Your Favorite Cracker or Snack Chip (Non-Potato Category)

[Perilagu Khan]

Formerly, my fav was pork rinds doused with Louisiana Hot Sauce. Then I discovered that you might as well lodge a pork rind in your aorta, so I gave those up.

Now I'd say that tortilla chips and salsa is my definite favorite, although I'm also very partial to those extra-dark pretzels that are cooked almost to the point of being charred. Unfortunately, West Texas is not pretzel country so I usually have to make do with very basic Rolled Gold or Snyder's pretzels.

[EWSflash]

Don't underestimate Cheez-its reduced fat white cheddar crackers, they're so good and not as greasy as the original variety.

[ZenSojourner]

Plain ol' Ritz

[Bob W]

There's a new sheriff in town: Utz Select Everything Pretzels. I haven't come this close to eating the entire bag of something in years.

[Popkin]

Gardetto's garlic rye chips. I only thought they were OK at first, but they've sure grown on me! My tongue wasn't used to rye anything, so it was pretty foreign seeming at first.

I also like the Snyder's ranch pretzel pieces. When I just need some dang salt, they always hit the spot.

[mamachef]

"Lodge a pork rind in your aorta", Ha! A tasty newfangled stent, southern-style. I really like popcorn cakes, like those puffed wheat cakes only tasty and buttery and salty and popcorny. I also adore Ak-Mak sesame cracker thins, and Ry-Krisp, which I use for one of my all-time favorite bedtime snacks: a Ry-krisp spread with creamy cottage cheese and sprinkled w/ Lawry's seasoned salt. When i can get them fresh, hot pretzels with Kosher salt and spicy mustard are a must, and I also love basic old rold gold pretzel rods, especially with a really good root beer. And sourdouth pretzel nuggets; Snyder's makes a pretty good one.

[MsAledella]

Kashi makes a garlic flavored cracker -- it is like a triscit except doused with almost too many spices, sort of like rosemary/thyme/garlic. It is pungent but tastes SO good with cheese and in tomato soup.

[enbell]

also good crumbled on top of a salad as a make-shift crouton

[shanagain]

I just thought of two more - I always forget about Doctor Kracker's Pumpkin Seed & Cheddar crackers - they're particularly awesome with cream cheese.

And low-carb win: Pepperoni chips. Nuke thinly sliced pepperoni on paper towels until grease is absorbed & a thin, crunchy/crispy salty snack emerges. (microwaves vary, mine takes about a mintue for a plateful.)

[coney with everything]

Wheatables Pecan nut crisps...mmmm

Sun chips

Carr's whole wheat crackers

White cheddar Wheat Thins

And Triscuits!

[smithareeny]

Rice Works Sweet Chili flavor chips. OMG-these are yummy.
Plain Bugles-A tradition from childhood.
Snyder's Buffalo flavored Nibblers.
True North Pistachio Crisps-These are sooo good.

[im_nomad]

Were we in the same store this evening or something, I was JUST about to post about the RW Sweet Chili, which were on sale today and I bought a bag. Have had them before, but I love them.

[Rasam]

Alas, no one has mentioned the papad / pappadam dategory yet.

Are there no other fans?

I prefer the rice based "vadams" of Southern India to the dal based papads of the North.
e.g.:
http://bhagavathy.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-vadam.html
(I loved her evocate description
)or
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/kri...
(lots of recipes

)

In the Nothern papads, I prefer the spiced ones to the plain. There are also great ones made with sweet potato or potato flour.

Each time I return to the US from "des" I haul several kilos (literally) of vadams in my luggage, about a year's supply. Luckily my kids eat them mostly and I try to exercise self control and have just a few.

(Question: whywhywhy are papads / papadams almost always described by Western writers as "bread"? They are as much a bread as a Triscuit is bread. It's a cracker, dammit! I know you know the difference.)

More snacks of that ilk: I love the whole range of murukkus, thenguzhal, ribbon pakodas, etc (various forms of batter that's extruded then fried, then stored in boxes and eaten whenever) ... I won't get into the chewda varieties, that's too far outside the OP's parameters.

