Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals Cracker Chips

I was trolling the snack machine at work, looking for a midmorning munchie that would bridge the long gap between a 5:30 am breakfast and a noon lunch. As always, there was the usual enormous selection of potato chips, but I wasn't in a very spudly mood; I wanted something different.

Hmmm.  Cracker chips are different.  

I almost didn't buy them, because I noticed that the words "baked" and "chips" both appear on the label.  This reminded me of Baked Lays Potato Chips which, judging by the flavor, are apparently made out of thinly-spread clay sprinkled with flakes scratched off an unwashed ass.  But the Baked Naturals label was too enchanting, with its photo of delicately-formed chips and promise of multi-grain deliciousness, and I could not escape its marketing magic.

The photos do not lie: these chips are indeed delicately-formed, thin as paper, awesome in their fragile shattery crispiness. They're studded with whole grain bits, and when the chips are chomped they simultaneously explode with crunchiness and melt in your mouth.  Quite the entertaining snacktime nosh.

And that it is why I was so disappointed with the taste - they are remarkably bland and cardboardial, and all the crunch in the world can't make up for it.

Pepperidge Farm also makes these Cracker Chips in a "Simply Cheddar" flavor. I'm betting the addition of cheese will really zip things up, so I'm not giving up on Cracker Chips just yet.