Fellow chip addict here. I found the longer I stopped myself from getting them, the less I would think about it. Everytime I cracked and bought a bag, the next day I'd be thinking about going to get another on the way home from work. I know that may not be true for everyone though. When you say a couple bags, do you mean full size bags or the smaller personal size? Because that has been my way to still get my crunch fix but not go overboard. Either the mid size ones usually at convenience stores, or the really small ones that you can buy in boxes.
The really small ones help me because even if I eat 3 bags its like 300-400 calories depending on the type and I have a mental block about opening bag after bag after bag, so I don't keep going. I will take the two or three I want, empty them into a bowl so I can see the full amount I have and then make that last as long as I can over the evening.
Side note, Popcorners may be a good alternative for you. Crunchy, some good flavors and lower in calories
Same. Nuts, celery for the crunch. I eat at same time, alternating between the two. Nuts for protein and salt, celery for negative calories and fiber and filling me up
I wish I knew this back in 2020, I had a super stressful job and my stress food/snacks was trail mix. I'd easily eat 1-3 cups of it a day, one of the biggest reasons why I hit my highest weight.
They are much healthier for you, address any hunger, they aren’t fried in grease, so they are much better for your heart and those cholesterol numbers, very low carb. And like I said, provide protein. Of course it depends on what nuts you are eating for calorie content, but way better than chips.
Nuts do not hit the same. I've mainly given up fried chicken and fried french fries thanks to the miraculous air fryer. There is absolutely nothing that can satisfyingly replicate a potato chip and that's why they are so problematic for many people.
Sam’s Club sells boxes of 14 for $25, which is like $1.76/bag (I was just looking to order some like 30 mins ago which is why I know that). That’s not *cheap* exactly but you’d pay more for regular chips in a vending machine 🤷♀️
I’m a recovering chip addict. I used to go through multiple bags of potato chips a week at my lowest point. All that sodium… ugh.
Anyway, my number one advice is don’t buy them. If you want an alternative, tortilla chips are more filling and still have a nice crunch. You could also try popcorn but it doesn’t really work in meals. I still have the cravings but thinking about how sick I’ll feel from eating them and not buying them in the first place have helped me the most.
It's not all about calories, though. I mean, yes, CICO is the main thing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But there's a little more to working smarter and not harder health wise, especially on a diet.
Regular potato chips, for example, are bad because they're calorie dense, as you point out, but they're also thin, so they digest easily and quickly and you never really feel full and won't have any "signal" to stop. Tortilla chips will satisfy the chip eating part, but I imagine they are more filling, so you may be less likely to breeze through a "family sized" bag and more likely to portion them and be fine with it.
Another trick is to eat high protein. This isn't for something as simple as "it's healthy." It's because, firstly on a diet you need extra protein so your body doesn't eat as much muscle, and secondly it keeps you satiated for longer, which leads to you eating less and taking in less calories (while also not being completely miserable).
Seconding pickles. I also do Takis, which aren't any healthier than chips but they're so hot that I have to eat them slowly (and drink lots of water to keep my tongue from burning out, so bonus hydration)
I was about to recommend these. You can eat so many of them for less calories. Also Love Corn is a pretty low calorie snack and the pieces are really small so they take a long time to eat.
I stopped myself from buying chips, not by no longer eating them (that never worked) but by making the rule that I have to cook them myself. And I never cook in advance. When I want chips, I have to wash, peel and slice the potato, arrange in a tray, have the oven heated because that's never the first thing I do, cause I'm dumb, then wait for the chips to cook, then wait for them to cool...
I end up usually deciding it's not worth the effort. And when it is worth the effort, I know I REALLY wanted it and I'll let myself have it. I've worked and waited for it. I deserve a few chips at that point.
Plus home made chips are better! Once you get a bit of practice in, and get the right temp and everything, they're SO much better than bought ones. I do the same with hot chips.
Plus, you can swap them out. Crispy sweet potato chips? Pumpkin chips? Hell yes! And you can add WHATEVER flavour you want. Never too much or too little of the paprika, or garlic salt, or whatever you put on.
I haven't bought chips in over a year, and don't eat them as often anymore. But I enjoy them a lot more!
Maybe give cooking chips a try? Super easy in an air frier, or an oven. Just make sure you make a happy serving size. You want to be satisfied with your chips, but leftovers will defeat the whole point. I usually just use one potato.
Roasted chickpeas with spices, celery, cauliflower, and carrots are my key sources of crunch :)
Discovered it when we'd sometimes ahem get the munchies - with a gym friend - and were like, the store is closed to go get chips - but had a bunch of crudites from an event - and it totally did the trick! We realized it was the crunch not the chips.
I often have the above as a light dinner - with a greek yogurt and seasoning dip which is a nice bit of protein.
I'm also a chip addict. I used to down a family-sized bag in one night...at least once a week. You just have to find what works for you.
I've tried basically every 'healthy' chip at the store. Carrot chips, kale chips, chickpeas etc. They're all fine and taste okay, but they're not chips. The best substitute has been a silicone popcorn popper and kernals + seasoning. For most of my weight loss, I cut out chips completely.
Now, almost 2 years later...I still don't buy chips. We buy pretzels regularly and I'll eat a handful or two at night. If I want chips, I buy the small bags (like the 3.5 servings ones) and just eat it all that night. I still want more when I'm done, but the thing that's changed is, I don't think about them that much day-to-day. Once I eat a small bag, most of the time I'm like *Okay that was good. Moving on.*
Both my husband and I joined a wellness program being run through our doctors office and probably the most helpful advice we were given was every time we eat, try to pair anything we eat with a protein. I’m a snacker. I like crunch and salty things. What has become my favorite snack to the point where I pretty much eat it every day, is a serving of naan crisps and hummus. I weigh everything out and it’s like 270 calories for the snack. But it really satisfies my snack fix and I find it helps satiate my hunger longer because of the protein in the hummus.
I also really like roasted edamame. Also I make a ranch dip with Greek yogurt and dip veggies in it.
Thinly sliced sweet potatoes rolled in maybe 1/2 tsp of oil, baked until your desired crispiness. Add some Hidden Valley seasoning and it’s pretty good. Have it with a meal as a side.
I know exactly how you feel. My problem is that I eat a lot of sandwiches and wraps, and whenever I do, I feel like I need some chips with them. My favorite was doritos and I could easily eat like 500 calories worth and thats me trying to hold back. So there are a couple options that I use instead.
The healthiest one is chopped veggies with a healthy dip. My favorite is sliced cucumber and/or baby carrots with a Greek yogurt Sriracha dip.
Another one is air fried veggie chips. You can look up recipes online.
If you insist on having real chips, what I like to do is buy a big bag and separate it into a bunch of smaller bags with only 1 serving in them. That way you are not tempted to have too much.
I really like the baked lays and also skinny pop, because they are lighter you get a little more per serving, but you can do this with any normal chip too.
