Snikiddy Baked Fries

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

French fries are quite often covered in delicious types of toppings and flavored dusting that always seem to be rife with wheat and this means that most of the time, the conversation held at the table of someone who needs gluten-free items will go something like this:

Do your fries have a topping?

Yes.

Is there wheat in the mixture?

Let me check with the kitchen.

(waiter comes back after an agonizing thirty seconds)

Yes.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

And even if the fries don't have a topping and they're free of gluten, they've very likely been put into a fryer with other assorted wheat-laden items and this means that it's almost impossible to guarantee that even the plainest french fries have been created with gluten-free cooking in mind.

Sometimes a restaurant will offer a gluten-free fryer (this option is usually accompanied by a larger than average selection of gluten-free menu choices), but not every restaurant or snack maker has caught onto the need for gluten free toppings.

While Snikiddy Baked Fries aren't the same sort of fries that might come on the side of a cheeseburger at a diner, they are a tasty snack that resembles a fry in shape and also has a fun seasoning on them. The flavoring covering the fries has ingredients like garlic, onion powder and turmeric, to give you an idea of the sort of taste that might be expected of this snack.

One of the positive elements of the company that makes this snack is that they confirm on their packaging that they do indeed segregate the facilities which create gluten-free food from those foods that do include wheat or gluten. It's worth pointing out for individuals who have Celiac disease, however, that there are areas of the factory that include the production of foods with soy and wheat.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

As far as the nutritional content is concerned, this snack does have a solid amount of calories in it, but it's not going to be a huge dent in anyone's diet. There are a few grams of fat more than might be appropriate for a snack, so this probably means that eating these crispy fries is supposed to be a treat and not a regular occurrence.

The general taste of this snack is something akin to Funyun (if you've ever had that onion-infused snack) and they're pretty light and crispy as well. They definitely don't have nearly as strong a smell as Funyuns though so don't think you have to eat them in seclusion so as not to let the world know you love onions.

Overall, this snack is pretty fun to eat and if you like the flavors included on the ingredients list, it's something that would be a nice midday snack or something to eat on a hike. It's kind of messy though so it's probably a good idea to have some napkins around. The messy factor is also a good reason to eat this snack outside or while over an area where it doesn't matter if there are a ton of crumbs around.

Snikiddy Baked Fries
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Snikiddy Baked Fries Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This is a fun and tasty snack and the best way to describe it is that it's a seasoned potato chip that just happens to be in the shape of a fry. Definitely worth trying if you'd like a seasoned potato type snack.

What Could Change:

The fat content in this snack is kind of high and while it's not something that would scare anyone away completely from eating it, downing an entire bag probably isn't recommended. A few handfuls here and there in the middle of the day are probably the best way to enjoy this snack.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Flax is something that has been touted as a type of "super food" in recent years and a number of manufacturers who have been making health food have been attempting to include flax in their ingredient list so as to suggest that their food is going to help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to breast cancer and weight gain. While most of the studies suggesting such results are in their infancy, it's likely safe to say that flax is something that certainly won't harm anyone.

And it's a rather handy ingredient to have in any gluten-free meal that is made in such a way that it's supposed to mimic a type of food that would ordinarily have regular wheat flour in it. Since flax is something that isn't just touted by gluten-free advocates, but which is also seen as a healthy part of a natural diet, flax-laden entrees are starting to appear on many store shelves even if a store doesn't have a dedicated health food or organic section.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Most chips contain some sort of wheat flour in them even if they're a corn-based chip (it's usually in whatever coating goes onto the chips to flavor them) and so even purchasing a bag of corn chips can result in problems because just about everything has some wheat flour in it. 
Fortunately for Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips, they are not only wheat-free, but also include a hefty amount of natural and healthy ingredients so the chips are probably something that would attract more than just the gluten-free crowd.

Of course, the big question is whether someone might enjoy the chips whether they need to eat gluten-free products or not. And the one thing that might prevent total enjoyment of these chips is that they're not really just "cheddar cheese" flavored. They would definitely be more accurately labeled as "nacho" flavored as they do have a zest to them that is rather unexpected. It is just this writer's opinion that something labeled as "cheddar' shouldn't taste.... spicy.

So the best way to think about these chips (well this particular flavor anyway) is that they're a grainy sort of bean-like nacho chip. They have a kick to them and even seem to be somewhat dry (only way to describe them) so after you have a few handfuls, you might want to chug a giant glass of water. They seem to be a decent snack if you eat about a dozen of them, but going any further seems to lessen the overall taste as they're fairly dry.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

The biggest attraction for these chips is likely that they're completely full of all sorts of healthy ingredients (the text on the bag goes far in suggesting this as they seem to be corn free, soy free, potato free and are even kosher... among many other positive attributes). These chips definitely taste as though they're made of pinto beans. It's almost like you're eating nacho flavored pinto beans in chip form.

Which might be more acceptable if the bag would lead one to believe that the chips were actually spicy and not just a mild cheddar flavor. If you're not a fan of spicy chips, you probably won't prefer this flavor of Beanitos (the company makes more than one flavor).

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips Report Card

What They Did Well:

There are a ton of gluten-free chips out there that all have different flavors and these chips actually provide a rather unique taste experience. They're not a corn or potato chip and are actually very "beany." Something worth trying if you'd like a different chip-eating experience. They're also filled to the brim with all sorts of healthy elements (beans are quite healthy regarding their nutrients) and so as a snack, they're probably one of the best things you could munch on.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

What could Improve:

These are nacho flavored! Don't let the bag convince you that it's just cheddar in there. They are spicy and crisp and can be mildly overwhelming in large quantities. 

