Crunchy Curls — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Crunchy Curls by Trader Joe's OKAY — score 70/90.

Despite the cheese-puff shape, these corkscrews contain no cheese — they are an extruded vegan snack of lentil flour, potato starch, and seed oils. The ingredient list is short and readable, but it is still refined starch fried in soybean oil, not a whole-food snack. Fine now and then, not a health food.

Why this verdict

• Short, recognizable ingredient list with no artificial additives
• Lentil flour adds a little plant protein and fiber
• Built on refined potato starch and soybean/safflower oil — an extruded, oil-fried puff
• No cheese, MSG, or flavor-enhancer stack despite the puff format

Ingredients (5)

• LENTIL FLOUR (safe) — Ground lentils — the redeeming ingredient, offering some protein and fiber.
• potato starch (moderate) — Refined starch used for texture; the main reason the carb count is not trivial.
• Soybean Oil (moderate) — Refined seed oil in the dough.
• Safflower and/or Sunflower Oil (moderate) — Additional refined frying oil.
• Salt (moderate) — Adds sodium; the only reason to watch portions if you are sodium-sensitive.

Healthier alternatives

• POPCORN HIMALAYAN PINK SALT
• Plantain Chips
• Roasted Seaweed Snack with Sea Salt
• Ridge Cut Potato Chips with Sea Salt
• LesserEvil Organic Popcorn, Himalayan Pink Salt