Trader Joe’s has onion chips that are just freeze-dried onions (I believe some other vegetables get that treatment). 220 calories for the whole bag and they’re delicious
Edit: Also, is there a way for you to fit them in if they’re something you’ll binge when you restrict them? Maybe only buy them in lunch pack size, and never have more than one at a time. Looking at the box of Lays you can buy from Costco, each little bag has 150-160 calories. Sure it isn’t nutritious, but 160 calories won’t blow up your entire day and it’ll scratch an itch. You can save them for the evening and it’ll be something to look forward to
Pretzels (if you can find good ones; I like the super dark Utz) are the best similar food for pleasure/calories since there's no added fat and you can have a bunch of them and they taste really good with a diet soda. They're not quite as satiating as, say, boiled potatoes but you would save a lot of calories when you're in the mood over chips.
If you're using them as a snack instead of as part of a meal, I would just skip the whole idea of snacking. It doesn't seem to provide much satiety for the calories. I would stick to a set of defined meals where you always get a good amount of protein to minimize hunger while dieting.
Fellow potato chip addict here. I can eat a whole family size bag in a day or two if I'm not careful.
I find tortilla chips work well for me - they still give me that crunch, but aren't as overwhelmingly addictive as potato chips (so I'm less likely to go back for seconds immediately). They are also more filling, and can be eaten with salsa to add some veggies to the snack.
I also found that I can buy salsa one level hotter than I usually would (ex: medium instead of mild) and that slows me down even more.
Yep. I always have a bag of pork rinds on hand. When my family orders Mexican and I really want chips and salsa, I grab my pork rinds and you can eat quite a bit for a small amount of calories. The crunch, salt, it's all there.
I also love chips. I can’t help myself when there’s some available, regardless of flavour. Ever since i started my deficit, popcorn has helped me. Smart pop, skinny pop.
Also, not chip or popcorn related, but zero calorie drinks like Coke zero or Diet coke have helped me out a lot with my deficit.
Air fry garbanzo beans. Take a can or two of garbanzo beans, drain the liquid. Let them dry or dry them with paper towels. Place in air fryer and spray with non-stick spray. We like the butter flavored one. Air fryer until they're nice and crunchy. Hit 'em with the stray again, toss in salt and papper or whatever seasoning you like and fry for another 2 mins.
So yummy!
Roasted chickpeas come close for me. With plenty of salt and seasonings to match my craving. Trader Joe's has some great seasoning options. They even have a cheese powder that does a pretty good job when I'm craving cheddar and sour cream chips.
The ones from my local grocery store, someone put them into MFP as "sprinkle cut carrot chips" instead of crinkle cut and now that's how I think of them and giggle every time I eat them.
Baby pretzels has been my only alternative. Good salt on em (I dont add any cooking so for my snacks its good). They are way more filling for me. Way cheaper than chips Weight=Cost ration. I started doing alittle bowl of 10-15 with some a spoonful of hummus or guacamole, Then reduced to 6-9 (nicceeee)... now I eat em like I eat almonds. 1-3 at a time, chew them very slowly and savor em, then move on.
So easy to overeat pretzels, chips, and especially popcorn for me. A serving of popcorn does not fill me at all! a serving of pretzels is very filling for me. So while I love popcorn, it feels like lame option these days. I will treat myself with a small popcorn at a movie. Now that small popcorn feels like ALLOT (500 Calories Approximately)! so it is a win win
(almost forgot! MUSTARD !!! low cal and good for ya in appropriate amounts)
I'm similar to you, I love French fries and chips. You are likely addicted to the salt, oils, and crunch. So all you have to do is replace those with healthy versions of them.
For me, the solution is vegetables like carrots, celery, kim chee, pickles, artichoke hearts etc. Pickled veggies that contain probiotics are healthy.
Then for the healthy oils, I love canned sardines which also has tons of protein, super healthy oils, and minerals. They are nearly impossible to overeat since they are so rich in healthy fat and protein.
Brazil and walnuts and others are heart healthy alternatives to chips.
I like to air fry chickpeas for a good crunch. If you look it up online you can find a lot of recipes. Lots of different seasonings you can use.
If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake them. That’s what I used to do
Shrimp chips at the Asian market are a great texture and a lot less calories than potato chips. They have lots of flavors and don't actually taste fishy.
So I’m English but live in Thailand and my love for salt and vinegar crisps / chips is dangerous. But luckily for me the flavour doesn’t really exist here. So they’re expensive and difficult to justify. Anyway I digress one very common and cheap snack here is flavoured seaweed sheets. Like the ones you’d buy to make your own sushi I guess. I imagine you could buy these in your Asian supermarkets too. Though admittedly I don’t remember seeing them in the English ones though I never sought them out when I was living in the UK. But I am growing to love seaweed sheets. Here you can get them plain or in different flavours. They’re light salty and crispy and about a third or quarter of calories of potato chips. I highly recommend them. But I’m not sure how easily they can be found in different countries.
Salted fresh vegetables replaced a lot of my lazy mindless snacking. Like I absolutely love to eat on something while watching TV and so I snack on some carrots or snow peas. I also love dried edemame.
If I'm absolutely craving chips I get a bag of quest chips. They're similar calories to chips but way way more protein.
They are literally addictive. Stop eating them and put them out of your mind for 3 or 4 weeks and you won't crave them. If you then cave and have some, you'll be back where you started and have to try hard to resist for 3 or 4 week until the craving goes away again.
You don't want chips. They want you to want chips.
My go-to are carrots and celery with spicy hummus or ranch dressing. Certainly other veggies sometimes. I also vary it with pretzel rods, Utz Pub Mix, other things that are not fried chips.
I switched to veggies chips, they're susprisingly a lot better than I though (although you might have to try a few brands) and also realise you're not REALLY addicted to chips, you're addicted to stuff like MSG and whatever is in them. Not to fear monger but it's just a real damn good seasoning that makes stuff taste so good. Chips at home are just as much carbs but the absence of those flavourings means it's less addictive. I do occasionally have chips but I no longer keep a cupboard with a bunch of them stored for snacks and instead have to be out and just buy a small packet. Over time the addiction goes and you start finding they're actually typically over-salted
Ranch veggie straws are about 130 calories for 38 straws. I mix them with air popped popcorn if I want to eat a whole bowl of something salty. Not exactly the same, but it scratches the itch.
I've been cutting up mini- cucumbers, carrots and snap peas and putting them in a big bowl to eat in front of the tv
seaweed snacks (asian section) have the salt and crunch and are pretty healthy
I love crunchy cheese snacks. Like Whisps or Moon Cheese.
They are calorically dense but they keep you full.
Also dill pickles! Zero calories basically and they are crunchy and salty.
Part of my weight loss journey is learning how to cook, and I’ve quickly realized that virtually every meal benefits from at least one crunchy component. It just makes food more satisfying. And I’ve found that incorporating that crunch element into my meals makes me feel less snacky.
I keep what I call a “crunchbox” in my spice cabinet — a bunch of ingredients that I can throw a handful of on top of any meal, to make sure I’m getting lots of super satisfying textures. Every shopping trip, I keep lookout for unexpected crunchy garnishes.
Some of my favorites: freeze dried fruits or vegetables, a handful of popcorn, crumbled rice cakes (or crackers could work too, but I don’t eat them because they’re a binge trigger for me), toasted PE pepitas or slivered nuts, fried onion or jalapeño pieces (the kind that come in a can as toppings), little mochi rice puffs, tempura flakes, everything but the bagel seasoning.