I am lucky I was raised with these, and I just do NOT crave anything from a plastic packet, made by a big corporation.
Alas, my kids are not so lucky.

I will however admit I quite like White Cheddar Cheezits (dislike the other kids). My little boy came home from school and told me about this snack, greatly widened my horizons.

[Perilagu Khan]

I have no prejudice against plastic packages and corporations. If it's delicious I'll eat it without the slightest compunction.

[Rasam]

The trouble is that the MNC standardized plastic packaged stuff is so often *not* delicious.
The tastes are chemical, so much local variety is erased, and so on.

There is some good packaged stuff, it's not all bad, but ....

[Perilagu Khan]

Not delicious, eh? The volume of this thread would seem to suggest otherwise. And if local variety fails, it is probably because it cannot compete in the marketplace where people vote with their pocketbooks.

[Rasam]

In the reverse orders:

1. Just because something dies out, does not mean it was not delicious - but that it could not compete with bigger business practices (e.g. cheap mass produced anything vs smaller artisanal anything)

2. People's tastes vary. Those who were not lucky enough to be brought up on their grandmother's expert handmade food will no doubt find plastic extruded industrial products yummy - e.g. velveeta or cheetos. People's tastebuds become used to high hits of fat and salt. My kids are the same way. I don't have the time or expertise to make a steady supply of handmade snacks, so they eat the Lays and Nabiscos. I also like one or two of these boxed snacks, but that's when there is none of the handmade stuff around.

Feel free to eat and defend the junk as much as you want. I've had better and stick by that.

ps: the vadams I buy are produced by a women's co-operative - small scale industry. Groups of women make these at home by hand, and they are gathered, packaged, and sold. Several bigger companies (e.g. Haldirams) are mass producing snacks and people buy them, but many people, once they find a good neighborhood source, stick with that.

[Rasam]

Anyway, it seems like almost no-one on this board has eaten any of the kinds of snacks I am talking about, I don't know if anyone else here who has eaten Indian food likes papads, vadams, etc.

And is it that the tradition of hand making savory snacks has vanished in Western countries? I know people here love home made cookies, cakes, etc.
What kinds of home made savory snacks do people enjoy?

is the idea of snacks in Western countries totally something from a box from a big company?

[meatn3]

You pose an interesting question. I was raised in the South and have spent the majority of my life there. Cheese straws, hot boiled peanuts and pork rinds are about the only savory/crunchy items that come to mind that are found homemade.

Commercial crackers generally were served as a snack (cheese or peanut butter) or with a meal (salad or soup). Nabs(?) - the cracker sandwiches with cheese or peanut butter were for snacks.

Most of the savory snacks which I see consumed seem to be chips and nuts.

I'd be quite interested in seeing a new thread about traditional Indian savory snacks.
My Indian food experience has been restaurant oriented, which puts a limited slant on experience. Please elaborate!

[mamachef]

Rasam, we used to go to an Indian buffet (pardon me if I'm using an Ethnic generalitiy; no offense intended) and my absolute favorite part was the appetizers. There were little pappadums with a topping selection that included chopped tomato and onion, garbanzos, cilantro, chutneys, tamarind, yogurt, and limes, and the layered combination was just amazing. I never found out the name of it, much to my regret, and have not run into a similar buffet/salad bar since then. Your post reminded me that so many cultures have so many non-potato chip-based snack foods that still deliver crunch and satisfaction; tiny masa chips with salsa (fresh-fried, of course), bruschetta with any number of toppings, even hushpuppies. No, my idea of snacks isn't mass-produced Sysco trail mix. I much prefer the real deal. Give me a samosa, a sambusa, a pakora, a fritter.

[Perilagu Khan]

The truth is that a great many, perhaps most, snack foods started small and local and were so successful that the companies could afford mass production and distrubution. Thus they succeeded precisely because they were delicious and delivered their products at a price that common folks could afford. The "artisanal" stuff that died out probably failed because it was overpriced and/or not enough people found it delicious.