They're also somewhat dry (yes, I know chips are always dry, but these seem excessively so... perhaps it's just a lack of grease like potato chips tend to have) and this can wear on the taste buds after a few chips. Best eaten in small quantities or as part of a meal and not the main component.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

One of the primary ingredients in bars that are labeled as an energy bar or a snack bar is oats and a lot of people who are sensitive or allergic to gluten will also have problems with oats as well. And most of those bars also have a high chance to possess gluten or some sort of wheat-related ingredients anyway, so finding a simple snack bar that doesn't have such components can be a challenge.

But the snack food industry and companies that have long been making snack bars have definitely realized that there is a huge market for gluten-free bars and there are many companies that have not only started to provide such bars with zero gluten included, but which have also created several different gluten-free options instead of just a single token gluten-free bar.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Generally, snack bars and protein bars are going to come in one of two different kinds. They'll either be a solid sort of bar, kind of like the "Think Thin" bars (of which the white chocolate covered kind is delicious), or they'll be breakable and nutty, sort of like the KIND Protein Bars that have recently started to become so popular that major cafes and restaurants have started including them as an option.

The Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix is definitely one that mimics the KIND style of bars where it's a bunch of nuts that's held together by some sort of adhesive (made of honey in this case, although some competing bars use a sugar glaze). And the combination is one that seems easy to duplicate as many companies have started to make nutty bars that offer a good boost of protein. And while such bars will usually be a little high with their fat content, nutritionists would likely be quick to point out that it's "good" fat and not the bad trans-fat kind that might be in a bag of potato chips.

For anyone who is particularly interested in eating natural ingredients that might also be vegetarian or free of preservatives, this particular bar seems to fit the bill there as the manufacturer has printed a whole host of labels on the bar's wrapper that declare things like "gluten free" and vegetarian. It's fairly interesting, but many gluten-free food makers these day seem to believe that anyone who might want (or need) to eat a gluten-free lifestyle would also be on the lookout for natural foods.

Overall, this bar tastes fine and is exactly what one would expect from a nut-style protein or energy bar, but there's no wow-factor as far as the general recipe is concerned. It's just a very basic bar that will probably give someone an afternoon boost when they're fading in the late afternoon and need some protein.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This bar does what it needs to do. It's natural, nutty and gluten-free. But it's probably not something that you'll search for should the grocery store fail to stock them one week. It's a trail mix bar that won't stand out from the competition, but since it's gluten-free, it does have a purpose.

What Could Improve:

The bar seems to have an overwhelming amount of peanuts and the manufacturer might benefit from the inclusion of a few different types of nuts in their recipe. It's just a very basic bar that might be forgotten if it wasn't otherwise a handy option for people who need a shot of protein and who also need to eat a gluten-free li

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

For years rice cakes and similar airy foods that are often meant as a food that people trying to lose weight might try and often they were derided for being nothing more than crunchy air. But through the years a lot of different flavoring techniques have come about along with some modifications and experiments regarding the texture of the cakes.

Today's rice cakes often have a lot of salt, high calories and even some fat in them and while this can certainly make them taste better, it does sort of remove the food from the column that marks them as a food meant for low calorie diets. One of the first things anyone should do these days is make sure that if they're looking for a low calorie food that they always take a look at the nutritional facts on the back of the package.

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

For many gluten-free foods, this is especially important because the removal of gluten often spells the addition of many more calories than one might suspect would otherwise be offered in a particular food. For Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes, one of the most attractive features of the food is that it's organic and gluten-free, so if you're looking for an organic snack that's not too terrible on the wallet, these cakes are a decent investment.

As for the nutritional facts on these cakes, they're definitely well within the bounds of what could be considered a diet food or low-calorie snack and munching on a half bag of these likely wouldn't put anyone's diet off the tracks. They also happen to taste exactly like one might expect a cinnamon flavored rice cake to taste. The addition of "toast" to the name though probably isn't required. They don't really resemble a piece of toast or taste like one. They just taste like cinnamon and rice pieces.

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Generally the biggest complaint someone might have with these suckers is the fact that all that's required is a light breeze and they look like the debris from an explosion of Rice Krispies. Which might be great if you're going to try these rice cakes in a bowl of milk, but might be a problem if you're eating them with one hand while driving. The picture to the right is simply the result of tossing a few of these things on my counter.

Fortunately the fact that these little things break apart easily doesn't make them taste any less cinnamon-like and the overall taste and consistency is to be expected of how a rice cake might taste. They're likely a great option for anyone who is trying a low-calorie or reduced calorie diet and they a great option for people who want an organic snack. So many foods today simply say "natural" on them, but still seem to include questionable ingredients. Most of the foods that Lundberg manufacturers are organic. 

They also have a lot of information on their website about sustainable farming and eco-friendly farming, which definitely makes it worth checking out their other items as well. They're a great example of a company that is committed to organic food and isn't trying to play the "natural" game with their customers.

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Lundberg Cinnamon Toast Organic Rice Cakes Report Card

The Good Stuff

These rice cakes taste good, are great on nutritional content and have the added bonus of being crafted from organic ingredients. Certainly a trifecta for a healthy gluten-free snack. Definitely worth a try.

What Could Be Better

Clearly, the potential for these rice cakes to disintegrate into rice pellets is a problem and when I bought a bag of these things, it's not like I experienced an earthquake before opening them. It's probably a good idea to eat all the rice cakes that are intact first and then just pour all the rice crumbs out of the bag into a bowl and eat them like little bits of candy (tossing the plastic bag back like you're a bachelor with a carton of milk is also acceptable).