# "Nothing" chips **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2001, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011 "2001-03-29T20:21:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RexKatWA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@RexKatWA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexKatWA)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/1 "2001-03-29T20:21:53Z")
Does anyone know of a product or recipe for a “chip” that can be used for snacking, dipping in salsa, etc., but has the following specifications: (1) Low or no-calorie (2) High fiber (3) Low or no-fat (3) “Crispy” and dry, like a tortilla or potato chip (4) At least some flavor (saltiness, spicy, or whatever) Fresh vegetables (celery, carrots, cucumbers, etc.) don’t fit the bill – not dry enough, or in the right shape for dipping. Olestra chips don’t work – too many calories I had several ideas, but can’t seem to find much help on the web for either an existing manufactured product or a recipe: (1) some kind of pure cellulose chip or meal, all fiber and no nutritive value – I see that there are things called cellulose chips used for non-dietary purposes, but not sure if they are edible (2) some way to dehydrate fresh vegetables or ground-up vegetables to make them resemble chips (either using a dehydrator or a regular oven)–or a readily-available manufactured equivalent (can’t believe no one has tried to market this, if it’s possible–would have to be a big seller). The best I’ve come up with is to experiment with baking a sheet of refried beans, but I’m not too sure what the baking temperature/time should be to make these come out right. Being able to do something with celery or zucchini would be ideal! Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/2 "2001-03-29T22:45:16Z")
Maybe you could start with rice cakes. Slice 'em thinner with a sharp knife. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/3 "2001-03-29T23:14:11Z")
\ WAG, those things are technically edible so maybe they could make a non-nurtive chip out of the same stuff. ---
**Author:** ![RexKatWA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@RexKatWA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexKatWA)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/4 "2001-03-29T23:45:03Z")
zen: maybe a laser knife pad: gag me ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/5 "2001-03-30T00:46:52Z")
I could have _sworn_ that they already have rice-cake chips. (thin, small, crispy). Yep, found them…[http://www.crispyminis.com/product\_info/main.htm](http://www.crispyminis.com/product_info/main.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/6 "2001-03-30T00:48:26Z")
[http://www.crispyminis.com/product\_info/main.htm](http://www.crispyminis.com/product_info/main.htm) preview is my friend… ---
**Author:** ![RexKatWA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@RexKatWA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexKatWA)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/7 "2001-03-30T01:24:40Z")
Sue: thanks, but rice cakes have too much food value (carbohydrates, calories)–I’m looking for something with virtually nothing in it, but still palatable and edible. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/8 "2001-03-30T02:01:04Z")
How about this then? [http://atkinscenter.com/atkins/product.asp?dept\_id=110&pf\_id=CJUSTZPAK3&pindex=1](http://atkinscenter.com/atkins/product.asp?dept%5Fid=110&pf%5Fid=CJUSTZPAK3&pindex=1) Scroll all the way down… ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/9 "2001-03-30T02:12:26Z")
I found a reference to “Pinto Bean Chips” here, in a gift basket [http://www.saguarofood.com/gift-baskets.html](http://www.saguarofood.com/gift-baskets.html) but I don’t know who makes them or anything else. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![EB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@EB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EB)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/10 "2001-03-30T12:17:52Z")
I don’t know the calorie content, but if I remember right, Baked Tostitos (sp?) have 2 ingredients: corn and salt. You want to double check the nutrition info on them, but they do work well with salsa. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/11 "2001-03-30T14:04:35Z")
You could try frozen nitrogen chips. Not sure about the taste, but something at -210[sup]o[/sup] has gotta do something to your tastebuds. :D:D ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/12 "2001-03-30T14:06:41Z")
Non-calorie, nonfat, high in fiber and crispy? I think Masonite would fit the bill! 😃 Hey, the hot sauce adds flavor, right? ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nothing-chips/60011/13 "2001-03-30T14:18:37Z")
Ah come on **cornflakes** , be serious. Masonite would be too hard. How about cardboard? Martha Stewert suggests taking empty cereal boxes and cutting out the colorful cartoon characters and arranging them playfully in a bowl of hummus.