NOW CLOSED Walkers Sunbites - feedback thread for testers

[NewGirlHelenMumsnet]

This thread is for all the MNers who have been trying Walkers Sunbites. Below are some questions to get you started but please feel free to add other comments too. Everyone who adds their feedback on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get a £250 high street voucher.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

I loved them. They were a lot crunchier than other crisps and I really like the unusual flavours. They seem more grown up and special then other crisps and seem healthier (so I can eat more!).

My favourite flavour was onion and rosemary. I would recommend them to friends and buy big bags to share (or not ).

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

distinctly average, much better crisps on the market, i didn't dislike them. looked really rubbish like corrugated cardboard - the aesthetic of the crisp was pants.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

they were so bland and underwhelming, that it wouldnt come up in conversation

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

right, this is where you ahve to listen to me - i am a crisp connoisseur.

sour cream - tasteless
onion - underwhelming
cheese - you got this right - cheese was awesome
chili - fabulous, fab flavour
salted - cant remember anything about this

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

not a lot of flavour explosion, i'd much rather buy a bag of doritos for cheese flavour, pringles for sour cream...see where i;m going with this?

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?
They were delicious! I enjoyed them very much , and so did my husband and kids.However I am a little skeptical of the whole drive to make unhealthy snacks (crisps) healthier. The so called healthier options (like sunbites) are not really much more nutritionally sound.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were? pretty darn tasty crisps - sort of brown bready

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range? Sweet chilli. I would advise the manufacturers to stop poncing up the flavours and trying to rewrite the crisps rulebook. Salt and vinegar flavour needed.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it? Sweeter, crunchier.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not? Yes.

Thanks very much for sending these . We really did enjoy them. I would like to add some general points.

1. You can't really make a healthy crisp, and it is a lost cause to try.
2. stop poncing up the flavours
3. there were not NEARLY enough in a bag.

once again, THANK YOU !

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not? Nice packaging, I especially liked the matt finish. Unfortunately that was where my 'likes' finished. The texture of the crisps were awful, like eating wood, they felt 'bitty' and left a very strange feeling and taste in my mouth! The rest of the family loved them though.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were? A wholegrain crisp type snack.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range? I liked the taste of the sweet chilli, but found the cheese overpowering (I could smell it on the kids nearly 12 hours later). The rest of the family enjoyed all the flavours.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it? The wholegrain.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not? Despite the fact that I found the texture awful - Yes I'd recommend them to someone looking for an alternative to crisps.

Thank you for sending us the samples!

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

*I enjoyed eating the few crumbs that I managed to get - 3 ds quickly wolfed them down and i have since bought several multipacks more.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

* they are nicer than a crisp more of a 'treat' certainly more filling and would be lovely with a ham salad sandwich at lunchtime (if you didnt have three dc)

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

*I liked the flavours that I managed to try the chive ones and the salted ones were lush and im told the sweet chilli were 'well fit'....

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
*there didnt seem to be a lot in a packet,the wholefrain and overall taste was much different.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

*already have done.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

**I really liked them. The packaging was attractive and range of flavours good.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

**A healthy crispy type snack that goes great with sour cream and chive dip. lovely and dry with no greasy feeling/taste that comes with ordinary crisps.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

**I really liked the onion and rosemary flavour, salted too plain on its own but fab with a dip. My son's preferred the chilli one's by far. We all disliked the cheesy one's as the flavour was too strong, the smell reminded me of smelly feet. We all liked the sour cream one's too.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

**They are wholegrain and very low in saturated fat which is great.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

**Yes i would recommend and have done so already.

Still waiting

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

First impression was that the packaging immediately attracted our attention, without being too obvious. It looked like a premium product, especially with the smaller brand logo in the corner

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

A square cornchip without excessive flavouring.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

Cheese was the best, the lightly salted was a bit bland, chilli left had a long lasting flavour which got a bit trying, Onion and rosemary could have done with a bit more rosemary, sour cream was our second favourite. There were no meaty flavours,which DH would have quite like to try.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

They are wholegrain, and don't feel anywhere near as claggy as snack-a-jacks after you've eaten a couple.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes i would recommend if they were having a party instead of standard crisps, but not as an everyday snack.

I got red-carded on Fri so will waddle along to collect them of the postie tomorrow.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

Loved the packaging, the pastel colours appealed to me and I loved the feel of the packet, it didn't feel cheap. I didn't really enjoy eating the crisps though. Quite a few of them lacked flavour, the sea salted was particularly bland and I could taste no hint of salt on it at all which was very disappointing. What I did like about them was the extra crunch they gave and they were not greasy. I think there needs to be more added in a packet though as there was not enough!