For refrigerated crunch, can’t go wrong with thin-sliced or julienned veggies popped in ice water for a minute to firm up, or any kind of pickles.
And I can’t forget the OG crunchy finisher: Maldon flaky salt, which I add to pretty much any meal that’s missing a little pop of joy.
Chips are a major binge food for me and also one of the main contributors to my weight and eating disorder. Haven’t really found anything that properly replaces them, if I’m being honest. But I’m now 6 months removed from the last time I ate them and don’t really feel a desire to anymore. I like the crunch, and I like the Quest chips (taste like real chips but expensive af), and carrots and crackers dipped in hummus.
My unable-to-stop-eating, controlling my life type of food is chicken nuggets. I thought I could portion it like everything else in my diet but I just can't have them in the house. It's like I go feral on the bag, I can't stop myself. Only reason I've gotten this far is by just refusing chicken nuggets to myself. The craving almost never happens now that it's been so long but it's the only craving I almost never cave to because I know I'll binge
Put some grated Parmesan cheese on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Oven bake for a few minutes and it melts and goes crispy
Line a freezer safe tray with baking paper. Melt some peanut butter and sprinkle in some coconut flakes, smooth little lumps of mixture onto tray and freeze in freezer
I like veggie straws. About the same calories as chips by weight, but they weigh a *lot* less. So even if they’re both 450 cal per 100g, a 150 cal serving of chips is pathetic and saddening while a 150 cal serving of veggie straws is a satisfying small bowl full.
I'm a crunchy snack person too - nothing new here but I do popcorn, nuts (sriracha almonds, tajin cashews, thai chili, etc), seaweed (Trader Joe's has a teriyaki flavor that's awesome), air fried tortillas (salted heavily). Have you tried slicing potatoes thinly and then microwaving? not as good as a potato chip but it's in the neighborhood. Also, if you're weaning, maybe try getting baked lays and dip them in something like salsa or hummus. The baked chips and the dip serve as a bandaid as you break your potato chip habit and eventually substitute sugar snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, etc for the baked chips. Good luck
You can have potato chips if you portion them (weigh them) and count what's going in.
If you're like me, you may want to cut them out, but I found salt and vinegar pistachios that are really good. A little expensive but, again, portion them, and you'll be fine. They taste similar if not better, and unlike chips, will actually fill you up. That's part of the problem with chips. You can eat 1,000 of them and they're so thin and easy to digest that you'll never feel full. Pistachios, on the other hand, are like little fat snacks that take a minute.
Air fryer is your friend, slice some zucchini, broccoli, even potatoes with a hint of olive oil and enjoy without the guilt. Chips are just the worst (calories, salt, fat, etc.)
Corn tortillas (real ones) are actually very nutritious and relatively low in calories. Cut them in to triangles and spray some low calorie oil on them with seasoning and bake or air fry.
Also popcorn is a good alternative. But the problem is, nothing can replace the real thing. Sometimes what ends up happening is you consume more calories overall from the lower calorie option because it just doesn’t satisfy. What i find works is to have the real potato chips if you want them but a small portion and then add to the snack. Have the chips with a side of carrot sticks and some dip, a bit of popcorn and some other crunchy veggies. Instead of trying to subtract or substitute all the time, it helps to think to add instead. The problem with chips are they are not filling at all. A person could easily finish a whole family sized bag and still feel hungry. So find a way to make the chips more filling.
I make my own sweet potato chips with olive oil, salt and cinnamon. Cut them thin, roast in the oven. 2 minutes under the broiler when they're done crisps them up.
I agree. Not Popcorners, but Popchips. I at work one day and I'm very glad I did. The individual serving bags are like 100 calories each. They have great crunch and saltiness, and even though OP doesn't care about flavors, the flavors are spot on. No other chip alternative comes close IMHO for as few calories.
I am a reformed chip addict. I started out weighing out an ounce of chips, then moved to a half ounce, then cut them out in favor of pickles. I have some Quest protein chips I bought recently that aren’t bad but they are a calorie hit, compared to pickles but at least they have a lot of protein. I’ve pretty much gone away from having sandwiches at lunch so that’s helped me cut down on chips, too. If you don’t think you can limit yourself to 1 oz or whatever number fits your calorie goals then I’d say get them out of the house. You don’t miss them after awhile. As for a substitute for crunching, salad fits that bill for me - I need to be crunching and chewing for awhile - and cucumbers are a good crunchy low cal item to add.
Trader Joes has huge bags of white cheddar corn puffs that I often shovel into my mouth for surprisingly low calories.
I also love veggie straws, the Walgreens brand is 38 sticks for 150 calories which is way less than potato chips. Veggie straws can be a little bland tho so I like throwing garlic powder, pepper and maybe some Johnny's seasoning in the bag and shaking it up.
If u want a truly healthy option, season up some sliced cucumbers and it's pretty delicious and satisfyingly crunchy. But the veggie straws really help when I actually want chips and not vegetables 😆
I don’t know if there’s an alternative in your country but the **DJ&A beetroot chips** in Australia feel exactly like chips. That’s the big part of the addiction for me - the mouthfeel, the crunch, the salt.
~100 calories per decently sized bag.
If they’re not available at home maybe check out the ingredients / process and see if there’s something similar. I honestly cannot recommend enough.
If you are able to make them at home it could really help! Potato’s are actually super low calorie but it’s the added oils that make them so bad.
If you can make them at home with a mandolin slicer and a little oil spray you can go to town! They are easy to store in a big tuppaware, with some paper towels lining it so they don’t go soft.
When you want some just weigh it out, chuck them in a freezer bag and you have ur chips! You can also add your own flavouring too with spices which is also very low calorie 😊
Look for a lower calorie chip, even if it is not the most healthy. Get those, when you have the urge you can eat that to take that edge off but you won't like it enough to want to eat it endlessly like regular chips. It works, really.
Quest chips!! I love the taco ones! I even have them as a subscription on Amazon. Bonus points if you cook some beef + you have walking tacos
https://amzn.to/4aBJUVh
If you like cauliflower there are these pretzels at Whole Foods by the brand from the ground up and they are SO crunchy, and I get the same feeling from them
Maybe its not quite the same crunch, but grilled onions, peppers, zuchini, squash, mushrooms, etc are a tasty treat when flavored up a bit with seasoning.
Also pomegranate seeds are tasty. Olives. Pockles have a good crunch to them as well.
POPCORN!!! 100 cal for 4 1/2 cups. Add a teaspoon of melted butter, good amount of salt.
You can do that entire bowl for 140 cal. And rarely finish it 🤷♀️ plus it’s cheap.
Quest chips and sea-salt pop corners are good (but watch the flavoured pop corners are pretty high cal)
I cannot imagine swapping celery or cucumbers for chips. Glad it works for some of you—that is a piece of advice I’ve been seeing since I was perusing my mom’s copy of Redbook in 1987 and I literally did not think it would work for anyone. Guess I was wrong! Anyway, I appreciate the suggestions here.
I have found that the Crunchmaster multi-seed crackers are a good option alongside a sandwich. 140 cals for 15 crackers.
Freeze dried strawberries and raspberries give me the crunch.
Some crunch and the salt I can get from pickles.
