Ditch the Chip Bags: Easy Home-Made Salty Snacks

Ditch the Chip Bags: Easy Home-Made Salty Snacks

Potato chips are my weakness – but non-recyclable chip bags are my nemesis. What’s a girl to do? Here’s my solution.

I’ve made a deal with myself and my family: I won’t buy chips in big bags ‘just to have around’ anymore. When I do,  we inevitably eat an unhealthy amount of them. Plus, it generates non-recyclable chip bags. My one exception is for large parties -  then I'm willing to go all out and buy a bag. But the rest of the time, if we need a salty snack, we can make something at home. 

Since making this commitment, I've come across some great recipes. Here are a few of our favorite salty adventures:

-Popcorn: I get the best popcorn I can from a local health food store and we use the air popper I inherited from my parents. I melt a mix of butter, coconut oil and a little red palm oil and drizzle it on top. Then we add sea salt to taste. Quick, cheap, satisfying and a little greasy.

- Kale chips: By far my favorite. These are quick to make and incredibly tasty. It’s easy to find local kale in the summer or even grow your own. Some people aren’t fond of kale because it can be tough and chewy; but baked into chips, it becomes a light crispy medium for salt and flavour. Meghan Telpner has great recipes.

- Baked potato chips: These are classic, but compared to popcorn and kale chips they are more time consuming. That said, they are undeniably a comfort food, so sometimes it is worth it! Try this recipe for baked chips here.

- Zucchini chips: These are great option when the zuch’s are large and plentiful. You do have to press a bit of moisture out of them so they don’t take forever to bake. Most recipes will recommend paper towels for this, but I have designated a few reusable tea towels for this kind of thing. Here’s a simple recipe to try.

- Tamari Almonds: These aren’t exactly a substitute for chips, but they sure are a delicious salty snack. Many salted nuts come in non-recyclable packaging as well. Try this recipe for a simple roasted treat.

And there you have it: five alternatives to beat the chip bag. All of them are generally less expensive to make at home than to buy. And the sky is the limit for flavours you can add. Their only downfall is they are best if eaten fresh. If you want to make something for travel or lunches, then nuts are the best option. The rest would have to be stored in a sealed container or zipper bag with some type of silica pack that will reduce humidity and keep them crunchy. But that’s only if you have any left to store…

What do you think? Have you made any of these snacks at home? Any new ones you want to try? Join the conversation below.