And as for myself, I was brought up primarily on homemade food but freely admit that many mass produed products and fast foods are delicious. I think the zealous rejection of these products usually has more to do with ideology than than taste.

[alkapal]

>>>>"""" I think the zealous rejection of these products usually has more to do with ideology than than taste."""<<<

BINGO! <esp. zealotry in toto>.

[EWSflash]

Awesome, alkapal!

[LBJR09]

Are you talking about poppadoms?! If so then well, I LOVE poppadoms! I used to get them in Asian shops ready rolled out and then fry them at home...good with lime pickle

[StickyNinja]

Blue Diamond Nut Thins. Seriously, if you haven't tried these yet you should. All of the plain ones are fantastic, and the cheese ones are really good too.

Because they're made out of nuts they have a really hearty crunch, almost like a kettle-cooked potato chip. IMHO, the best new snack food to come out in years. Sooo nutty and delicious.

[Bob W]

One more -- Corn Nuts!

[alkapal]

corn nuts reminds me of my first true "college love." we'd go with about six of us to the 7-11, play the ancient pinball machine, and eat the 7-11 beef n' bean burritos and corn nuts. those corn nuts are addictive!

[EWSflash]

Ry-Krisp, seasoned. My first love/
Triscuits
Pork rinds
wheat thins
Fresh-fried tortilla chips

[otps]

Chex mix, Gardetto's mix, Sun Chips French onion, Cheeto's. Planters Cheese balls, when they were available.

[EWSflash]

ooh- when I got married my (wonderful) mother-in-law had goten a big can of planter's cheeze balls she was going to put on the reception table- I told key friends that we had to eat them all tonight so they wouldn't besmirch my lovely reception food table. Mixed feelings? Yes, but they're a yummy guilty pleasure- something like 'good enough to XXX, not good enough to marry" lol
Guilty pleasures aren't something I wanted on the table that day because I had plenty of my own!

[GraydonCarter]

A piece of hard, crusty french bread with warmed brie cheese spread on top.

[alkapal]

graydon, the next time you warm a round of brie, try putting a knob of butter and slivered almonds on top to melt and almonds toast a little. that stuff will make you crazy, it's so delicious!

[Bob W]

Great thread. Many of my favorites are mentioned on here, but of course there are more. Here are two:

1. Pepperidge Farm Sesame and Pumpernickel Sticks. These are classic eat the whole box snacks. Extremely unhealthy (hence their buttery deliciousness).

2. Melba rounds (my favorite was always garlic). The end pieces were extra crunchy and extra good. I used to slather these with cream cheese but now I just eat them out of the box. Pretty healthy, yet still delicious.

[cheesecake17]

I love melba rounds- but melba toast is a favorite. I eat a package with a piece of cheese or two for a snack every so often. They're addicting!

[DonShirer]

For snacking, I like the Kellogg's All Bran Crackers my wife brought home recently.

However, for soft cheeses, I prefer Ritz Simply Socials, or the Keebler's Toasteds (which I am muching on with Camembert as I type). Hard cheese?--Crusty bread, no crackers.

[Perilagu Khan]

I bought a sack of Habanero Doritos, last night. They--surprisingly--pack a very respectable amount of heat, but I'm not sure I'm crazy about the flavor.

[alkapal]

yeah, i tried the thai flavor doritos, but while the "flavor profile" is there, i just really don't like them, and i love thai food.

always come back to nacho cheese flavor.

[dingey]

I'm still a sucker for the Cool Ranch, too.

[mamueller]

As I stand in front of the snack machine at my office, inevitably it will be the crunchy cheetos - better yet, the jalapeno variety. Then again, at Costco they had these enormous bags of buffalo flavor pretzel crisps - but not so enormous that I couldn't eat them all, thankfully not in one sitting. Wheat thins, triscuits - just can't have that kind of stuff in the house.