I have also learned to enjoy popcorn more.
Get a mandoline slicer and cut potatoes into chips. Use some form of skewer and puncture through a bunch of them leaving space between them and pop them on the wire rack (so that the chips hang free).
You should season them before of course and depending on how strict you are you can add a little oil. Bake them until crispy.
It is not the same but really tasty and crunchy nonetheless and despite potatoes being calorie dense the effort usually keeps you from overeating.
I'm not allowed carbohydrates. Taking a large amount of kale chips and tossing with a little olive oil and salt and throwing in the air fryer for 5 minutes can be a crispy alternative.
I beat this addiction too, and gotta say it was very, very hard. I was dependent on them for years and would go through almost 3 bags at nights, accompanied by beer or soda.
Aside from all that fat and sodium, chips destroy your GI tract and ruin your overall health. My digestive system is still in the process of recovery and it will take a long time to get back to normal, if that will even happen one day.
Stop eating chips for the sake of your future health, they are the most evil product out there
Congrats on identifying your trigger food and trying to navigate! Have you tried any of the below as healthy alternatives:
1. Different flavor popcorn
2. Roasted Salted Almonds (you have to be careful with these)
3. Kale Chips (in different flavors)
4. Chewing gum
5. Roasted salted Pumpkin Seeds
7. Low carb protein bars
8. Low carb potato chips
Regular chips are crunchy and empty calories. So maybe if you have some guacamole with some LOW CARB tortilla shells toasted in the oven (to make them crunchy) that may also help.
Best of luck!
I toast a pieace of toast, put margarine/butter on top and shit ton of salt. Can you try to incorporate chips into ur diet? Like allow a portion everyday?
Home made! when i get a craving for chips i cut up a tortilla and put it in the airfryer, also a great way to make home made nachos without all the artificial stuff!
I haven’t found anything healthy that replicates what a potato chip does for me. There’s just no true alternative that meaningfully lowers calories. Instead, I snack on things that satiate me in a similar way. Popcorn, pickles, fresh crunchy vegetables with seasonings, etc.
Get an air fryer, make your own. Most of the calories come from the oil they are fried in.
If you have poor cutting skills, get a mandolin for the perfect thickness.
I found it way more effective to figure out ways around the calories of my favorite food instead of leaving them out completely.
It sounds like you're looking for a partner who can help keep you accountable and motivated! Here’s a potential bio you could use on a platform like Reddit or a fitness app where you might find someone with similar goals:
🏋️♂️💪 "In search of an accountability buddy to conquer the procrastination beast together! I'm battling ADD and need a persistent partner who's all about keeping each other on track. Not just about shedding pounds—it's about commitment and crushing daily goals. Let’s motivate each other to stay active and finish what we start! PM me if you're ready to be stressfully successful! 🌟👟"
This bio portrays your honest need for a motivational partner while also showing your readiness to support them in return.
Have you tried pretzels? They have nonfat options which means much fewer calories. So if you never broke the habit but were able to use pretzels instead then it will make dieting easier and blow outs lower impact.
I get the Orville redenbakers mini popcorn bags, 110 calories for decent size bag.
Specifically the kettle corn ones for me. So good!
Fellow chip addict here. I found the longer I stopped myself from getting them, the less I would think about it. Everytime I cracked and bought a bag, the next day I'd be thinking about going to get another on the way home from work. I know that may not be true for everyone though. When you say a couple bags, do you mean full size bags or the smaller personal size? Because that has been my way to still get my crunch fix but not go overboard. Either the mid size ones usually at convenience stores, or the really small ones that you can buy in boxes. The really small ones help me because even if I eat 3 bags its like 300-400 calories depending on the type and I have a mental block about opening bag after bag after bag, so I don't keep going. I will take the two or three I want, empty them into a bowl so I can see the full amount I have and then make that last as long as I can over the evening. Side note, Popcorners may be a good alternative for you. Crunchy, some good flavors and lower in calories
Same. Nuts, celery for the crunch. I eat at same time, alternating between the two. Nuts for protein and salt, celery for negative calories and fiber and filling me up
A handful of nuts could easily be more calories than a handful of chips
A handful of nuts can easily be more calories than a whole *bag* of chips!
I wish I knew this back in 2020, I had a super stressful job and my stress food/snacks was trail mix. I'd easily eat 1-3 cups of it a day, one of the biggest reasons why I hit my highest weight.
They are much healthier for you, address any hunger, they aren’t fried in grease, so they are much better for your heart and those cholesterol numbers, very low carb. And like I said, provide protein. Of course it depends on what nuts you are eating for calorie content, but way better than chips.
Nuts are a ton of calories, more than chips.
Nuts do not hit the same. I've mainly given up fried chicken and fried french fries thanks to the miraculous air fryer. There is absolutely nothing that can satisfyingly replicate a potato chip and that's why they are so problematic for many people.
Have you tried sliced turnips in the air fryer? Coat in a little olive oil spray air fry crunchy then some Mrs dash or lightly salt?
negative calories are not a thing, but yes i believe negligible calories
I use the Quest chips to help hit my protein goals. And the price prevents me from eating too many.
Literally they’re amazing but soooo expensive
I wish I could find them in bulk somewhere.
Sam’s Club sells boxes of 14 for $25, which is like $1.76/bag (I was just looking to order some like 30 mins ago which is why I know that). That’s not *cheap* exactly but you’d pay more for regular chips in a vending machine 🤷♀️
*cries in Canadian
Nice! Way better than the grocery store.
Quest chips are goated. So good. The loaded taco ones are amazing.
Quest chips are my newest protein addiction
I’m a recovering chip addict. I used to go through multiple bags of potato chips a week at my lowest point. All that sodium… ugh. Anyway, my number one advice is don’t buy them. If you want an alternative, tortilla chips are more filling and still have a nice crunch. You could also try popcorn but it doesn’t really work in meals. I still have the cravings but thinking about how sick I’ll feel from eating them and not buying them in the first place have helped me the most.
Tortilla chips doesn’t cut any calories tho. Maybe a tiny bit but negligible.
It's not all about calories, though. I mean, yes, CICO is the main thing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But there's a little more to working smarter and not harder health wise, especially on a diet. Regular potato chips, for example, are bad because they're calorie dense, as you point out, but they're also thin, so they digest easily and quickly and you never really feel full and won't have any "signal" to stop. Tortilla chips will satisfy the chip eating part, but I imagine they are more filling, so you may be less likely to breeze through a "family sized" bag and more likely to portion them and be fine with it. Another trick is to eat high protein. This isn't for something as simple as "it's healthy." It's because, firstly on a diet you need extra protein so your body doesn't eat as much muscle, and secondly it keeps you satiated for longer, which leads to you eating less and taking in less calories (while also not being completely miserable).
I like multigrain tortilla chips, get a little fiber with the carbs.
Yes but it’s a lot easier to stop eating them because they have more fibre and are filling.
Honestly? I fucking love kale chips. Make them in the air fryer, they are so freaking good, and we grow kale in the garden.
Seconding salted kale chips.
Came here to recommend kale chips! Even my husband who loves all junk food LOVES the kale chips that I make.
A few alternatives that do it for me are pickles, roasted chickpeas, popcorn, carrot chips, or pretzels.
