Ocean’s Halos started as “Four Dads on a Mission” to make a healthier snack. They were “2 dads who grew up on potato chips and 2 who grew up on seaweed.” They wondered, “what if we could make a chip that’s tasty and good for you at the same time?” After many trials and errors, they launched Ocean’s Halos Seaweed Chips which are now available in four flavors with two more coming soon.
Why seaweed? It’s a “superfood.” Their site says:
“Seaweed is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet. It’s a great source of vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, and it’s also rich in many minerals including iodine, selenium, and iron. It can contain up to 10 times more calcium than milk and eight times as much as beef. Researchers say that the chemical composition of seaweed is so close to human blood plasma, that perhaps its greatest benefit might be in regulating and purifying our blood system.”
The chips have the texture of corn chips and are nice and crunchy. They are packed with vitamins and minerals and have no GMOs, no trans fats and no artificial ingredients. They are gluten free and have 5 grams of protein per serving (compared to 2g per serving for potato chips or Doritos). They also say, “because seaweed is farmed in the ocean with sunlight, our chips are a whole lot better for the planet than other snacks out there.” Fair point! The chips are baked, not fried, so each serving has only 2 grams of fat (3% of your RDA) and is only 85 calories for a one ounce serving (~26 chips).
I tried some of these chips in Hot & Spicy at my last Amanda Skrip healthy cooking class at Whole Foods. I wrote to Ocean’s Halo and they sent me two bags each of chips in Sea Salt, Korean BBQ and Hot & Spicy. The husband and I dug right in. We agreed that the Sea Salt is our favorite – I think I would love the Chili Lime, too! The Hot & Spicy and Korean BBQ are tasty, but the seasoning is a bit heavy for us (I feel the same way about most flavored chips). I love the texture of these chips. They are like crackers and have the texture of Wheat Thins (which I don’t eat since going mostly gluten free so that makes me happy!) The Sea Salt are perfect for eating plain or with hummus or other dips. I want to try the Chili Lime with some salsa or guacamole!
I know you are probably wondering… do these taste like seaweed? Well, yes. They have a bit of a seaweedy taste. I am a fan of seaweed and have been known to down a large seaweed salad alone at Japanese dinners. The taste is mild and you certainly get used to it. I am not sure if these are for everyone, but I think the taste and texture plus the nutritional bang for the buck make them well worth a try!
You can like Ocean’s Halo on Facebook (and get a $1.00 off coupon!) or follow on Twitter. (where their description is: Ocean’s Halo. @OceansHalo. Swim Against the Tide. Eat Seaweed Chips. Burlingame, CA · oceanshalo.com) Love that! They are also on Pinterest! They sent me 10 $1.00 off coupons for these chips at Whole Foods, too. Want one? Leave a comment and I will email you to get your address and will send it over. If you are on Facebook, you can nominate someone who “swims against the tide” to win a box of prizes and snacks from Ocean’s Halo HERE.
The nice folks at Ocean’s Halo have offered an awesome giveaway so that you can try for yourself! There will be SIX prizes! One “grand prize” winner will receive one full case of Ocean’s Halo chips in the flavor of his/her choice. Five additional winners will each receive an Ocean’s Halo reusable tote bag and a small selection of chips. How cool is that?! Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. The contest runs through Tuesday, March 18th. Prize winners will be selected and notified on Wednesday, March 19th. Winners must be 18 years of age or over, residents of the US and it is void where prohibited.
Please note: I was not compensated for this review. I was provided free product for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.
PS. Don’t forget my awesome raffle for Alexandra’s Playground!