[Emme]

Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers - delicate crumb, slight sweetness, I guess a little more biscuit (sweet snack) like but oh well

Ritz Original... let the flogging begin

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Honey Pretzel Sticks

Sadly, I have nostalgic fondness for Club Crackers.

[alkapal]

i used to love love love club crackers when i went out with my mom and dad as a kid. our local prime rib place had them on the table, and i'd butter them up. yum. still buy them every now and then, for nostalgia's sake, but they taste sweeter than they used to taste.

and ritz crackers are a staple.

[meatn3]

We would do that with Captains Wafers. It was a sign of a fancy place if they served Captains Wafer's with the salad or relish tray!

[alkapal]

isn't that what they were called then? YES! captain's wafers -- now that you mention it! LOVED them! and yes, it was the fancy place in fort myers -- "smitty's" -- during the late sixties and early seventies.

what was the name of the place in clearwater that you are thinking of, too? y'all had more fancy restaurants in your neck of the woods, because of the proximity to tampa, right?

[meatn3]

It may have been Siples Garden Seat. Located on a bluff overlooking the inter-coastal, the property had lovely landscaping around the ancient live oaks. It was the place for celebrations and my first introduction to table side preparations and flambéed items.

We were still pretty small in the '60's - had to drive to St. Pete for pizza or Chinese food. And you didn't even try to dine out during the season - the town probably tripled in size for a few months with all the snowbirds! There were more out of state car tags than local then.

(Alkapal, your doing some late nights lately - y'all ok?)

[alkapal]

hangin' in there, meatn3, and thanks for asking!

we had a chinese in north fort myers in the 70's, and we'd get the egg drop soup and the wonton soup. i liked the subgum chicken! LOL!
~~
never heard of siples garden seat. any old articles on it?

[meatn3]

Here you go:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1fsD...

It was really lovely and the food was top notch at the time. Many "fancy" birthday celebrations there...

Glad you are well.

[alkapal]

what a lovely place! isn't it sad when they close?

[spinachandchocolate]

Chex mix--I'm surprised I haven't seen this one yet.

Stacey's Pita Chips in a variety of flavors

Hanover pretzel nibs in honey mustard

Veggie "chips" that you get in the clear package at Whole Foods. I think it's a crime they try to make it seem healthy.

[al b. darned]

For me it's Triscuit...any flavor. I am disappointed the discontinued the cheddar flavor, but there are plenty of other flavors in which I can drown my sorrows. Especially good with Tribe 40 Spices hummus.

My other favorite: Wise Cheez Waffies. Tho hard to find in my area, I just discovered I can buy them by the case from Wise. One case is about a week's supply.

[Scriever]

Nothing beats simple water crackers topped with good cheese (with Alkapal: Trader Joe's are cheap & tasty). My go-to topper is cave-aged, raw-milk, Lancaster Amish cheddar sold cheap at the local farmer's market. Nom.

Maybe I overlooked it, but I'm surprised no-one mentioned pita chips. Love 'em plain or loaded with hummus. Often skip the expensive bags and split/bake pocket pita in the toaster oven with a little touch of olive oil and coarse salt.

Much love to the Cheez-It, too. I was mad for those Cheddar & More Cheddar Cheez-It Twisterz for a while. Plus, not really a chip or cracker, but when really weak-willed I can pack away Utz Cheese Balls until my tongue burns.

[mcf]

Nut Thins, especially hazelnut or pecan.

[Val]

Thanks for posting this, mcf...I looked them up on the fitsugar website and they look really good!

[bropaul]

Can't believe no one's mentioned Pepperidge farm Goldfish - original cheddar. My new favorite - and I can't believe I am saying this - Sunchips cheddar. I also like the Salsa sunchips.

[onceadaylily]

I'll say it. I love SunChips. Love them.

I was just reading an article that the company is struggling to get the public to accept their new (green) packaging. People are complaining that the bags are *too loud* (because we don't have enough going on with unemployment rates, oil spills, and whatnot). And by complaining, I mean writing the company, and starting anti-new-SunChip-bag facebook pages. My first thought was, Well, these people are just crazy, bored, and/or selfish.