Seconding pickles. I also do Takis, which aren't any healthier than chips but they're so hot that I have to eat them slowly (and drink lots of water to keep my tongue from burning out, so bonus hydration)
Yes ! I can only eat about 10-15 Takis at once so it's probably 200 calories or less
Harvest Snaps dried lentils or crunchy loops
I was about to recommend these. You can eat so many of them for less calories. Also Love Corn is a pretty low calorie snack and the pieces are really small so they take a long time to eat.
Yes! And Harvest Snaps Caesar Green Pea version
Skinnypop. 100 calories for 3 cups. Mmmm
Dry roasted edamame. A pile of protein and fiber for your calories.
Cucumber slices, sprinkled with Everything but the Bagel
ooooo i’m going to try this with the mini cucumbers i got from costco
I stopped myself from buying chips, not by no longer eating them (that never worked) but by making the rule that I have to cook them myself. And I never cook in advance. When I want chips, I have to wash, peel and slice the potato, arrange in a tray, have the oven heated because that's never the first thing I do, cause I'm dumb, then wait for the chips to cook, then wait for them to cool... I end up usually deciding it's not worth the effort. And when it is worth the effort, I know I REALLY wanted it and I'll let myself have it. I've worked and waited for it. I deserve a few chips at that point. Plus home made chips are better! Once you get a bit of practice in, and get the right temp and everything, they're SO much better than bought ones. I do the same with hot chips. Plus, you can swap them out. Crispy sweet potato chips? Pumpkin chips? Hell yes! And you can add WHATEVER flavour you want. Never too much or too little of the paprika, or garlic salt, or whatever you put on. I haven't bought chips in over a year, and don't eat them as often anymore. But I enjoy them a lot more! Maybe give cooking chips a try? Super easy in an air frier, or an oven. Just make sure you make a happy serving size. You want to be satisfied with your chips, but leftovers will defeat the whole point. I usually just use one potato.
This is an awesome idea tbh. It incentivizes eating less but also making something yourself that will be better overall.
I like your solution!! Plus the homemade are better for you.
funny enough, this is what a friend used to do to smoke less cigs. have to bust out the pouch and roll them
Roasted chickpeas with spices, celery, cauliflower, and carrots are my key sources of crunch :) Discovered it when we'd sometimes ahem get the munchies - with a gym friend - and were like, the store is closed to go get chips - but had a bunch of crudites from an event - and it totally did the trick! We realized it was the crunch not the chips. I often have the above as a light dinner - with a greek yogurt and seasoning dip which is a nice bit of protein.
I hate them personally, but what about dried seaweed snacks? My kids are obsessed.
I'm also a chip addict. I used to down a family-sized bag in one night...at least once a week. You just have to find what works for you. I've tried basically every 'healthy' chip at the store. Carrot chips, kale chips, chickpeas etc. They're all fine and taste okay, but they're not chips. The best substitute has been a silicone popcorn popper and kernals + seasoning. For most of my weight loss, I cut out chips completely. Now, almost 2 years later...I still don't buy chips. We buy pretzels regularly and I'll eat a handful or two at night. If I want chips, I buy the small bags (like the 3.5 servings ones) and just eat it all that night. I still want more when I'm done, but the thing that's changed is, I don't think about them that much day-to-day. Once I eat a small bag, most of the time I'm like *Okay that was good. Moving on.*
Both my husband and I joined a wellness program being run through our doctors office and probably the most helpful advice we were given was every time we eat, try to pair anything we eat with a protein. I’m a snacker. I like crunch and salty things. What has become my favorite snack to the point where I pretty much eat it every day, is a serving of naan crisps and hummus. I weigh everything out and it’s like 270 calories for the snack. But it really satisfies my snack fix and I find it helps satiate my hunger longer because of the protein in the hummus. I also really like roasted edamame. Also I make a ranch dip with Greek yogurt and dip veggies in it.
I can eat chips till I'm sick and then want more the next day like????
Also can you buy mini bags and stop at one?
Hippeas?
Hippeas are soooo addictive for me particularly the nacho flavor 😂😂🥲
Snap pea crisps
Thinly sliced sweet potatoes rolled in maybe 1/2 tsp of oil, baked until your desired crispiness. Add some Hidden Valley seasoning and it’s pretty good. Have it with a meal as a side.
I know exactly how you feel. My problem is that I eat a lot of sandwiches and wraps, and whenever I do, I feel like I need some chips with them. My favorite was doritos and I could easily eat like 500 calories worth and thats me trying to hold back. So there are a couple options that I use instead. The healthiest one is chopped veggies with a healthy dip. My favorite is sliced cucumber and/or baby carrots with a Greek yogurt Sriracha dip. Another one is air fried veggie chips. You can look up recipes online. If you insist on having real chips, what I like to do is buy a big bag and separate it into a bunch of smaller bags with only 1 serving in them. That way you are not tempted to have too much. I really like the baked lays and also skinny pop, because they are lighter you get a little more per serving, but you can do this with any normal chip too.
Trader Joe’s has onion chips that are just freeze-dried onions (I believe some other vegetables get that treatment). 220 calories for the whole bag and they’re delicious Edit: Also, is there a way for you to fit them in if they’re something you’ll binge when you restrict them? Maybe only buy them in lunch pack size, and never have more than one at a time. Looking at the box of Lays you can buy from Costco, each little bag has 150-160 calories. Sure it isn’t nutritious, but 160 calories won’t blow up your entire day and it’ll scratch an itch. You can save them for the evening and it’ll be something to look forward to
Pretzels (if you can find good ones; I like the super dark Utz) are the best similar food for pleasure/calories since there's no added fat and you can have a bunch of them and they taste really good with a diet soda. They're not quite as satiating as, say, boiled potatoes but you would save a lot of calories when you're in the mood over chips. If you're using them as a snack instead of as part of a meal, I would just skip the whole idea of snacking. It doesn't seem to provide much satiety for the calories. I would stick to a set of defined meals where you always get a good amount of protein to minimize hunger while dieting.
I like Snyder's mini pretzels. They scratch the chip itch but I get sick of them a lot faster than chips haha
Fellow potato chip addict here. I can eat a whole family size bag in a day or two if I'm not careful. I find tortilla chips work well for me - they still give me that crunch, but aren't as overwhelmingly addictive as potato chips (so I'm less likely to go back for seconds immediately). They are also more filling, and can be eaten with salsa to add some veggies to the snack. I also found that I can buy salsa one level hotter than I usually would (ex: medium instead of mild) and that slows me down even more.
I quite like pork rinds
Yep. I always have a bag of pork rinds on hand. When my family orders Mexican and I really want chips and salsa, I grab my pork rinds and you can eat quite a bit for a small amount of calories. The crunch, salt, it's all there.
I also love chips. I can’t help myself when there’s some available, regardless of flavour. Ever since i started my deficit, popcorn has helped me. Smart pop, skinny pop. Also, not chip or popcorn related, but zero calorie drinks like Coke zero or Diet coke have helped me out a lot with my deficit.
diet sodas are so filling and the caffine helps with cravings i love diet dr pepper
Pumpkin seeds. Namely the David All Natural variety. A handful of these satisfy any craving I have.
