By Gwynedd Stuart |
The best keto chips shouldn’t feel like punishment for being on a diet. So we tasted all the keto chip brands we could find to let you in on the best keto friendly chips. Because snacks (even keto friendly snacks) should always be fun.
A lot of keto friendly foods are pretty bad. I’m no food scientist, but based on experience, I presume that attempting to accurately create low carb versions of carb-loaded foods, like bread, bagels, and cereal, is a tall order.
Chips are friendlier territory for keto-food-producing pioneers. What do we want from chips? Crunch. Salt. Diversion. Keto chips can do that, albeit in very different ways with varying degrees of success. Oh, and they have to have protein, too! We tried everything from chips made with chicken to chips made with something generically referred to as a “protein blend” to find the best (i.e. the most fun) keto chips you can buy.
Full disclosure: No one on the Sporked team abides by a keto diet (if you’re still not sure what exactly a keto diet is, read this), but we have tasted a lot of keto foods, from bagels to bars.
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- Atkins Protein Chips Ranch
The two big boys in keto friendly chips are Atkins and Quest. Both use the aforementioned “protein blend,” but my taste test revealed that Atkins Protein Chips have a slightly better texture than Quest’s, and that was enough to solidify them a spot among the best keto friendly chips. Atkins Protein Chips are a little thicker and they have the sensation of being more fried. They come in three flavors, but we were only able to get our hands on ranch. They’re good, but they do lean a little sweet thanks to the milky flavor of the protein blend from which they’re made. I’m recommending Atkins Protein Chips over Quest Protein Chips, but you should totally try the other flavors—Nacho Cheese and Chipotle BBQ—if you can find them near you.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Wilde Protein Chips Sea Salt & Vinegar
I’ll admit it: Chips made with chicken breast, egg whites, and bone broth do not sound good. But if you can get past their decidedly dinnery ingredients list, these keto friendly chips are surprisingly tasty. Wilde chips actually kind of taste like crispy chicken skins, and the sea salt and vinegar flavoring is a nice counterpart to the meaty, almost gamey taste of the chips themselves. We also tried Wilde’s Nashville Hot Chicken flavor and, trust me, you can skip it. They tasted like old library books (and please don’t ask me to explain what I mean by that).
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- HiLo Life Spicy Salsa
Of all the brands we tried, HiLo Life makes the best keto chips. Yes, these mock tortilla chips—which are made with a blend of oil, almond flour, and milk protein—have some textural issues. They get a little pasty as you chew, but if you just keep cramming them in your mouth, it’s totally tolerable. This Spicy Salsa variety is zesty, salty, and fun to eat. They also have 9 grams of protein per serving, so there’s not much more you could ask for from low carb chips.
Credit: Merc / HiLo Life
- HiLo Life Nacho Cheese
As I said, HiLo Life chips are good in general, but Nacho Cheese is the best flavor, especially if dietary restrictions have kept Doritos out of your pantry. The salty, savory cheese flavor does a good job of masking any weirdness from the oils and almond flour and, unlike a lot of keto foods, these don’t have an aftertaste. My colleague Jordan Myrick and I thought these were the best keto chips, while editor-in-chief Justine Sterling preferred the Spicy Salsa flavor. Either way, you won’t be too bummed about housing a bag of HiLo chips.
Credit: Merc / HiLo Life
Best Diet-y
Best Meaty
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Best Spicy
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
Best of the Best
Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Other products we tried: HiLo Life Ranch, Quest Spicy Sweet Chili Protein Chips, Quest Ranch Protein Chips, Quest Nacho Cheese Protein Chips
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About the Author
Gwynedd Stuart
Gwynedd Stuart, Sporked’s managing editor, is an L.A.-based writer and editor who spends way, way too much time at the grocery store. She’s never met an Old El Paso taco or mozzarella stick she didn’t like.
