There's more to this all-American picnic staple nowadays than ridges and ranch seasoning. Thanks to better-for-you ingredients (think beans, veggies, even chocolate), plus more protein, fiber, whole grains, and healthy fats, snacking has gotten a lot less greasy.
But with so many chip options, it's tough to know What's Good: and what's not. So we happily munched our way through a host of new snacks to find out. Read on to learn which ones we selected.
More: Calculate your Caloric Needs.
Food Should Taste Good All Natural Chips, Chocolate
"Yum. Tastes like a cookie." "Crispy, with a hint of cocoa."
What's Good: Packed with cholesterol-friendly monounsaturated fat and, of course, chocolate.
Benefit: Healthy fats ease inflammation and combat muscle soreness. 10 chips = 140 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 2g protein, 80mg sodium.
More: 4 Pre-Workout Snacks to Help You Burn Fat
Plocky's Mediterranean Munchies Hummus Chips, Greek Lemon Herb
"Tangy lemon flavor." "A rice-cracker texture."
What's Good: Gluten- and GMO-free; created from garbanzo beans and olive oil.
Benefit:: Protein-packed beans help speed up post-ride muscle recovery (and so do these Top Foods That Heal). 20 chips = 130 calories, 5g fat, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 400mg sodium.
New York Naturals Kale Chips, Vegan "Cheese"
"Chewy, cheesy, savory." "Crumble easily."
What's Good: Cashew-coated chips made with the whole antioxidant-rich kale leaf; highest in protein.
Benefit: Antioxidants protect muscle cells from exercise-induced damage. 1 ounce = 137 calories, 10g fat, 3g fiber, 6g protein, 310mg sodium.