But now I'm wondering if they are just embarrassed to be caught eating SunChips, and need stealthier packaging, so that their foodie friends don't look over and say, "What are you eating?"

[Perilagu Khan]

I don't care about the ideology behind Sun Chips; I just don't like 'em, period.

Different strokes and all that jazz....

[Pia]

Are Sun Chips supposed to be embarrassing? I like them too.

[betsydiver]

like the sunchips, smartfood popcorn, triscuits, wheat thins, extra dark sourdough pretzels from Utz

[BobB]

My new snack addiction is not exactly a chip but is still a crunchy, salty treat: Veggie Stix, especially the hot variety. Serious snacking satisfaction. And in theory, less fat and fewer calories than potato chips, but that assumes you don't finish off the entire bag as soon as it's opened!

[Sharuf]

Shrimp chips! All by themselves - no dip needed. Seems I only find them in Asian markets.

[steakman55]

The original Dorito, which was taco flavored and not made anymore. A bag of those and a bottle of Scotch was my favorite snack.

[Perilagu Khan]

Heh heh. I like the way you think.

I'm also fairly parshul to the Nacho Cheese Doritos. Those have been around since at least the early 70s, I believe.

[mickie44]

Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers (gluten-free for those interested). Bought them at Costco and they have replaced my previous addiction to parmesan triscuits. Made with sesame seeds, quinoa seeds, flax seeds, tamari and more -- sounds too healthy to be good but they are yummy. Even my junk food friends demand them.

[cheesemaestro]

Most of my faves have already been mentioned: Cheez-Its, Cheetos, wasabi peas and Japanese rice crackers. I also really enjoy flatbreads and lavosh. The flatbreads made by Rustic Bakery are addictive. All of the flavors are excellent, but their onion and creme fraiche flatbread is the bomb!

[jacquelines]

American Vintage Wine Biscuits are amazing, addictive and thank goodness they come in 4.5 oz packages.
New York Style Everything Bagel Chips. Wow.

[quirkydeb]

Oh my goodness, yes, those Wine Biscuits are good (and expensive)! From what I remember, more of a cookie than a cracker.

[woodleyparkhound]

Cheez-its (as I posted above) and their first cousins, Goldfish. Cheese, salt and fat - all in the same morsel. Heaven.

[mpjmph]

Better Cheddar crackers, Trader Joe's edamame flavored mini rice crackers, TJ's cheese puffs, and Stacy's cinnamon pita chips.

[nomadchowwoman]

Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisps. I am addicted to these--unfortunately as they are super expensive. But, omigosh are they delicious.
I also love Stacy's Naked Pita Chips.
For guacamole or salsa or chile con queso, we love plain old white Tostitos.

[mollyomormon]

Those Raincoast Crisps are unbelivable. I nearly finished off a box in one sitting this morning which sucks because they are, as you said, pricey.

[maplesugar]

+2 for Raincoast crisps! Love those dang things! (fyi there are recipes floating around that I can post a link to in HC in case you want to save a few bucks and make them yourself). Up here a box of Raincoast Crisps goes for $6-7(CDN) I've found they're cheaper at Italian supermarkets of all places.

[nomadchowwoman]

BION, that is a bargain compared to the $9.99 ($8.99 on special) they are here; the only place I've found them locally is WF. I'd love to have the link, maplesugar, and give the recipe a go. Thanks!

[maplesugar]

Hope you like this version as much as I do! :) http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/728884

[Axalady]

Another vote for Stacy's pita chips - the naked ones. Perfect for any flavor dip.

[Perilagu Khan]

Another fav that I forgot is oyster crackers topped with a little swirl of that pressurized cheese product in a can. American, Cheddar, Cheddar and Bacon--they're all delish.

[monkeyrotica]

I can't eat clam chowder without Vermont Common Crackers. Nice with a slice of cheddar.

