While on the road to our annual family vacation I got a vivid reminder of why reading labels is so important and why looking past marketing is SO critical. We were at a truck stop seeking snacks that were gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free and GMO-free. We were hopeful of finding something vegan, without scary ingredients and that was maybe nutritious but we were at a truck stop and we were being realistic.

So we found bananas, and then suddenly my husband came out with this bag of chips which he had found. I read the label and was shocked. The chips were nothing but blue, white and sweet potato sliced fried in expeller pressed sunflower oil and with salt, so totally free of the entire big 8 plus corn and sesame. Score 1. These ingredients are always GMO free. Score 2. Then I read the nutrition label and just about fainted.

One bag of these chips contains 30% of the RDA of Vitamin A, 12% of B6 and of Manganese, 20% of Vitamin C, 8% of Vitamin E, 6% of Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, 4% of Thiamin and 2% of Calcium. These are not added vitamins, these are naturally occurring. In a 280 calorie bag of chips, at a truck stop. I defy you to find that level of nutrition per calorie in any non-vegetable non-fruit vegan snack food.

Check out the fishy crackers label sometime. Not even close to that healthy

Now the downside is that these chips are not in most grocery stores. This is a tragedy because of course they taste awesome and they are potato chips and they are almost good for you. They are however available through the Utz site in both family packs and single serving bags (single serving bags! Of nut-free chips! That are reasonably healthy!)

The name of these magical chips is Utz Natural Gourmet Medley Kettle Cooked Potato Chios.

If your peanut allergy causes inability to breathe, please read their statement on peanut proteins. Not only do they not use peanut oil in these chips, but the peanut oil that they do use elsewhere is free of proteins. You will need to make your own choices, but they at least explain how and why they think their chips are safe. I find it comforting because I have a pretty good idea about how oils get refined, but you have to make your own decision and for some children this might still seem unsafe. That said, as someone who once carried the precursor to the EpiPen everywhere, I get why you might still be afraid and might make a different choice.

The link to the Amazon site is here. At this time they are totally sold out.
http://www.amazon.com/UTZ-NATURAL-GOURMET-INTERNATIONAL-SHIPPING~/dp/B004SBMJPQ

The Utz site to order family size bags is here. You can buy as few as three bags here and as many as 12. You want kettle cooked gourmet medley.
http://www.utzsnacks.com/store/p-37-family-size-bags-natural-kettle-chips.aspx

I believe that the single serving bags sold here would require that you type in that you want 60 bags of natural medley but you may end up with other natural medley chips all of which are fried in sunflower oil but not all of which are as nutritious. I would call them before ordering 60 bags. Just sayin.
http://www.utzsnacks.com/store/p-555-single-serve-bags.aspx
I am ordering these the second I get home from vacation. Maybe sooner so that they are waiting for me….