Ore-Ida Golden Crinkles French Fried Potatoes — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Ore-Ida Golden Crinkles French Fried Potatoes by Ore-Ida OKAY — score 58/90.

Pretty much what it says: potatoes par-fried in oil with salt, a touch of dextrose for browning, and annatto for color. No artificial dyes, no flavor enhancers, no long chemistry list. It's a refined-oil fried starch though, so treat it as a side, not a vegetable serving.

Why this verdict

• Short, recognizable list, with potatoes as the first ingredient; the only real additive is sodium acid pyrophosphate for color retention.
• No artificial colors or flavors (color is natural annatto) and no MSG.
• Still par-fried in refined soybean and cottonseed oil, and dextrose is added sugar for browning.
• Low in fiber and protein, a starchy side rather than a nutritious one.

Ingredients (6)

• potatoes (safe) — Whole potato base - a real food.
• Vegetable oil blend (soybean, cottonseed) (moderate) — Refined seed oils the fries are par-fried in.
• Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
• Dextrose (caution) — Second added sweetener.
• annatto color (safe) — Plant-based coloring for a warm cream hue.
• Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (moderate) — Additive used to keep the fries from graying; a processing aid.