lays potato chips flavors

Thinking Outside the Bag: Unleash Your Inner Rebel with Funky Potato Chip Flavors and Recipes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the early 1960s, Lay’s potato chips started using the tagline “betcha can’t eat just one.” Pringles slogan has long been “once you pop, you can’t stop.” And Jay’s brand claims you “can’t stop eating ‘em.” The thing is, they’re totally right! Even rats taking part in scientific studies continuously chose potato chips over other food options. It seems no one—human or otherwise—can resist all that makes a chip so satisfying: the initial crackle, a punch of salt, savory fingertips to lick clean.

It all started in Moon’s Lake House restaurant, which sat on a bluff overlooking Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs, NY. It was 1853 and, as the story is told, an unhappy customer repeatedly sent his french fries back to the cook claiming that they were too thick and not salty enough. Frustrated and looking to make a point, chef George Crum cut the potatoes razor thin, doused them with extra salt and sent them back to the customer. Surprisingly—or maybe not so surprisingly—the customer loved them, and they quickly became known as “Saratoga Chips.”

Potato chips started being mass produced in the early 1900s and in 1920, Smiths Potato Crisps Company of London sold theirs with a “twist of salt,” effectively becoming the first flavored chips on the market. We’ve come a long way since then, and today’s crisps run the gamut of flavor profiles. In Russia, for example, you may enjoy red caviar flavored chips. In Thailand, nori seaweed. Chili and knuckle of pork in Poland, feta cheese in Greece and mint in India. Click here for a look at more interesting flavors from around the world.

Although good ol’ traditional lightly salted chips take the cake for being the most versatile and can be used to liven up a slew of classic recipes, pairing the wild flavors with just the right sandwich or soup is a fun culinary challenge. Consider these combos:

  • Dill pickle chips with a Reuben sandwich
  • Crushed wasabi chips as a crust for a tuna steak
  • Salt and vinegar on a fried fish sandwich
  • Bacon flavored potato chips on a turkey club or BLT
  • Crispy roasted chicken crumbled on top of chicken noodle soup

The possibilities for culinary genius are endless, really!

If you’re in the mood to take everyday recipes to the next level, check out the ideas below:

Other off-the-cuff favorites include:

  • Potato chips crumbled on top of ice cream to really bring sweet and savory taste sensations all the way home
  • Peanut butter, jelly and chips stacked thick and high between soft white bread
  • Chips mixed with peanuts and any kind of chocolate morsel makes a perfect movie night snack
  • And don’t ever miss the chance to pile a handful of chips on your burger

Potato chips really are the man’s best friend of the snack world, aren’t they? Faithful. Accessible. Varied and versatile. It’s no wonder they’re the number one bestselling snack in the world and that the global chip market generates over 16 million dollars in revenue a year. Holy guacamole. Americans alone are thought to consume over 4.3 billion potato chips a year.

That’s why we like to include an interesting variety of chips and crisps in your MunchPak. Because you like them. We like them. The whole world likes them. And let’s face it, you really can’t just eat one.

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