One good thing we had on hand during the recent snow storm was a sampler of Biena Chickpea Snacks.
This dish holds a selection of four of the flavors offered by this Cambridge, MA based company: Sea Salt, BBQ, Honey Roasted, and Cinnamon Maple. They were a wonderful alternative to the junk food we learned people were stocking up on for the storm.
When companies offer to send us samples of their products, we usually decline. Most of these offers seem to come from big, national brands selling products we would never buy or recommend. But, when an email suggested we try samples of an interesting new snack food with some healthy credentials from a small, local business, we decided to take them up on the offer.
We're glad we did. Biena Chickpeas have already been added to our standard shopping list for Whole Foods. We haven't tried the Lime & Chili yet and are looking forward to it.
We taste-tested them ourselves and with some friends and learned that different people had different favorites. Penny likes the Sea Salt for nibbling with a glass of wine. Ed preferred the Honey Roasted to tuck into his pocket for a snack on the go. The 2-ounce bags make them perfect for this use.
On the company's website, founder Poorvi Patodia explained how the business came to be, "I love food, and I’ve wanted to start a food company for as long as I can remember. I grew up with a mom who is an incredible cook, and a dad who is really into healthy foods. So I guess it’s not a surprise that as an adult, I’m obsessed with discovering, eating and making healthy foods that taste great."
We'd say she's on her way. If snacks with a simple list of ingredients that deliver salty, crunchy, and healthy are something you'd like to try, click over to this list of stores carrying them. We think the names of the businesses who have decided that they want this product on their shelves is another positive endorsement. You'll find shops you like and trust. And for our readers in other parts of the country, you can buy them online.
We think the four lines on the front of the package – Protein, Fiber, Low Fat, and Gluten-Free – mean that these can be problem solvers when shopping for snack food. All that and tasty too!
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino
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