Tomato Basil Crispy Baked Veggie Snacks — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Tomato Basil Crispy Baked Veggie Snacks by Calbee North America, LLC OKAY — score 58/90.

This is a baked lentil-and-rice snack built on a genuine legume base, which is a step up from a plain potato chip. The catch is the vegetable oil and the added color, which are there for looks and mouthfeel, not nutrition. Decent as an occasional crunchy snack, not something to mistake for whole food.

Why this verdict

• Red lentils are the first ingredient, so there is real legume protein and fiber underneath
• Fried/baked in vegetable oil, which is where most of the fat and calories come from
• Contains an added color, a purely cosmetic ingredient with no nutritional purpose
• Fortified with calcium carbonate and vitamin C, which reads more like label dressing than meaningful nutrition

Ingredients (7)

• RED LENTIL BEANS (safe) — Source of protein and fiber.
• Vegetable Oil (moderate) — Refined frying oil; the main source of the calorie density and fat.
• Rice (safe) — Plain cooked rice, a simple starch; only 9% of the product.
• TOMATO BASIL SEASONING (moderate) — Flavoring, processed.
• COLOR ADDITIVE (concerning) — Potentially artificial, no nutritional value.
• calcium carbonate (safe) — Added calcium — a mineral fortificant.
• AND VITAMIN C (safe) — Added for nutritional value, but unnecessary here.

Healthier alternatives

• Vegan Cheese Popped Water Lily Seeds
• Plantain Chips
• HIMALAYAN PINK ORGANIC POPCORN, HIMALAYAN PINK
• SkinnyPop Original Popcorn
• SkinnyPop Organic Original Popcorn