I tend to go for the BIG chicharones they sell in bodegas. When I can find them, I usually get the ones that are the size of a garbage can lid. Although, there's a lot to be said for plain old Utz Pork Rinds and Tabasco, although it usually involves something like, "Turn on the fan in the bathroom, will ya?"

[iluvcookies]

Carr's Table Water crackers... these with a bit of good brie cheese are heavenly!

[JungMann]

Garlic pretzel chips are terribly good, especially with brie or spinach dip. If we're not talking about dipping snacks, I get weak in the knees for Combos and pork rinds, especially the latter, which are surprisingly versatile as a topping for noodles, a filler in soups and chaat, or a coating for fried foods.

[Bryan Pepperseed]

Toss up - Wheat Thins or Sunchips

[Pia]

Food Should Taste Good jalapeno or multigrain tortilla chips (or sweet potato, except this is the non-potato category), TJ's multigrain crackers (they have some really generic name like that, but they are round, thin, and crisp, and have a light soy coating and come in a sleeve), and this snack mix that's ubiquitous around here with rice crackers, sesame crackers, and nuts.

[enbell]

Food Should Taste Good Multigrain are excellent! the Buffalo-not so much. I am intrigued by the olive flavored, but have yet to try.

[soypower]

Another favorite of mine are sesame thins. Sometimes hard to find, but the heaven that is sesame thins and havarti are what dreams are made of.

[enbell]

Snyder's Sourdough Nibblers are my absolute favorite; I recently discovered Goya Cassava chips and love 'em. Japanese rice crackers are equally hard for me to resist!

[Caroline1]

Oh, if we're allowed to go ethnic, then Wasabi Peas!

[betsydiver]

yes!

[Perilagu Khan]

Wasabie rice crackers are sheer murder. Murder, I tell you!

[DiningDiva]

So are Wasabi PopChips

[ipsedixit]

And wasabi Shrimp Chips.

[onceadaylily]

Japanese rice crackers . . . nori make arare. I just posted about these on another thread, and got two bags today. Hands down, my favorite.

I also love the rosemary Tricuits, but don't let myself buy them unless they're on sale. Do you know how rarely these go on sale in my neighborhood? *sigh*

I also posted about those Snap Peas, which are really just butter-flavored puffy crackers dyed green. The packaging suggests that these are for salads? I could not speak to their use in that application, but can only say that they leave the fingers oily enough to butter a cake pan.

[alkapal]

lily, you don't live near any harris teeter stores? they are often on sale -- half the sales are buy-one-get-one-free. other times, 2/$5. sometimes not "so much" of a sale -- but still something off.

[onceadaylily]

I've never seen a Harris Teeter. I'm guessing your either east or west coast. I'm just outside of Chicago.

Jewel Osco does the 2/$5 maybe once a year. But I shop at smaller ethnic markets quite a bit more often, and those places will have packs of chicken breasts for two bucks, onions for thirty-nine cents a pound, but charge nearly five bucks for a bag of chips or a box of crackers. I don't know why, but this pricing structure never fails to make me smile.

[lexpatti]

love those stoned ground wheat crackers by Red Oval Farms but also love triscuits. Red Oval are just so simply delish, goes with everything or by itself.

[alkapal]

lexpatti, you may want to give trader joe's stone ground wheat crackers. they are *probably* made by red oval farms as they taste identical, i think.

[lexpatti]

thanks, I'll look - I'm now loving TJ for the first time - I had a misconception about them!

[DiningDiva]

Do Cheetos fit this category? Crunchy Cheetos, definitely can't eat just one ;-).

[tcamp]

Same here! I wish the Subway shop downstairs didn't carry them. I'm powerless to resist. The puffy cheetos suck, however.

[betsydiver]

I like the hot ones best (cheetos(

[soypower]

Flamin Hot Funyuns are my weakness. Luckily, they're incredibly spicy so I can't eat them too quickly.

Also the pumpernickel pretzel sticks at Trader Joe's...

[Perilagu Khan]

I had Wasabi Funyuns. Once. They were incredible and now they're gone.

[soypower]

Wasabi Funyuns? Haven't seen them, but I'll definitely be on the lookout for them now!

