find these chips from coast to coast in nearly any store. Some stores, like Super Target, display them along side the other natural chips, or in our store's case, the Quaker Rice Cakes. In other stores, they may be in the strictly organic section. However, they are in nearly every major chain store.

3) Fruit and veggies: You get 1/2 serving of fruits or veggies in every serving. You just can't beat that! It's hard not to eat the entire bag and justify it with, "well, I just had 3 servings of veggies and/or fruit!"

4) Flavor: With these chips, you GET the flavor. You don't have to eat 4 chips to taste the full impact of the seasoning. You get it in the first bite!

5) Texture: The chip itself is not your wimpy chip. It's thicker than the average chip but still has a nice crisp feel to it. Most (if not all) have ridges, so don't expect a flat chip.

6) Nice amount of nutrients, for a chip:
(Note: these are taken from Farmland Cheddar)

Vitamin A 20%
Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 2%
Iron 2%
Vitamin E 4%
Thiamin 6%
Riboflavin 4%
Niacin 2%
Vitamin B6 6%
Phosphorus 6%
Magnesium 2%
Zinc 2%

While not a HUGE amount, it's much more than you would get with most chips.

Negatives:

 1) Calories - each serving is 1 ounce and has 130 calories. That alone isn't TOO bad, until you realize how addictive these chips are. There are 6 servings in this bag, and it's hard not to half or even the whole bag in one sitting. It adds up quickly.

2) Bag Size vs. Price: With other chips, you can buy a super large bag for under $3 (anyone remember when they were just $1.50?) However, Flat Earth chips have about 6 ounces of chips in the bag. That's roughly 72 chips. Coupled with the nearly $3 price tag, and it's a pricey snack, especially one that is so addictive.

3) Too many carbs: Like the calories, the carbs aren't just terrible. Remember: the average person should eat around 15 carbs at a snack. Flat Earth Farmland Cheddar Chips have 19 grams of carbs in each serving. To compare, Frito-Lays Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream have only 15 grams of carbs in each 1 ounce serving. Like the Ruffles, you can't just stop at one serving of Flat Earth chips. It's easy to have carbs add up.

4) Messy: Not quite not on the level of Cheetos, these aren't the most clean chips to eat. You'll get spices on your hands and crumbs where you ate.

Summary:

Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend Flat Earth within reason. Stick to your portion size and you'll be fine. It's a good buy and a surprisingly good find.