Will These Bean-Based Chips Become Your Fave Go-To Snack?

When I'm craving something salty and flavorful, I don't always turn to snacks that are even in the neighborhood of "healthy."

It's not that I don't like more nutritious foods—it's just that junk food is way too tempting and easy to get my hands on. That's why I'm always delighted to stumble upon wholesome snacks that also manage to taste savory and satisfying.

Most recently, the team behind Beanfields chips sent me a bundle featuring their newest flavors. Could these healthy bean-based bites be the remedy to my snacking woes? I put their latest four flavors to the test to find out.

The Product

Beanfields are crunchy, flavorful chips made with black beans and navy beans so that every bite is packed with protein, fiber and potassium. The chips are 130 calories per serving, with about 1.5 servings in each snack-size bag, and they come in a dozen different flavors.

Beanfields are vegan (yes, even the cheese-flavored varieties) and are made without gluten, GMOs or any of the top eight food allergens, including soy, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts. I was sent the Himalayan Salt + Vinegar, Cheddar Sour Cream, Spicy Queso and Jalapeño Lime flavors to try myself.

 

The Flavors

Himalayan Salt + Vinegar

First, I tried the Himalayan salt and vinegar flavor. When I took the first chip out of the bag, I found that it resembled a thick tortilla chip, and when I bit into it, it had a really satisfying crispy texture and snap.

Flavor-wise, I found the chip to be quite pungent with the tang of vinegar. They were a lot sharper than most of the other salt and vinegar chips I've tasted in my life. I found that to be a good thing, as I love strong flavors. I can imagine that if I liked my salt and vinegar to be milder, these could be overwhelming.

Once that vinegar flavor faded, I could sense a small, slightly bitter aftertaste of beans in my mouth. The bold vinegar flavor would mask the bean taste every time I ate a new chip, and that bean taste built up more and more as I got through the bag. I didn't find it unpleasant, but I might have if I really disliked beans. When I got to the end of the bag, I felt like it was just the right amount to keep further cravings at bay.

 

Cheddar Sour Cream

When I first tried the cheddar sour cream chips, I had no idea they were vegan. Despite lacking real cheese and sour cream, they had an authentically sharp cheddar taste, accentuated by tasty herbs and rounded out with a smooth sour cream-like flavor. These chips were super snackable, and when I found out they weren't made with any animal products, I somehow liked them even more. This time around—perhaps due to the flavors involved—I also didn't experience as much of the bean-flavored buildup as I got through the bag.

 

Spicy Queso

Next up, I dug into the spicy queso flavor. It reminded me a lot of the cheddar sour cream variety, as it was full of the same cheesy kick, but this flavor also added a nice element of heat. Cheese and spicy salsa flavors have always been a winning combination in my book, and this was possibly my favorite flavor of the four I got to try. Again, the seasoning masked the strong bean flavors.

 

Jalapeño Lime

Last but not least, I tried the jalapeño lime flavor. For some reason, I expected it taste creamy or cheesy like some of the other flavors, but instead, the flavor profile was a simple sour citrus flavor with a hint of jalapeño heat. Despite not being what I'd anticipated, I really enjoyed the simple taste of sour and hot. Like the salt and vinegar flavor, these simple ingredients didn't cover up the bean taste much, but I didn't mind because they were really tasty.

 

Bottom Line

If you're looking for a tasty chip with way more nutritional value than a standard tortilla or potato chip, Beanfields might be just right for you. Being vegan and free of most food allergens, they're for just about anybody, and they taste delicious, too. However, if you're wary of Beanfields because you can't stand beans, they might not change your mind about the versatile legume. Even their strong flavors don't hide the fact they're made with beans. If you can get past that fact, chances are you'll love these flavorful chips.

To find Beanfields chips in a store near you, click HERE to check out their store locator.

 

Love all kinds of chips? Click HERE for our definitive ranking of Lay's most famous potato chips.