[Perilagu Khan]

I fear they've gone the way of the ankleyasaurus.

[soypower]

That is quite disappointing. :o(

[akq]

For crackers, I love Carr's black peppercorn water crackers and their rosemary crackers. I also love saltines.

For chips, I love pita chips, taro chips and Boulder Canyon's rice/adzuki bean chips. YUM. They are all fabulous with a little white bean dip.

[lisavf]

I second the Carr's rosemary crackers, topped with cheddar cheese and apple slices. So yummy!

For my guilty snack, original Wheat Thins with Helluva Good French Onion Dip. If I didn't portion out the Wheat Thins before I started eating them, I don't think I would stop until the crackers AND dip were both gone. I swear, when I get on that kick, I could eat them until I burst. But never plain crackers - always with the dip.

[alkapal]

try trader joe's version of water crackers. i think they are as good as carr's, but about 1/3 the price. they have a cracked black pepper version.

[pairswellwithwine]

White Cheddar Cheetos and Wheat Thins. I love Chicken in a Bisket as well but can only eat a few before salted-tongue burn kicks in and I can no longer appreciate them.

[Perilagu Khan]

I grew up with Chick n' a Bisket and occasionally develop a mad craving for them. Unfortunately, they do not pairwellwithwine. ;)

[hotteacher1976]

Town crackers or Wheat Thins
Pork Rinds

[greygarious]

In the supermarkets, Snyder's of Hanover Honey Mustard and Onion Nibblers.

From Trader Joe's, the Soy Mini Rice Crackers with Black Sesame and the 12 Grain mini crackers.

[betsydiver]

oh those nibblers...bad habit of licking out the inside of the bag!

[greygarious]

I cut the empty bag open and scrape the coating into a container of bread crumbs to top baked mac&cheese.

[OCAnn]

My vote also goes to Snyder's...but I prefer their Garlic Nibblers or their Ranch Bits.

[ipsedixit]

Herr's Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels.

(A close second, a very close second, would be Bacon Peanut Brittle by Sir Francis.)

[golightly01]

Cheddar Jack Cheez-Its... My husband and I try NOT to buy them in the store because we know they don't stand a chance in our cupboard.

And new to us are RiceWorks in the Salsa flavor. YUM! Brown rice chips, so we don't feel too badly muching on them.

I'm also a sucker for good ol' Doritos and Funyuns. Kids stuff, I know, but they're pure evil salty goodness.

[shanagain]

I enjoy cheezits, but we eat a lot of TexMex in my house, so there's frequently leftover refried beans, pico de gallo or plain old salsa, so tortilla chips are definitely the big winner.

[shanagain]

I just realized if I was going to be perfectly honest... Cheetos might win. I have zero self control over them,,, or Funyuns.

[dingey]

I'm with you. If I'm gonna get down and dirty with some junk food, give me the extra crunchy Cheetos, or maybe a box of Bugles. mmmmmm, Bugles. Are they fried in crack?

[cookie monster]

Ak-mak crackers. With cheese or hummus or all by themselves. And they're even sort of good for you.

[DiningDiva]

Without a doubt - the Pecan Nut Thins from Blue Diamond

Wheat and gluten free, and better than a wheat flour cracker (even Triscuits) - http://store.bluediamond.com/Nut-Thin...

[meatn3]

Ah, Nut Thins! The only flavor that I'm not crazy about is the smoke house.

[mrbigshotno.1]

I can almost kill a whole box of original cheez-it's.

[shanagain]

Yeah - "Get your own box!" was pretty much from my lips to their marketing dept's ears.

[la2tokyo]

My willpower is no match for a box of cheez its. I can't tell you how many times I've looked in the mirror at cheez its caked all over my teeth and felt like a beaten man. Why do they have to stick like that? Just to rub it in my face? At least when I eat a carton of ice cream my face doesn't show it to the world afterwards.

[ipsedixit]

For the Cheez-It's crowd ... would you settle for a box of Nips? Or is it Cheez-It's or bust?

