Is there a healthy way- Chips and Salsa

Bubba291

El Milagro tortilla chips have have a nearly zero sodium version. Excellent chip for anyone who wants less salt. See the nutrition info at

http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/el-milagro/tortilla-chips-kitchen-style/

I have the unsalted version in a large nearly clear bag. Not low in calories or fat. Only low in salt.

capabledesire

I don't know if they sell them nationwide but La Favorita Yellow Corn Stone Ground chips are pretty good. 60 calories for 10 chips, very low in sodium, fat, etc. I love pairing those chips with some fresh salsa.

He is right its 10 chips for 60 cals. I usually do at least 20 chips and I put them in baggies so I don't just keep eating them.

eviltwinkie

Spray and baking a nice tasting corn tortilla does the trick. You don't tend to overeat, because you don't have a bag nearby to take more from. Unless you cook up a ton.

Also, I like chip'ins (? think that's the right name). They're popcorn chips - have some sturdiness to them. It's around 18+ chips for a serving, very low fat. I've used them when I want to make a low fat nacho. Nuke FF Refried beans with salsa, add a little shredded cheese and lettuce, then eat with chip'ins.

Sea salt I think are the ones I get - the 'unflavored' ones, whatever they are. As long as the nacho/salsa isn't hugely dense, they work fine and are similar enough to a tortilla chip I'm happy. Plus I like getting a few more to top with the bean mixture.

OtakuEngineer

I don't know if they sell them nationwide but La Favorita Yellow Corn Stone Ground chips are pretty good. 60 calories for 10 chips, very low in sodium, fat, etc. I love pairing those chips with some fresh salsa.

He is right its 10 chips for 60 cals. I usually do at least 20 chips and I put them in baggies so I don't just keep eating them.

I usually do the same thing lol. They are a great snack even without salsa and at least where I'm at they are $2 or less for 1lb bag. All the ingredients are things you can actually read too, so no heavy processing or complex junk in it.

kleighsamboer

one of the best things to do it to make veggie chips. slice things like zucchini, sweet potato, yam, carrots, parsnips, beets on a mandolin toss them with a little melted organic butter sprinkle with salt/herbs and bake in the oven until crispy. much better for you than tortilla chips!

siabevis

love wheat pita chips and i make my own salsa... salsa is pretty much healthy on its own

abettercheryl

There is a product that I love called Beanitos (www.beanitos.com). It's a chip made out of black beans and it's way tastier than it sounds. It's gluten, wheat, and soy free, and low on the glycemic index and high in fiber.

And really good with salsa.

muddyventures

I love chips and salsa, but sometimes I make my own salsa and just eat it plain.

Adam_Breazeale

I will break the average chip into 3-5 smaller pieces as I eat. I take my time, drinking water between each, as I socialize with friends and/or family waiting for dinner (assuming I'm out at a restaurant). Where I might have eaten 30-40 chips, I will now eat 10-15.

You might look at the new Nut-Thins we have found in the "health food" section of Kroger. Most are made with a base of Almond flour and they are least SEEM to be healthier and lower in calories etc.

skujawski

If you have some spare time on your hands, you could make some cinnamon tortilla chips.

Here is the recipe:
http://www.spiciefoodie.com/2012/05/04/healthy-cinnamon-sugar-chips/

You could try corn tortillas instead of flour. Make the cinnamon proportion bigger that the sugar (ex. - 3 parts cin: 1 part sugar). (Just a suggestion) Then instead of processed salsa, try a homemade fruit salsa of some kind or maybe even pureeing/blending some fruits together to make like a creamy sauce and cutting up some more fruit to mix in to give it the chunky texture salsa normally has. (Ex: fresh mango and pineapple puree w/banana chunks) It doesn't have to be that exactly...maybe some other fruit combo that interests you.
After you make them, portion them out in ziplock, or some other kind of bag. Only eat one serving and then make yourself do something to get your mind off food.

This is just an idea. Hope it helps!!

fallingstar29

there are alot of recipies online that you can find for homemade tortilla chips... much more cost effective and healthy... i do it alot on the weekends.. even my kids like them

PrettyCoolCat

Heya! Here is a little tip that some have the discipline to follow and others don't.

Depending on your diet and how you follow your macros you can have a enjoyable one or two days a week eating your chis and salsa and Not stalling your weight loss. You can think of these meals as "Reward Meals"

I don't know what your diet is like, But lets assume you had 3 meals a day and it looked like this:

Carb / Protein / Fat
Carb / Protein / Fat
Carb / Protein / Fat

You can cut your carbs out of your breakfast and dinner (This doesn't include vegetables, since fiber is in a different category than your standard "Carbs") and simply use those calories that you would of spent for those sides and apply it to your lunch. You can also take the protein that you would of had with lunch and move it to break, dinner, or both. (Tortilla chips have some fat in them so we wont adjust for that.) Which then your meals for that day would look more like:

extra Protein / low to Normal Fat
Chips and Salsa (Yay.)
extra Protein / low to normal Fat

Keep in mind, its your Overall calories for the Day that matter, Not calories per meal. And in fact if you find yourself "Spilling" Over on one day, you can adjust and cut calories a little more the next day. Just as calories per day is much more important than Calories Per meal, Calories Per Week is The most important and is what determines total weight loss. Many Physique athletes and fitness gurus Use "Calorie Cycling" days of super low calorie, with days of higher calorie to enjoy certain foods they love, Which has many beneficial effects, one of them being the physiological response of Enjoying the diet and not feeling deprived, which overall helps people to keep up the lifestyle instead of looking at it as something dreadful.