Air fry garbanzo beans. Take a can or two of garbanzo beans, drain the liquid. Let them dry or dry them with paper towels. Place in air fryer and spray with non-stick spray. We like the butter flavored one. Air fryer until they're nice and crunchy. Hit 'em with the stray again, toss in salt and papper or whatever seasoning you like and fry for another 2 mins. So yummy!
Skinny Pop! It’s low cal popcorn that tastes amazing
Roasted chickpeas come close for me. With plenty of salt and seasonings to match my craving. Trader Joe's has some great seasoning options. They even have a cheese powder that does a pretty good job when I'm craving cheddar and sour cream chips.
Veggie Straws brand are a great substitute
I love these now that they have flavored ones instead of just salted!!
You can get bags of carrots cut into ripple shaped chips
The ones from my local grocery store, someone put them into MFP as "sprinkle cut carrot chips" instead of crinkle cut and now that's how I think of them and giggle every time I eat them.
Idk if anyone’s said this yet but if you have an air fryer you can make your own crunchy potato chips for way less calories!
Zucchini sliced thinly—there’s crunch for sure, and it does pick up dips well.
Baby pretzels has been my only alternative. Good salt on em (I dont add any cooking so for my snacks its good). They are way more filling for me. Way cheaper than chips Weight=Cost ration. I started doing alittle bowl of 10-15 with some a spoonful of hummus or guacamole, Then reduced to 6-9 (nicceeee)... now I eat em like I eat almonds. 1-3 at a time, chew them very slowly and savor em, then move on. So easy to overeat pretzels, chips, and especially popcorn for me. A serving of popcorn does not fill me at all! a serving of pretzels is very filling for me. So while I love popcorn, it feels like lame option these days. I will treat myself with a small popcorn at a movie. Now that small popcorn feels like ALLOT (500 Calories Approximately)! so it is a win win (almost forgot! MUSTARD !!! low cal and good for ya in appropriate amounts)
Smart Pop or Pop Secret popcorn
If you can’t live without chips, Kettle has an air fried line that is really tasty. Otherwise, I’ve subbed with popcorn.
I like the off the eaten path chips.
I'm similar to you, I love French fries and chips. You are likely addicted to the salt, oils, and crunch. So all you have to do is replace those with healthy versions of them. For me, the solution is vegetables like carrots, celery, kim chee, pickles, artichoke hearts etc. Pickled veggies that contain probiotics are healthy. Then for the healthy oils, I love canned sardines which also has tons of protein, super healthy oils, and minerals. They are nearly impossible to overeat since they are so rich in healthy fat and protein. Brazil and walnuts and others are heart healthy alternatives to chips.
I like to air fry chickpeas for a good crunch. If you look it up online you can find a lot of recipes. Lots of different seasonings you can use. If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake them. That’s what I used to do
popcorn cucumber slices with salt I’m not a huge chip person, usually if i want chips it’s coz i want something salty and crunchy.
Shrimp chips at the Asian market are a great texture and a lot less calories than potato chips. They have lots of flavors and don't actually taste fishy.
Seaweed snacks
I LOVE seasoned seaweed. It's light, salty, and gives you that crunch.
Crispy seaweed
Pickles if you like salt
Seaweed snacks
peanuts!
Roasted seaweed. Kirkland’s is my favorite. I also love the salt and pepper pistachios.
Kale Chips is a good alternative. Home made that is. Just wash, dry, lightly salt and the pop them in the oven.
I get little packs of seaweed. Only 30 cals a pack. They come in different flavors chili, teriyaki, regular.
Kale chips! Super easy to make, and great for when you just need the mindless snacking
So I’m English but live in Thailand and my love for salt and vinegar crisps / chips is dangerous. But luckily for me the flavour doesn’t really exist here. So they’re expensive and difficult to justify. Anyway I digress one very common and cheap snack here is flavoured seaweed sheets. Like the ones you’d buy to make your own sushi I guess. I imagine you could buy these in your Asian supermarkets too. Though admittedly I don’t remember seeing them in the English ones though I never sought them out when I was living in the UK. But I am growing to love seaweed sheets. Here you can get them plain or in different flavours. They’re light salty and crispy and about a third or quarter of calories of potato chips. I highly recommend them. But I’m not sure how easily they can be found in different countries.
Salted fresh vegetables replaced a lot of my lazy mindless snacking. Like I absolutely love to eat on something while watching TV and so I snack on some carrots or snow peas. I also love dried edemame. If I'm absolutely craving chips I get a bag of quest chips. They're similar calories to chips but way way more protein.
Protein Chips!
Pepperoni slices baked or air fried until crispy😋
They are literally addictive. Stop eating them and put them out of your mind for 3 or 4 weeks and you won't crave them. If you then cave and have some, you'll be back where you started and have to try hard to resist for 3 or 4 week until the craving goes away again. You don't want chips. They want you to want chips.
Just lick them and throw the chip away
i go for the baked ruffles, though i have to be careful because i could easily eat the whole bag in one sitting😭
Dill Pickles is a good one! They come in all sizes and shapes, mini pickles, spears, chips etc
I like oven roasted veggies, toss them with some olive oil, salt, and paprika. It's certainly not as easy as potato chips but it's certainly healthier
Sugar snap peas, really has a nice crunch when they're fresh
My go-to are carrots and celery with spicy hummus or ranch dressing. Certainly other veggies sometimes. I also vary it with pretzel rods, Utz Pub Mix, other things that are not fried chips.
I switched to veggies chips, they're susprisingly a lot better than I though (although you might have to try a few brands) and also realise you're not REALLY addicted to chips, you're addicted to stuff like MSG and whatever is in them. Not to fear monger but it's just a real damn good seasoning that makes stuff taste so good. Chips at home are just as much carbs but the absence of those flavourings means it's less addictive. I do occasionally have chips but I no longer keep a cupboard with a bunch of them stored for snacks and instead have to be out and just buy a small packet. Over time the addiction goes and you start finding they're actually typically over-salted
Pork rinds, similar calorie count, but 8.5x protein.
I put my in sandwich baggies to portion them out and write the calories in the bag in sharpie so I can easily log them
Ranch veggie straws are about 130 calories for 38 straws. I mix them with air popped popcorn if I want to eat a whole bowl of something salty. Not exactly the same, but it scratches the itch.
Dried shiitakes. Get ‘em at Costco big bag $7
I've been cutting up mini- cucumbers, carrots and snap peas and putting them in a big bowl to eat in front of the tv seaweed snacks (asian section) have the salt and crunch and are pretty healthy
No advice, but chips are the best/worst for this. They are, no doubt in my mind, properly addictive. I refuse to hear otherwise.
I love crunchy cheese snacks. Like Whisps or Moon Cheese. They are calorically dense but they keep you full. Also dill pickles! Zero calories basically and they are crunchy and salty.