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

They are a healthy snack made from wholegrain. They are healthier to eat than normal crisps as they contain less fat.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

I enjoyed the sour cream flavour the most. I would like to see a prawn cocktail flavour and a salted flavour that actually tasted of salt.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

They are made of wholegrain and are therefore healthier to eat in comparison to other crisps. They are also very crunchy.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend if they were trying to eat more healthily and were looking for a healthy snack to try.

Thank you!

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I enjoyed them, although my friend was not so enamoured with them, stating that their taste and texture reminds her more of Doritos than crisps (she doesn?t see Doritos as a good alternative to the ?satisfying potato crisp?).
I was expecting Sunbites to be similar to the M&S Wholegrain Snacks, which are very nice but leave you with god-awful breath for hours afterwards. I think it?s the garlic. On the other hand, I am glad to report that after eating Sunbites, my breath didn?t strip the walls. The M&S snacks are thicker and larger and more satisfying to bite (I have just realised how that sounds?.). However, I still liked the lighter texture of Sunbites, and the small pack size would definitely make them a good addition to a lunch box.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?
A light wholegrain snack that?s a bit like crisps, but less heavy on the salt, calories and fat.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?
It?s hard for me to choose between the Thai Sweet Chilli and Onion and Rosemary. Both were very good. My friend liked the Onion and Rosemary best. My husband, who ate the remaining fragments of the Onion and Cheddar (sadly he didn?t get there in time and we left him nothing else!), declared them ?lush?. Forgive him, he?s Welsh: it means he really liked them. Those ones reminded me a bit of Quavers, so I wasn?t overly fussed.
The lightly salted were my least favourite, but that might be because I tasted them after the stronger flavours and they seemed bland by comparison. However, I think they?d make a good occasional snack for my toddler DS when he?s older (which means I can buy a multipack and scoff the other flavours).
I?d like to see Salt and Vinegar, Honey BBQ and Paprika flavours included in the range.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
I thought the Onion and Rosemary was a great flavour, and one you don?t normally find in a small, single pack-size (you normally get the more unusual flavours in the big sharing packs).

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?
I?d definitely recommend them to the more calorie-conscious of my friends, i.e. quite a few of them. To my crisp-aficionado friend (who?s as slim as a rake and doesn?t worry about watching her weight), I?d probably suggest a fattier, more satisfying alternative, such as normal Walkers crisps. That is, if she wasn?t already very familiar with them.

Taste-tested by Mum, Dad, 6yo dd and 9yo schnauzer

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?
We felt they had a unique crunchy texture and make a good sound (especially when the dog eats them) We all enjoyed the sunbites and thought there was a good variety of flavours. As a mum i also like their slightly healthier option to a bag of crisps with whole-grains & lower salt content. They don't feel as oily or greasy as some crisps

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?
'Healthy frazzles' or the whole-grain love child of crisps and snack-a-jacks

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?
We ranked our flavour preferences and they were (1) Sour Cream- bag smelled like chip shop chips; (2) Onion & Rosemary - unusual in a good way pleasant herby taste; (3) Cheese & Onion- sweeter than crisps quite cheesy & flavour grew more artificial once had tried others; (4) Salted- quite bland not much flavour and (5) Chilli - sweet then just heat no strong taste though we all loved the colour of them!
Flavours we would like to see included: Bacon (healthy frazzles!); Thai flavours as we feel they would work well with the texture of the crisp; Peanut (6yo) as the sweetness might work with the crisp; and some more flavours with herbs.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
The texture and crunch is what we feel make them unique. Walkers already do a lot of similar flavours but we felt the ones they used on sun-bites worked well with them.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes we would recommend them & the phrase we'd use is "delicious, pleasant alternative to crisps."

Sorry realise put bold in wrong way round & looks as if we are shouting!

addition to feedback from earlier:

the only flavour that didn't work was sweet chilli - not nice with the texture
; all of the cheese based ones (2) were scrummy; all of the dcs (aged 3,6,8 and 12) liked them, and dh ate them whereas he never goes near a snackajack.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?
I do like them. The texture is nice and they do feel fairly healthy to eat. I enjoy eating them, and feel good about the kids eating them.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?
I'd describe them as thin, wholemeal crisps that have an unusual texture and some gentle flavours.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?
I like the sweet chilli best, DH liked the rosemary and onion flavour and sweet chilli best. Kids seemed to like all of them. The sour cream was also yummy. Neither DH or I were keen on the cheddar ones. Lightly sea salted flavour was OK but a bit bland.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
I think the texture is pretty different and there don't seem to be many wholemeal snacks around so that seems to be the obviously different feature to me.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?
I would recommend them, yes. They're pretty tasty and definitely a bit different, especially if you're not a fan of normal crisps (I don't like some crisps because they can be so oily).

