Today we are going to have a debate. Aren’t you so excited?
You know that icebreaker game where you share two truths and a lie? One of my truths is always that I have never eaten a flavored chip. The sight and smell of such salty snacks pretty much grosses me out.
However, there has been recent debate about the validity of this statement, especially, since getting pregnant, I can’t get enough these little guys:
Pictured: Kettle Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Potato Chips
Let the debate begin!
Topic: Jane Maynard has never eaten a flavored potato or corn chip.
Arguments in support of the main hypothesis:
- Jane has never eaten Doritos, BBQ potato chips, sour cream and onion nastiness, Cheetos or any other similar crispy snack with unnatural colors and/or flavors.
- Jane has never eaten Pringles, plain or flavored. Mashed potatoes have no business being made into chips.
- If a chip or corn chip has seasoned salt or pepper applied, this does not count as a flavored chip. Exhibit A: The picture above. Do those chips look flavored to you? I think not.
Arguments against the main hypothesis:
- Chips with seasoned salts count as flavored chips. Jane has in fact eaten the homemade potato chips at Tacone that are seasoned with a salty-sweet seasoning and corn chips at a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix with a similar seasoned salt applied.
- Jane is addicted to Kettle brand Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper krinkle potato chips. These delightfully spicy snacks are most certainly grouped into the flavored chip category.
Rebuttals: Not allowed (mostly because I can’t think of anything else to say on the matter).
So, what do you think? Can I still use this statement as one of the truths in the two truths and a lie game, or am I just living a lie?
For the record: No matter the result of this debate, I will never eat Cheetos! Or Doritos! You can’t make me!
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
I think this is an unabashed TRUTH still. If you chips contain the following:
cheese powder, buttermilk powder, flavor enhancers (621, 627, 631), dextrose, food acids (270, 330), flavor (natural), spices, colors (129, 150, 110) {citation: Doritos Nacho Cheezier bag}
THEN we may have a LIE on our hands, but until then you, sweet friend, are in the clear.
PS- Pretty sure doritos are the gateway to kidney failure. Or maybe that is cheetos. either way- stick to your very honest and truthful guns my dear!
And to add in the mix, would Vinegar count as a flavoring? What if you had their Sea salt and vinegar chip. When does the line get crossed? Does it get crossed at Sweet onion? After all it is just a seasoning. The more I think of it I think you are going to have to think of a new truth.
I don’t think the Kettle salt and pepper count as flavored, but those others ones sound like it. You’re definitely landing in the gray area! Oh yeah, and I have to say I am jealous that Cheetos and Doritos gross you out. I am inexplicably drawn to them and I love them even though I know they are disgusting and unnatural.
I’m sorry my friend, but I believe that an unflavored chip would be a fried slice of potato naked and bland. Since, by default, all chips come salted to some degree, I think you’re still okay with salted chips. Pepper, on the other hand, would definitely qualify as an additional flavoring. Don’t get me wrong, Salt and Cracked Black Pepper Kettle chips are one of my ultimate favorite snacks; however, I do not think these qualify as unflavored. You might need to start thinking of a new truth.
You’re probably right about this–salt is a basic taste, but pepper is a flavor. So if you’re being literal, those chips are definitely flavored!
I would say truth. EVERY potato chip is going to have salt on it, so I wouldn’t count that as a “flavoring.” I’m with you on the subject by the way! Eeew.
I think you can get away with using it as your “truth” statement. You may just need to amend it slightly, under your breath, as you sample the UNflavored chips later at the party. I love salt and vinegar chips, and would say that those would definitely be considered flavored. Have you tried salt and vinegar chips made by any of the really good brands?
I think it is a lie. Salt and pepper add flavor!
How about you just say, “I’ve never eaten cheetos”–that would still be an unusual truth I think.
i agree with amy (#8). just say you’ve never had cheetos or doritos. 🙂 then you aren’t caught in technicalities. because salt & pepper is flavoring i think. but i do love those chips!
Potato chips originated from a restaraunt in NY, by a chef that made them because his customer kept sending back his french fries that were too soggy. I would presume that a french fry along with a potato chips should be made of potatoes, oil & salt. Anything else that is added should be considered flavored. Although something as natural as cracked black pepper sounds better than something I can’t pronounce or is listed as a number in the ingredients.