[akq]

My SO is a cheez-it guy and for him the Nips are NOT an acceptable substitute. I learned that the hard way. ;)

[shanagain]

No Nips. And NO " Big" Cheez-Its. I've learned that the hard way.

They are Not.The.Same.

[woodleyparkhound]

I LOVE CHEEZ-ITS!! For that reason, I never, ever buy them. But if I'm at someone's house and they are offered to me... it gets ugly.

[pemma]

Cheez-Its are my favorite. Never, never, never Cheese Nips! And the original Cheez-Its are the best, not any of the new varieties.

[jmckee]

My teenaged son? No "almost" about it. I go to the grocery on Mondays. He was doing some summer homework Tuesday and ate the whole box.

[cheesecake17]

I LOVE original cheez-its. I could truly eat the whole box.

Also love plain triscuits with sharp cheddar on top. And sun chips-orignal flavor. Glenny's soy chips are fantastic too.

[Japanecdote]

I love cheez-it's so much I smuggled a box in my luggage from the US to Japan. Ate them in a day and a half but it was so, so worth it.

[alkapal]

are they contraband in japan or something?

[Japanecdote]

Nope, but smuggled seemed the right word since they were shoved in between my underwear and a bottle of Sriracha.

[Perilagu Khan]

Sriracha in your skivvies? That's how Houdini died, you know.

[Japanecdote]

The bottle was sealed, since I am a scholar of history.

[quirkydeb]

My name is Deborah & I'm a Triscuitaholic. Esp. the black pepper and sundried tomato flavors. With toppings, by themselves, by the box-full... My excuse is that at least they're full of fiber.

[Caroline1]

I'm a Triscuit addict too, but where have I been hiding? Or maybe I have to give up the blindfold while I'm shopping? I don't recall seeing black pepper or sundreid tomato flavored Triscuits. But now I'll be looking! But I do like the saltiness of the originals. Healthy salt, with all that fiber. Right?

[mollyomormon]

the Garden Herb flavor absolutely kills me. I can easily eat a box in one sitting.

[sheilal]

I tried the Rosemary and Olive Oil triscuits a couple of months ago, and I absolutely cannot get enough! They are so delicious!!

[alkapal]

my current fave triscuit is the rye with caraway. the rosemary one is a close second.

[jeanmarieok]

Rye with caraway and a chunk of emmentaler, and I am in heaven.....

[Aravisea]

+1 - love the rosemary triscuits!!

[OCAnn]

Out of curiosity (thanks to this thread), I tried the rosemary triscuits this weekend; I liked the texture & flavour, but found them a bit too salty for my taste. =)

[Aravisea]

The salt is one of the reasons I love Triscuits! :)

[Val]

OCAnn....have you found and tried "Hint of Salt" Triscuits??? My current favorite...crunchy, just a tad salty and very satisfying! Our Publix grocery stores sell them.

[OCAnn]

Thank you for that tip; I'll look for it the next time I'm @ the market. =)

[alkapal]

they ARE salty. i'm gonna see how the hint of salt ones do.....
why can't they do neat flavors without all the heavy salt?

[LA Buckeye Fan]

I know this is very down market, but I LOVE that Knorr's Spinach Dip thingy dipped with the prepackaged garlic toasts I find in my market's deli section. LOVE IT.

[alkapal]

la, welcome to the knorr's devotee club! there are many, many of us here.

[LA Buckeye Fan]

Thanks Alka. We're the one's with spinach in our teeth at every party.

[alkapal]

that's only a problem if anyone sees us as we hover over the dip (which we have stolen and hidden in the kitchen...)! LOL!

[LA Buckeye Fan]

lol...better hide two bowls. One for each of us. I wouldn't want it to get ugly.

[alkapal]

ok, fair enough!

(i always make mine with a whole bunch -- literally -- of green onions, and use all the green onion (except root and tough green parts). do you tweak yours?

oh, i always double the recipe!

i was contemplating adding some chopped artichoke or hearts of palm. what say you?