Nabisco Toasted Chips: A Legitimate Snack

When somebody (usually me) suggests we grab a snack, the only things that come to mind are overly sweet foods, such as cookies, cakes, ice cream, and liquid sugar delivered through an IV. As I've stated before, I'm not a big candy fan, but I'd sooner take candy as a snack than, say, potato chips. People who say, "Let's grab a snack" and then head for the Doritos are strange to me.

To me, chips are just one option in an ensemble of party food, or something to accompany my sandwich so it doesn't need to meet its cruel, devoury fate alone. The only time chips qualify as a standalone snack is when I've already had my lunch break and I still need some kind of sustenance to propel me through the rest of the workday. Even then, I'm much more apt to lean toward "snack crackers" such as Wheatables and Wheat Thins, which at least have the illusion of being healthy because they've got "wheat" in their names.

Perhaps more important than the health factor is the crunch factor. Crunch equals satisfaction in my book--anything I can sink my teeth into or that loudly acknowledges its acquiescence to my superior pearly whites is probably significant enough to sate my hunger.

Yet, too many chips have that thin, greasy feel that accomplishes nothing productive for my hunger (or my girlish figure). That's part of why I'm so pleased and surprised at how much I enjoy Nabisco's line of toasted chips (which are really snack crackers, but I'll let it slide).

I'm trying to avoid making this sound like a bad infomercial for Nabisco Toasted Chips, but they come in an eco-friendly bag that is supposedly recyclable and they're the best darn chip cracker snack thing I've had in recent memory. Theoretically healthy, and supposedly Earth-conscious, and verifiably delicious--how could I not give these little crackers a plug?

Of the Ritz varieties, I've tried Dairyland Cheddar and Sweet Home Sour Cream & Onion. Of the Wheat Thins varieties, I've tried Great Plains Multigrain and North End Parmesan & Herb. As you might be able to tell from the names, Nabisco has an "Americana" theme going on, where each of the flavors is inspired by a different part of the country.

The cute explanations on the back of each package tend to romanticize their geographical source material, but this also lends an air of artistry to the flavors you're about to experience--and I'm pleased to say that everything I've tried so far is closer to art than munchy snack.

Whereas many chips and crackers do quite well with their artificial flavors, these toasted chips actually taste like real cheddar or parmesan or...herb. Tastes like real herb. It's like I'm a food critic in Dragon Warrior. But whether artificial or not (I can't be bothered to look at the bag now), everything tastes all-natural.

There's even a little bit of creativity in some of the flavor blends, making it seem like somebody experimented with different ingredients until they found something they liked, rather than saying, "Let's do sour cream and onion! How do we make it taste like sour cream and onion?"

Bravo all around to Nabisco for coming out with these toasted cracker chip things. They're just delicious enough that I might even snack on them outside of work hours.