I hate to say it too, but I think salt & pepper still counts as a flavor as do those other “seasoned” chips you’ve mentioned.
Case in point, my Dad refuses to any chip that is not a Lay’s classic original potato chip. He won’t even eat the ones with ridges! Now he truly has never eaten a flavored chip.
okay, your dad totally wins – I LOVE that you commented just so I could read that! 🙂
I don’t know about the truth thing, but I am now totally craving the salt & pepper chips from TJ’s! 🙂
Does anyone know if homemade potato chips are allowed in the sides category of the Real Women of Philadelphia cooking competition? I wanted to enter last year but heard about it after it was too late. I think HOMEMADE chips are a really unique thing to enter but may be too generic for a cooking contest. Anyone have any details?
oh, jane, now I don’t know what to say after reading all the comments!
Congratulations on your little boy! 🙂 I had a feeling!
My gut reaction is to say you are indeed, right. The salt and pepper chips are certainly NOT flavored chips. I don’t consider pepper a “flavor” on the chip because it is:
1. Natural
2. Not a powder made from real or modified/unreal food, dehydrated, and ground up. Examples of real ground up dehydrated would be mango-flavored chips (crazy cool organic I found once!), a cross would be the guacamole tortilla chips with “real” avocado, and we all know the fakers; Doritos, cheetos, sour cream and onion, etc.
3. Have you ever seen “pepper flavoring”? NO. You can find candy flavorings, and packets of dry bouillon, dry cheese (think boxed mac and cheese), Ranch powder… No “pepper flavoring.”
I might say the chips at Tacone count as flavored, but they are homemade. So long as they are made with real seasonings (salt, sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, etc), I think you’re safe. If you’re looking to be extra-politically correct, I’d say “I’ve never eaten a processed/packaged (<pick your truth) flavored chip."
Any chip that is not just a plain old chip is flavored.
I think the majority is leaning toward a new truth. How about “I’ve never eaten an artificially flavored potato chip.”? We want our food to have flavor, or else it wouldn’t be much fun to eat it. Salt and pepper and vinegar and all the other natural ingredients add flavor. Sorry!!!
Jane, I think you just need to change your statement to:
Jane Maynard has never eaten an “artificially” flavored potato or corn chip.
Done!
No way… I totally think you can still use it as a truth! When I think of flavored chip BBQ and sour cream come to mind. Youre in the clear.
Funny that you debate chips now b/c I just found the MOST delicious kind EVER just the other day. They’re called Dirty Chips out of Louisiana and Henry’s Market here in San Diego carries them- the sea salt and pepper are UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!
I’ll have to keep my eye out! 🙂
Salt is the ur-flavoring.
Claim it as a truth. Everyone who thinks it’s a lie is only jealous that they don’t have that sweet of an answer for that game 🙂 Just don’t play it with a bunch of people who read your blog, because you kind of just gave yourself away.
ha ha! I have completely outed myself! I’ll now have to ask at the start of the game, “Does anyone know the blog This Week for Dinner” and then decide to use it or not! 😉
salt and pepper chips are not flavored. no question. however, your statement is still a lie, because you are lying. there’s no way you went through childhood without a dorito. and in the unlikely/impossible case that you did, you are missing out.
I swear that it’s not a lie, aaron! I was the kid who would would wait at mcdonald’s for a hamburger with “just ketchup” for YEARS. 🙂
I love all your comments…and I love that the vote is totally split! all your comments just spell out the conundrum in my head! 😉
Ok, lady, the fact that it is split means that it isn’t a truth…too much grey and, in fact, if you used it as part of a game to “get to know” people, you would have already alienated half of the room with your shady truth. 😉
on a side note, who has their two truths and a lie pre-chosen?! you crack me up, dear friend.
ha ha! yes, I think the fact it’s split is in fact my answer. you’re so right, angie. 🙂
and, yeah, I guess it is funny I have my two truths and a lie pre-chosen – I guess that game stresses me out! 😉
I just cannot put salt and pepper in the same category with whatever it is that makes doritos/cheetos orange..
I love those s+p chips, btw..and now crave them. Thanks. Congrats on the boy.. and maintaining a food blog during pregnancy!