Alright, so by appearance I may be just your regular everyday mildly overweight greasy college student who, by habit, munches on nothing other than slippery burgers, tacos pumped full of over-salted beef and cheese-like sauce, and fries that drip grease and fat like an orphan sheds tears.

But that’s not entirely true, I also enjoy a good slice of shiny, well-lubricated pizza.

Anyway, if you are a hardcore fast-food addict like myself, it’s possible you might be (or should be in most cases) looking for a healthy snack that will satisfy your rotund belly without keeping your blood from flowing freely through the rusty chambers of your rotten heart. And it might help if it tastes good, too, right?

So in an attempt to save a few of my arteries from completely closing down, I bought myself a bag of Rice Works Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps. They are made from 100% Whole Grain Brown Rice and seasoned with only natural flavors. And since they contain no cholesterol, trans fat, preservatives, wheat or gluten I figured they sounded healthy enough, even though I have to idea why most of those things are bad.

Straight from the bag:

Finally, something different. Really different. But don’t take our word for it. Hold one up to the light and see for yourself. A chip that’s made from natural whole grain brown rice with NO preservatives, artificial flavors, wheat or gluten’s in there. It’s made with only the good stuff. You can see the rice right in there, and we don’t need to tell you how good whole grain brown rice is for you. That’s what makes the crunch really, really crunchy.

After opening my bag of Rice Works chips I was still approaching them cautiously, knowing that most snacks that don’t make at least on part of your body cry for mercy usually don’t taste too great. However most of my fears dissipated when I caught a whiff of the wonderful aroma that rose from the bag. These chips smell great, with a light and sharp scent that isn’t overly salty but presents a nice spice that represents the Salsa flavor well. Definitely gets the mouth watering.

And the aroma translates wonderfully into taste, presenting eaters with a delightful flavor  reminiscent of fresh garden salsa. Thanks to the natural flavors that make up the entirety of Rice Works seasoning, you are able to taste most of the ingredients rather clearly with onion and tomato being the prominent flavors with a light backing of bell pepper and parsley. Surprisingly delicious.

But possibly the most unique and satisfying thing about Rice Works Crisps isn’t their well-executed taste, but rather the interesting texture. They deliver an unprecedented crunch that is firm, crispy, and thoroughly satisfying in a manner that really isn’t comparable to any other chips out there.

All things considered, just about the only thing I can find with Rice Works chips that I don’t like is their price tag, but I guess it’s not surprising since all healthy foods are out of reach of the standard college kid. I guess only the rich can afford to be sexy, which makes me feel a little bit better about my manflab, but not much. Anyway, they come in a 5.5 oz bag for $3.17, comparable to Doritos Late Night’s 13 7/8 oz bags for near the same cost.

I guess the real secret behind staying thin is never having enough money to eat because you are constantly broke from the small amount of food you’ve already purchased.

Final Words:

Every once in a while a very unique snack rises from the shadows and introduces itself to the market as something fresh, tasty, and new. That just about sums up the Salsa Fresca flavored Rice Works Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps. They have a delightfully fresh flavor and an intensely crispy crunch that satisfies on the most personal of levels.

Pros

• Light, fresh aroma
• Delicious, well-balanced flavor
• Very satisfying crunch

Cons

• Just a little pricier than I’d like them to be

Score: 8.6/10 (Great)

Aroma: 8.75/10 (Mouth-watering)
Flavor: 9.75/10 (Great flavor composed of actual salsa ingredients that you can taste)
Value: 7.5/10 (Pricey by fat standards, about exactly what skinny people would expect to spend)