Reality star Khloé Kardashian started taking over movie time with her Khloud popcorn brand. It’s basically just popcorn, except they’re coated in whey protein powder to offer a snack with more protein per serving than most other brands on the market. Following the success of her initial flavors, she began branching out with new flavors such as Dill Pickle and Birthday Cake. Now that Khloud has found a home in retailers like Sprouts and Whole Foods, she is branching out with a brand new product: protein-packed chips.
There are two main things that set the Khloud chips apart from the popcorn. First, let’s state the obvious. They’re chips, not popcorn. Secondly, they aren’t coated in the whey protein powder blend that the popcorn is covered in. Considering how the initial feedback about the whey protein was mixed, with some finding it too chalky, this is probably a good thing.
I tried the Buffalo flavor, because that was the only one currently in stock when I did my weekly grocery shopping. The ingredients are avocado oil, corn, pea protein, and seasoning, which they note includes sugar and spices, such as paprika. The ingredients go on to list sea salt, tomato powder, onion powder, garlic powder, citric acid, yeast extract, gum arabic, vinegar solids, extractives of paprika color, natural flavor, and calcium carbonate. Overall, I do appreciate that I know what all of these ingredients are, and each of them seems to serve a clear purpose.
Are They Vegan or Gluten Free?
The website doesn’t label them as vegan or vegetarian, but it does say that they’re gluten-free and contain no seed oils. They tout them as whole grain and made with real ingredients. It also states that they were non-GMO and kosher, and contain 7 grams of protein per serving. And this is when we get into the nitty-gritty: the nutrition facts.
Each serving is a pretty standard 1 oz/30 grams, which in this case, equates to 13 chips. The bag says that there are 4.5 servings per container, which means that with 7 grams of protein per serving, you’re getting 31.5 grams per bag (assuming you eat the whole bag or split it with a friend). This is a bit more protein than you’d get from a standard scoop of protein powder, which usually is around 20-25 grams of protein, depending on what brand you’re using.
But before you scarf down the whole bag to meet your protein goals, let’s take nutrition facts into account. One scoop of protein powder is usually around 150 calories. One serving of chips contains 170 calories, which means that the whole bag contains 765 calories. Obviously, that’s a lot more calories than a standard protein shake, but eating a whole bag of chips is also a lot more satisfying than just drinking one shake.
What’s In A Serving Size?
That being said, it’s not the only macro to consider. It has 11 grams of fat per serving, which means 49.5 – let’s say 50 grams per bag. Each serving contains 10 grams of carbs, so let’s just move the decimal, and we get 45 grams per bag. That’s not really a great option if you’re looking to go keto and keep your carb count low.
Another sneaky thing to watch out for is the sodium. As an avid runner, I’m not someone who tends to track their sodium too closely, but it contains 230 mg per serving. If you eat the whole bag, that’s 1,035 mg. In other words, that’s a lot of salt for one snack. And I know that the serving size on the bag says 4.5 servings, but let’s be real for a second.
Before looking at the back of the bag, I measured out what I would consider a standard serving of chips for myself. I came up with two bowls, plus a few leftovers, so let’s just say two-and-a-quarter. If I add a few more chips to each bowl, that’s two servings, not the 4.5 on the bag. This is one of those situations where, if you’re really being diligent about your macros, you’re really going to have to measure them out into little snack bags.
As for me, I dumped them all in a big bowl and then nibbled on them when I was feeling puckish. One bag lasted me three days. Do with that information as you will.
But How Do They Taste?
I got through the nutrition first, because I’m assuming if you’re looking for a brand that markets itself as protein-forward, you care about the nutrition facts. If you didn’t, I’d assume that you would just go to the store and grab whatever flavor of Doritos caught your fancy (someone needs to try that Hot Honey Pizza for me and report back).
Anyway, these chips… do taste like chips. They are thinner than a standard tortilla chip and thinner than a Dorito. I verified that last point with someone who eats a lot more Doritos than I do. That being said, they have a good crack/crunch when you bite into one, but they’re not so sharp that you feel like you could cut the roof of your mouth on one.
As for taste… are we sure this is Buffalo? Because they tasted like chili lime to me, and I’m someone who has a husband who’s obsessed with the Trader Joe’s Chili & Lime Tortilla Chips. The taste is astonishingly close to that. I really think it’s the vinegar solids that are coming off a little strong, but if you’re a big fan of anything chili and/or lime, you really can’t go wrong.
The other two flavors are Nacho and Sweet Heat, both of which I’m excited to try if and when I can get my hands on them. I’m the kind of person who will try anything once, but at $6.99 per bag, it’s a bit more expensive than Doritos or other chips.
If you’re looking for a sneaky way to add more protein into your diet without actually changing your snack habits, then this might be a good option for you! But if you’re looking to fill up the snack bowl at a party, then I would go with your standard bag of Doritos, unless you’re looking for a safe gluten-free option. Doritos are made without gluten-containing ingredients, but they are not certified gluten-free due to the risk of cross-contamination during manufacturing.
Maybe you’re better off sticking with plain ol’ potato chips… or Khloé’s Khloud popcorn!