When people think of hippies, they probably picture barefoot individuals, some with dreadlocks, gathered in a drum circle and singing about nature while sporting bright tie-dye. But this piece isn’t about those kinds of hippies. It’s about Hippeas. There’s a big distinction between the two. The key difference being that one is edible and the other isn’t (unless you’re Jeffrey Dahmer—an assumption you’re not). If Hippeas is new to you, let us share a bit about this wave of smarter snacking. Hippeas resemble familiar snack chips and puffs, yet they’re built on chickpeas rather than cornmeal, providing a substantial nutritional uplift. They’re a tasty way to snack without overloading your diet with saturated fat and salt, and you should probably carve out some pantry real estate for a bag or two as soon as you can.
There are plenty of Hippeas flavors to choose from, but I managed to sample four for a tasting. I tried Cheddar Vibrations and Pizza Party, both part of the Protein Crunch line, along with Jalapeño Cheddar Blaze and Groovy White Cheddar, two of the standard flavors. I was eager to dive into each bag, so let’s determine which varieties are truly worth your money and which you might want to skip.
Cheddar Vibrations
With a name like this, I anticipated a bold hit of cheddar as soon as the puff touched my tongue. The word “bold” might be a touch strong, but a noticeable cheddar tang did come through, lacing every chew up to the near finish. The crunch was excellent, and the cheddar flavor stood out enough, though I would have preferred a more intensified cheddar presence.
Pizza Party
This flavor sounded like the most playful pick, since the word “party” is literally in its title, but my first bite quickly dispelled the notion. The puffs tasted only faintly of tomato sauce and were overwhelmed by the dull seasoning, finishing with a hint of burnt aftertaste. It wasn’t a party in my mouth at all, and if you’re after a true pizza-flavored snack, you may want to pass on this one.