Can't copy and paste on phone, and haven't tried them all yet so will give full feedback later.

However, am impressed so far. The salted were mine and ds favourite, the sweet chilli amazing and we've just enjoyed the rosemary and onion. The flavours and taste are great, especially as there is nothing artificial. Would lobe a strong salt and vinegar though. Especially cider vinegar.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

Overall impression is that they are packaged more for the female. Very feminine packaging, pastel colours, aimed I think for the female side of the population. My husband wouldn't pick these up off the shelf if he was purchasing crisps.

Yes they were nice to eat, there weren't enough of the crisps in the packet though.

The sea salt flavour was a little bland, my children didn't really enjoy this flavour.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

Wholegrain, crunchy and reasonably low in calories for a crisp.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

The whole family liked the rosemary and onion flavour best, it was different, fresh and crunchy and an unusual flavour.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

Wholegrain and therefore I don't mind the children eating these.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, as they are low in calories, quite tasty and wholegrain so reasonably good for you as part of a balanced diet.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?
Loved the pastel colours of the packet. It looks like a 'grown up' product.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?
A healthy alternative to other snacks on the market. Tasty & a nice treat.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?
1 Cheddar & Caramelised Onion
2 Sour Cream & Cracked Black Pepper
3 Sweet Chilli
4 Onion & Rosemary
5 Sea Salted

Would like to see Salt & Vinegar, Ham & Mustard, Smokey Bacon.

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
Shape & texture are totally different.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes - and I will. Sunbites are a tasty snack. DH said you don't realise you're eating a healthier snack as they don't taste bland like other brands.

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

They were OK, nicely packaged, looked as I expected i.e. not like a "crisp". Some of the flavours were good, others I would not buy.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?

A cross between a crisp and a cracker, with no hydrogenated veg oil and no MSG.

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?

Sour Cream

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?

Marketing! They have been marketed well to be seen as "healthy".

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would say they were fine but nothing to rave about.

Right then - just got round to this after a weekend of scoffing...

Q1 What was your overall impression of the product? Did you enjoy eating them or not? If so, why? If not, why not?
We enjoyed eating them in general but a few thoughts...

• Didn't really understand the branding why sunbites? Seemed to bear little relation the product - nowt to do with the sun and not bite size. Didn't like the name. Packaging OK but DH thought a bit girly and said there should be a window on the front to show the actual product inside as he wouldn't buy something "blind".
• They are too big! Really surprised when opened the packet as thought they would be bite-size - too big to get in mouth whole and so crispy they fall apart when you bite into them so messy.

Like the ridges and the underlying wheaty taste but thought all the flavours were a bit weak and could do with a stronger flavour.

Q2 How would you describe Sunbites to a friend who didn't know what they were?
Crispy, ridged, wheaty snacks

Q3 Which flavour did you like the most? Are there any other flavours you'd like to see in the range?
Chiili the best followed by sour cream. The plain salted ones were our least favourite - they tasted more like a breakfast cereal and would probably be ok with milk in a bowl...
We think there should be a "fruity" flavour of some kind... apple & cinnaman/mango&something maybe?

Q4 Thinking about Sunbites in comparison to other snacks, can you think of one feature which makes Sunbites different? If so, what is it?
Very light & crispy texture - feel healthy although from reading the back I know they aren't much better than similar snacks.

Q5 If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend Sunbites to your friends? If so, why? If not, why not?
Maybe but I think these feel more like "party" crisps and they would be better served in large bags a la sensations rather than in individual packs. I definitely would be more likely to buy them in this way.

Thanks for giving me the chance to test them out.

just got them yesterday as had to collect from sorting office. will report as soon as possible, although have already tried the rosemary ones and the sour cream ones. Absolutely delicious! Will do a more detailed response when devoured all five packets!

These were for dp's pack up, but I had the chilli ones.

Q1 expensive looking bag, average sort of snack. Tasted fine, not outstanding, disappointed in meager amount in bag, glad I didn't buy them, would have felt ripped off.
Dp, said they weren't as good as Kettle Crisps.

Q2 Crunchy but insubstantial junk food.

Q3 I like anything with chilli, dp didn't especially like any of them.

Q4 The bag

Q5 It just wouldn't come up in conversation, and no I wouldn't recommend them.

tootssweet I love that your schnauzer was also a taste-tester