Hope this helped

michelle7673

Tostitos Baked Scoops!!!

SassyCassieT

Try PLENTILS! Or any flavor chip by lesser evil, especially the jalapeño white cheddar! Very clean chips, low calorie and full of protein and fibre. I get both at bulk barn

TJWrites00

Honestly, the Tostitos mini rounds or rounds (whatever they are called these days) are like 24 chips for 140 calories. I used to pair that with a 100 calorie guacamole serving and 24 was way more than I needed, so I always used less than a serving. Pairing with salsa would be even fewer calories.

ninerbuff

Just limit the amount you eat. A substitute is just that.................a substitute. A lifestyle means being able to be in control of what you LIKE to eat. Set aside a reasonable amount, then eat them. Make sure to account for them in your calorie count or do what many do..............counter the calories with exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

trackme

good ideas

cwolfman13

There is nothing inherently unhealthy about a corn tortilla chip people...I live in New Mexico...corn tortillas and chips are a staple...they're fine.

maruby95

Take a pita and cut it into 8 triangles (I use a pizza cutter for this). Then split the two layers so you end up with 16 triangles. Lay them on a cookie sheet and spray lightly with oil (flip over and pray the other side a bit if you like, not necessary)... then sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like ( or just a bit of salt, which is all I do). Pop it in the oven for just a few minutes (maybe 8, it depends on your oven) at 325 F or about 175C. Remove from oven and prepare to defend yourself and your pita-chips from anyone who smells them or happens by! These are fantastic, and NOT fried, like regular chips. Now dip to your heart's content!

Just thinking of your chips reading this thread . Glad you piped up. And I agree...praying them makes them better!!!

xkaylaxmichellex

bump

BLNKSN

bump

BatwomanAlice

Baked chips are super easy. Cut corn tortillas (or high fiber/low carb ... experiment) into triangles. Use an oil mister (or Pam spray). Spray each side with oil, sprinkle with salt, chili powder (whatever) layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes.

Excellent! I can't wait to try this!

ndj1979

yes, it is called moderation.

Eat the chips and salsa, and maintain your daily calorie deficit…

problem solved..

ParkerH47

While I agree that many people have said "in moderation" that should be your goal. But you mentioned in the OP that its not so easy for you and you end up eating half the bag. So what I would do is pick one day during the week, so like every sunday, and buy a small bag (like individual sized, that you get at a convenience store) and have that once a week on the same day. The structure helps you from buying a small bag whenever you want, and gives you something to look forward to, without filling it in with a lesser substitute.

I have the same craving! I used to work at a mexican restaurant and I have since loved chips and salsa

dklibert

Jicama with lime, salt, chili powder or smoked paprika. Jicama is crunchy and you can slice it into chips. I too love salsa and celery and carrots. I do buy baked tositos on occasion. I have also made my own salsa and chips. Here is a link to my blog post on the chips.

http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2012/10/chili-lime-salt-and-baked-corn-chips.html

Leoness726

http://www.thebetterchip.com/

I have the Jalapeno and Sea Salt chips from the above website. Obviously, you're going to have to portion them out. Tortilla in and of itself even prior to baking, frying, or whatever else is going to have a set amount of calories. There's no magical tortilla chip out there that's going to set you free to eat the whole bag.

I also love chips and salsa, so with these I take out 20 of them (2 servings) and put the bag away. Once I finish the 20 chips and without the bag in front of me, my mouth is pretty much on fire enough where I'm set. No need for more.

You're always going to overeat if you eat right out of the bag. You can also always find chips that are pre-portioned in snack size bags.

ninerbuff

I have a crazy obsession with tostitos touch of pepperjack chips and salsa. Before I started this diet, I was eating chips and salsa for lunch probably 3 days a week. Is there a healthy tortilla chip out there? I have put salsa on everything, but I really crave that crunchy snap some days. I'm also not the kind of person that can portion tortilla chips out, I generally end up eating half the bag even if I planned for "just a few"

Absolutely. The "healthy" way is just not to eat too much. As much as they are easy to overload on, disciplining yourself to eat a certain amount will keep you well within health parameters.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

karlastockham

Thank You for the great tip! I just made a huge batch of salsa and was stressing over an alternative to tortilla chips. Using your idea tomorrow

crunchbones

I've just relegated tortilla chips to an occasional treat (unfortunately), but I've found bell peppers go well with hummus and similar dips. And fresh salsa goes with everything

Afmackdaddy

Loving this thread! Thanks to all for making life more enjoyable with all these options!!!!