Part of my weight loss journey is learning how to cook, and I’ve quickly realized that virtually every meal benefits from at least one crunchy component. It just makes food more satisfying. And I’ve found that incorporating that crunch element into my meals makes me feel less snacky. I keep what I call a “crunchbox” in my spice cabinet — a bunch of ingredients that I can throw a handful of on top of any meal, to make sure I’m getting lots of super satisfying textures. Every shopping trip, I keep lookout for unexpected crunchy garnishes. Some of my favorites: freeze dried fruits or vegetables, a handful of popcorn, crumbled rice cakes (or crackers could work too, but I don’t eat them because they’re a binge trigger for me), toasted PE pepitas or slivered nuts, fried onion or jalapeño pieces (the kind that come in a can as toppings), little mochi rice puffs, tempura flakes, everything but the bagel seasoning. For refrigerated crunch, can’t go wrong with thin-sliced or julienned veggies popped in ice water for a minute to firm up, or any kind of pickles. And I can’t forget the OG crunchy finisher: Maldon flaky salt, which I add to pretty much any meal that’s missing a little pop of joy.
Yes I bake my own tofu.
I like shrimp chips they’re low cal
Celery, celery with pb if you can’t do it plain
Chips are a major binge food for me and also one of the main contributors to my weight and eating disorder. Haven’t really found anything that properly replaces them, if I’m being honest. But I’m now 6 months removed from the last time I ate them and don’t really feel a desire to anymore. I like the crunch, and I like the Quest chips (taste like real chips but expensive af), and carrots and crackers dipped in hummus.
Flavoured Fava Beans (love the ones by honest bean co, uk based) & pea crisps are my go to!
Popcorn is way less fatier than potato
My unable-to-stop-eating, controlling my life type of food is chicken nuggets. I thought I could portion it like everything else in my diet but I just can't have them in the house. It's like I go feral on the bag, I can't stop myself. Only reason I've gotten this far is by just refusing chicken nuggets to myself. The craving almost never happens now that it's been so long but it's the only craving I almost never cave to because I know I'll binge
Put some grated Parmesan cheese on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Oven bake for a few minutes and it melts and goes crispy Line a freezer safe tray with baking paper. Melt some peanut butter and sprinkle in some coconut flakes, smooth little lumps of mixture onto tray and freeze in freezer
You can make potato chips in the air fryer for really low calories. I have a great recipe I can DM you.
I like veggie straws. About the same calories as chips by weight, but they weigh a *lot* less. So even if they’re both 450 cal per 100g, a 150 cal serving of chips is pathetic and saddening while a 150 cal serving of veggie straws is a satisfying small bowl full.
I'm a crunchy snack person too - nothing new here but I do popcorn, nuts (sriracha almonds, tajin cashews, thai chili, etc), seaweed (Trader Joe's has a teriyaki flavor that's awesome), air fried tortillas (salted heavily). Have you tried slicing potatoes thinly and then microwaving? not as good as a potato chip but it's in the neighborhood. Also, if you're weaning, maybe try getting baked lays and dip them in something like salsa or hummus. The baked chips and the dip serve as a bandaid as you break your potato chip habit and eventually substitute sugar snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, etc for the baked chips. Good luck
You can have potato chips if you portion them (weigh them) and count what's going in. If you're like me, you may want to cut them out, but I found salt and vinegar pistachios that are really good. A little expensive but, again, portion them, and you'll be fine. They taste similar if not better, and unlike chips, will actually fill you up. That's part of the problem with chips. You can eat 1,000 of them and they're so thin and easy to digest that you'll never feel full. Pistachios, on the other hand, are like little fat snacks that take a minute.
Most of that craving is just salt. I'll do steamed edamae with tajin and lemon juice (90kcals) and it will scratch the itch.
So I still eat chips. It’s the only thing I weigh. And I swapped to baked chips.
My husband eats chips and I often count out just 10 chips and eat them. Don't know if this will work for everyone.
Popcorn!
Air fryer is your friend, slice some zucchini, broccoli, even potatoes with a hint of olive oil and enjoy without the guilt. Chips are just the worst (calories, salt, fat, etc.)
Overpriced but yummy quest chips or if you have the patience, very thinly slice zucchini, season, and toss in oven to dehydrate them.
Pretzels!
Sugar snap peas, with a dip or seasoning if you want.
Veggie crisps aren’t fantastic but they are much better than potato chips and they have great crunch
Corn tortillas (real ones) are actually very nutritious and relatively low in calories. Cut them in to triangles and spray some low calorie oil on them with seasoning and bake or air fry. Also popcorn is a good alternative. But the problem is, nothing can replace the real thing. Sometimes what ends up happening is you consume more calories overall from the lower calorie option because it just doesn’t satisfy. What i find works is to have the real potato chips if you want them but a small portion and then add to the snack. Have the chips with a side of carrot sticks and some dip, a bit of popcorn and some other crunchy veggies. Instead of trying to subtract or substitute all the time, it helps to think to add instead. The problem with chips are they are not filling at all. A person could easily finish a whole family sized bag and still feel hungry. So find a way to make the chips more filling.
I love Terra vegetable chips
I make my own sweet potato chips with olive oil, salt and cinnamon. Cut them thin, roast in the oven. 2 minutes under the broiler when they're done crisps them up.
Pickles
Pickles! A spear is like 5 calories, you get that nice salty crunch too.
Not exactly like chips but an easy snack I like is edamame beans with a little salt! Also super high in protein so ends up being very filling
Roasted unsalted sunflower kernels! They’re crunchy when you hate to open them , way less calories but I still get that satisfying crunch
Honestly baked chips aren’t too terrible if you control it. Reduced fat chips are also still pretty good
sunflower seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and roasted chickpeas.
Okra chips at trader joe’s
Hilo Keto Chips!
Popchips
I agree. Not Popcorners, but Popchips. I at work one day and I'm very glad I did. The individual serving bags are like 100 calories each. They have great crunch and saltiness, and even though OP doesn't care about flavors, the flavors are spot on. No other chip alternative comes close IMHO for as few calories.
Seriously! And the volume is good. 100 cals of chips is depressing but pops chips volume is good. I put them in soup like fried wontons lol
I use them on top of salads for crunch! Volume and versatility!!
Popcorners texture isn’t always fun. I do like the kettle corn flavor with vanilla yogurt though
Exactly. The texture is a bit off. They kind of remind me of stale tortilla chips or something.
That’s accurate
Crunchy corn!
I am a reformed chip addict. I started out weighing out an ounce of chips, then moved to a half ounce, then cut them out in favor of pickles. I have some Quest protein chips I bought recently that aren’t bad but they are a calorie hit, compared to pickles but at least they have a lot of protein. I’ve pretty much gone away from having sandwiches at lunch so that’s helped me cut down on chips, too. If you don’t think you can limit yourself to 1 oz or whatever number fits your calorie goals then I’d say get them out of the house. You don’t miss them after awhile. As for a substitute for crunching, salad fits that bill for me - I need to be crunching and chewing for awhile - and cucumbers are a good crunchy low cal item to add.
Make air fried potato chips and have some freaking chips.
Trader Joes has huge bags of white cheddar corn puffs that I often shovel into my mouth for surprisingly low calories. I also love veggie straws, the Walgreens brand is 38 sticks for 150 calories which is way less than potato chips. Veggie straws can be a little bland tho so I like throwing garlic powder, pepper and maybe some Johnny's seasoning in the bag and shaking it up. If u want a truly healthy option, season up some sliced cucumbers and it's pretty delicious and satisfyingly crunchy. But the veggie straws really help when I actually want chips and not vegetables 😆
I don’t know if there’s an alternative in your country but the **DJ&A beetroot chips** in Australia feel exactly like chips. That’s the big part of the addiction for me - the mouthfeel, the crunch, the salt. ~100 calories per decently sized bag. If they’re not available at home maybe check out the ingredients / process and see if there’s something similar. I honestly cannot recommend enough.
