The 5 Best Quinoa Snacks
I remember being served quinoa porridge for breakfast in Quilotoa, Ecuador many years ago and thinking how novel it was to have quinoa for breakfast. Companies have found even more novel ways to use quinoa to capitalize on the quinoa craze in the United States. One segment that has seen a lot of growth is the natural quinoa snack food segment. Companies have figured out a multitude of ways to process quinoa to make it much more than a side dish. My goal was to find the 5 best quinoa snacks.
Quinoa is a flowering plant and what we think of quinoa is the seed of the plant. Quinoa is native to the Andean region of northwest South America, but demand for quinoa in the past twenty years has greatly expanded its popularity and it is now cultivated in over 70 countries. Quinoa is high in protein, fiber, several B vitamins, and minerals.
The 5 Best Quinoa Snacks
One thing to note with many quinoa snacks is that they are not 100% quinoa. I made sure to choose snacks where quinoa was the primary ingredient, except for snacks that involved chocolate since chocolate is a lot heavier than quinoa. A great thing about quinoa is that it is gluten-free. Most of the quinoa snack companies are small ones that contract out the manufacturing of their snacks to other companies. I will try to include information if the factory is a gluten-free factory, but always double-check since manufacturers can change.
I Heart Keenwah Quinoa Puffs
It seems like companies have figured out how to make puffs out of just about any flour. I Heart Keenwah Quinoa Puffs are made from a combination of quinoa flour, brown rice flour, and white rice flour. I Heart Keenwah sources their non-GMO quinoa from small farms in Bolivia.
I Heart Keenwah Quinoa Puffs come in four flavors including Sea Salt Truffle, Sweet Chili, Herbes de Provence, and Aged Cheddar. The puffs are light and fluffy with a strong crunch. Aged Cheddar is the only flavor listed that is not vegan. They are produced in a factory that produces other products with gluten, but the equipment is cleaned in a way that they are certified gluten-free.
I Heart Keenwah has a limited store distribution. You can purchase them directly from I Heart Keenwah, but you need a $48 order to get free shipping. Amazon stocks the full line up under one listing.
Simply 7 Quinoa Curls
Simply 7 makes a multitude of gluten-free chips and curls in their wheat-free manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. I think that their quinoa curls are where they shine.
Simply 7 Quinoa Curls come in three flavors, Original, Farmhouse Cheddar, and Mesquite BBQ. The non-GMO quinoa curls are slightly dense and have a very satisfying crunch. The density combined with the curly shape really accentuates the crunch of the curls. The flavors are mild enough that they do not overwhelm the quinoa earthiness of the curls. I think that they have found a good happy medium in how loud the flavors are. The Original and Mesquite BBQ flavors are vegan and all the flavors are certified gluten-free.
Simply 7 has the largest store distribution of any quinoa snack that I have found, but it is still almost 2 hours to my closest store. Amazon stocks the full Simply 7 range of products.
UNDERCOVER Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Snack
Undercover Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Snacks are made in their manufacturing facility in New Jersey. The facility is certified gluten, tree-nut, and peanut-free. Unlike many of the other companies in the quinoa snack market, they make a single type of product. They use Rain Forest Alliance Certified chocolate and non-GMO quinoa in their snacks.
Undercover Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Snacks come in a variety of flavors. They make a “quinoa cake,” like a rice cake and then put a thin layer of chocolate on the cake. Even though the cake is coated in chocolate, it is still a crispy light snack. I would say that the chocolate accentuates the quinoa in the Undercover Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Snacks, unlike the next chocolate quinoa snack.
Undercover Crispy Quinoa Snacks are available at Whole Foods and other grocery stores. They also have a large Amazon presence.
Next Organics Dark Chocolate Quinoa
Next Organics have been around for over 10 years and specialize in dried organic fruits and chocolate-covered fruits and nuts. Next Organics Dark Chocolate Quinoa is just what it sounds like. They take organic puffed quinoa and mix the light airy crisp quinoa puffs with dark chocolate. Nice and simple. The chocolate-covered quinoa comes in patties, six per serving. I have to admit that this chocolate-covered snack, the chocolate is the star. The crispy quinoa accentuates the chocolate. I am a fan of this crispy chocolate snack.
Next Organics Dark Chocolate Quinoa is best found on Amazon. They also have a non-organic variety that is cheaper.
The Daily Crave Quinoa Chips
The Daily Crave Quinoa Chips are not your typical chip. They are a crisp, light, and airy chip. Since they are so light, they are thicker than what I think of as a typical chip. The chips are good on their own or as dipping vessels.
The Daily Crave Quinoa Chips come in four flavors, Himalayan Pink Salt, Gouda & Romano Cheese, Bourbon BBQ, and Spicy Thai Chili. The flavors pack a punch and not all of them are for everyone. These are a solid chip to add in as a snack, but I don’t think that they would be the chips I want to eat the rest of my life.
The Daily Crave Quinoa Chips are available in stores and at Amazon.
The 5 Best Quinoa Snacks Conclusion
When I started my search for the 5 best quinoa snacks, I was surprised by the number of quinoa snacks on the market. Make sure to check out all of the current grocery deals we have found.
