Replacing crisps

[sunshine244]

My new year's resolution was to eat less crisps. My empty large doritos bag says I've failed. I love the crunch, the spice salt...

What alternatives are there? Don't dare suggest an apple 🤣

Following as I can't live without crunch in every meal except breakfast. Even crisped up a home made cheese scone in the air fryer and put that in a wrap yesterday 😁

They are delicious. I coat them lightly in oil then add garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt. Since the fun police reduced the salt in cinema popcorn I’ve been taking a box of chickpeas instead. You need to make sure they’re really well done.

Rice cakes broken into quarters, dipped in tomato salsa.

Low calorie, crunchy, tasty, satisfying, contains fibre and vitamins. What's not to like? 😄

Instead of focusing on fewer crisps, what if you paired crisps with something more filling (look for something with fiber and/or protein or something bulky like raw veg) and snacked on them together? Better yet, serve yourself crisps with a full meal.

I love ice cream, so instead of depriving myself of a pre-bedtime bowl I do a smaller scoop and add fresh raspberries and blackberries for fiber. I pair my favorite cheese cubes with whole wheat crackers and seasoned tomatoes. Celery, carrots and cucumber are nice mixed in with salty/spicy/sour crisps. Crisps often get dipped in bean dip/bean salads in my house. And we often serve biscuits or other sweets right on dinner plates with the rest of the food so they're just one part of a full, nutritious meal.

Someone mentioned chickpeas in harissa upthread, that sounds gorgeous.

Tyrells do 'no' salt crisps (meagre amount compared to others).

Soft options for snacks would include cubed cheese and halved olives, or balsamic vinegar topped with extra virgin olive oil. Dip bread in when it's separated (bonus of glowing skin)

I second the air popped popcorn, sliced raw peppers and radish suggestions. I also love munching on raw green beans. I am a recovering crisps fiend. I went the lower cal lentil chips, space raiders, quavers, french fries route, but I would just eat multiple bags of them.

Roasted seeds or chickpeas with msg

Poppadums - buy the raw ones in the indian supermarket and microwave them.

20 Calories for a whole one!

I’ve done air fryer chick peas before and you can also buy them from supermarkets ready salted. Nothing beats a crisp though does it? So I have a bag of walkers baked - about 80 calories.

There is no difference. Ask any type 1 diabetic.

@Member984815you're my wine & crisp soul mate! I’m exactly the same

unfortunately nothing can replace the amazing joy that crisps bring to me. I have to abstain completely. I do like the sweet/salty popcorn mini packs though as a low cal substitute. They are reasonably satisfying

These are crisps! Why has nobody else said that these are crisps?! 😂

Nothing compares unfortunately. I love crisps - just need to have them in moderation. If you ban them entirely, you’ll only end up massively overeating them the second you have some in the house.

Air fried chickpeas seasoned with things like paprika, garlic, chilli etc are lovely.

buy smaller bags and ration them. Will need some
will power. Maybe on weekend only as a treat?

Lidl lentil curls are lower calories as are Walker's baked crisps but they're all processed food aren't they? Crispy potato skins can be yum.

I cut pita bread up into triangles (separate it first into the two halves) and spray in a little olive oil and roast it with some za'atar on and they are delicious

Also popcorn is good

I also like those packets of Itsu seaweed thins which come in a variety of flavours.

Breadsticks (just not the whole box!😂) they are a bit dry but give me the same crunchiness.

I was told to roast kale and add salt. Spoiler it’s not as good as crisps
the issue is nothing is as good as crisps. I’d go down a lower calorie route so French fries not Doritos

I had to go cold turkey, I could eat a family pack to myself after work. I now hardly ever eat crisps and my blood pressure has improved

What about the crisp-equivalents, like Sun-waves? Lidl does a range of lentil and houmous crisps. Or popcorn, or pretzels.

I’ve swapped to Sunbites

I haven’t RTFT so this may have been suggested already, but if it’s the crunch you’re after, what about the Organix Melty Carrot Puffs? They look and have the texture of Whatsits. I can’t speak for the taste, but they are definitely crunchy. They do other flavours as well.

Corn 77.0%
Carrot powder 12.0%
Sunflower oil 10.9%
Thiamin (vitamin B1)* <0.1%
TOTAL 100%
*Thiamin (vitamin B1) has no organic certification.

I’m not really great at understanding the nutrition stuff, I never look at it. But it’s corn, carrot and sunflower oil, how bad can it be?

Cheesies!