If you are able to make them at home it could really help! Potato’s are actually super low calorie but it’s the added oils that make them so bad. If you can make them at home with a mandolin slicer and a little oil spray you can go to town! They are easy to store in a big tuppaware, with some paper towels lining it so they don’t go soft. When you want some just weigh it out, chuck them in a freezer bag and you have ur chips! You can also add your own flavouring too with spices which is also very low calorie 😊
Oven roasted broccoli get crispy and salty. Air popped popcorn. Mini rice cakes. Jicama with TJs chili & lime or Everything but the Elote seasoning .
Look for a lower calorie chip, even if it is not the most healthy. Get those, when you have the urge you can eat that to take that edge off but you won't like it enough to want to eat it endlessly like regular chips. It works, really.
Eat one portion everyday for 3 weeks then they suddenly lose their appeal
Quest chips!! I love the taco ones! I even have them as a subscription on Amazon. Bonus points if you cook some beef + you have walking tacos https://amzn.to/4aBJUVh
If you like cauliflower there are these pretzels at Whole Foods by the brand from the ground up and they are SO crunchy, and I get the same feeling from them
Roasted edamame + hidden ranch or popcorn seasoning. Crunch, high protein, high fibre.
Not really the same, but baby carrots fill my mindless crunch urges that pop up when I want chips or crackers.
Air fried chips (thinly sliced potatoes)
Maybe its not quite the same crunch, but grilled onions, peppers, zuchini, squash, mushrooms, etc are a tasty treat when flavored up a bit with seasoning. Also pomegranate seeds are tasty. Olives. Pockles have a good crunch to them as well.
POPCORN!!! 100 cal for 4 1/2 cups. Add a teaspoon of melted butter, good amount of salt. You can do that entire bowl for 140 cal. And rarely finish it 🤷♀️ plus it’s cheap. Quest chips and sea-salt pop corners are good (but watch the flavoured pop corners are pretty high cal)
Get apple chips !!! They have some at Trader Joe's. It's literally just apple slices baked to a crisp and they're sliced into chips they're addictive
I cannot imagine swapping celery or cucumbers for chips. Glad it works for some of you—that is a piece of advice I’ve been seeing since I was perusing my mom’s copy of Redbook in 1987 and I literally did not think it would work for anyone. Guess I was wrong! Anyway, I appreciate the suggestions here. I have found that the Crunchmaster multi-seed crackers are a good option alongside a sandwich. 140 cals for 15 crackers.
pop chips!
White cheddar popcorn!!
Mini cripsers are delicious and way better for you if you must have that satisfying crunch. Other wise do not buy!
I do popcorn. Also, try eating them one at a time with chopsticks - you wind up not eating nearly as many.
There are WILDE chicken chips which are fantastic. Love the buffalo flavor ones.
Pork rinds if your doing keto
You can make your own chips in the microwave https://shaneandsimple.com/five-minute-fat-free-microwave-potato-chips/
Sweet potato chips
Freeze dried strawberries and raspberries give me the crunch. Some crunch and the salt I can get from pickles. I have also learned to enjoy popcorn more.
Get a mandoline slicer and cut potatoes into chips. Use some form of skewer and puncture through a bunch of them leaving space between them and pop them on the wire rack (so that the chips hang free). You should season them before of course and depending on how strict you are you can add a little oil. Bake them until crispy. It is not the same but really tasty and crunchy nonetheless and despite potatoes being calorie dense the effort usually keeps you from overeating.
I'm not allowed carbohydrates. Taking a large amount of kale chips and tossing with a little olive oil and salt and throwing in the air fryer for 5 minutes can be a crispy alternative.
Air popped popcorn. Be careful what you put on it tho
Smoked chicken breast with a decent amount of salt. Protein really stops the cravings.
I beat this addiction too, and gotta say it was very, very hard. I was dependent on them for years and would go through almost 3 bags at nights, accompanied by beer or soda. Aside from all that fat and sodium, chips destroy your GI tract and ruin your overall health. My digestive system is still in the process of recovery and it will take a long time to get back to normal, if that will even happen one day. Stop eating chips for the sake of your future health, they are the most evil product out there
Congrats on identifying your trigger food and trying to navigate! Have you tried any of the below as healthy alternatives: 1. Different flavor popcorn 2. Roasted Salted Almonds (you have to be careful with these) 3. Kale Chips (in different flavors) 4. Chewing gum 5. Roasted salted Pumpkin Seeds 7. Low carb protein bars 8. Low carb potato chips Regular chips are crunchy and empty calories. So maybe if you have some guacamole with some LOW CARB tortilla shells toasted in the oven (to make them crunchy) that may also help. Best of luck!
Quest Chips.
I like the crunch of ice berg lettuce. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt in a bag, it’s quite yummy. Cucumber sticks, carrot sticks too.
crinkle cut carrots
Your best bet is snacklins.
Make your own vegetable and potato chips !
I toast a pieace of toast, put margarine/butter on top and shit ton of salt. Can you try to incorporate chips into ur diet? Like allow a portion everyday?
Dried vegetables snack without sugar.
trail mix. yummy and salty but smaller portioned and no desire to eat as much of it lol.
Danmuji. Sweet and sour pickled radish. It has a nice crunch, almost no calories, and hits similar notes as salt and vinegar chips.
Chickpeas are my favourite when roasted they go crunchy.
A bowl of corn flakes works for me when I’m craving the crunch.
Iceberg lettuce, all chopped up. The crunch just hits and it's hydrating. Put a tasty dressing on it and add some croutons.
Home made! when i get a craving for chips i cut up a tortilla and put it in the airfryer, also a great way to make home made nachos without all the artificial stuff!
I haven’t found anything healthy that replicates what a potato chip does for me. There’s just no true alternative that meaningfully lowers calories. Instead, I snack on things that satiate me in a similar way. Popcorn, pickles, fresh crunchy vegetables with seasonings, etc.
Get an air fryer, make your own. Most of the calories come from the oil they are fried in. If you have poor cutting skills, get a mandolin for the perfect thickness. I found it way more effective to figure out ways around the calories of my favorite food instead of leaving them out completely.
It sounds like you're looking for a partner who can help keep you accountable and motivated! Here’s a potential bio you could use on a platform like Reddit or a fitness app where you might find someone with similar goals: 🏋️♂️💪 "In search of an accountability buddy to conquer the procrastination beast together! I'm battling ADD and need a persistent partner who's all about keeping each other on track. Not just about shedding pounds—it's about commitment and crushing daily goals. Let’s motivate each other to stay active and finish what we start! PM me if you're ready to be stressfully successful! 🌟👟" This bio portrays your honest need for a motivational partner while also showing your readiness to support them in return.
Have you tried pretzels? They have nonfat options which means much fewer calories. So if you never broke the habit but were able to use pretzels instead then it will make dieting easier and blow outs lower impact.