Munchos Potato Crisps Are A Kosher Food that can be eaten for Lent

Munchos, a Kosher snack?

If you are looking for a snack alternative during Lent or for Kosher snacks in general, you might want to consider Muncho's Potato Crisps.

This crunchy snack was created in 1969 by Frito-Lay and introduced in stores in 1970 for 59 cents. I was twelve years old and welcomed this new addition to Fretoes, Doritoes, and Chetoes.

Some people give up foods of their choice, like meats, sweets, and snacks, during the 40 days (not counting Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter/Resurrection Sunday.

Kosher is a Jewish word meaning that a food product is fit or approved. When I was younger, I heard non-Jewish people using the term "That's not kosher" the same way one might say "That's not right" or That's not correct.

It's been a while since I purchased a bag of Munchos, but today I felt strongly led by the Lord to do so. I had decided to fast from soft drinks and potato chips during Lent, but could not shake the craving for something salty and crunchy when Munchos came to mind.

Today's version is thinner than most potato chips and slightly transparent, containing air pockets. The curved shape and rough texture make them great for dipping. They also cost around $3.00 a bag.

Munchos Kosher Certification

These potato crisps are not necessarily a healthier choice than regular potato chips, but while researching them, I learned they are kosher, which means the ingredients (mainly potatoes) have been approved by Jewish Rabbis as acceptable Biblical foods. The certification is determined by the following symbols.

• CRC: Chicago Rabbinical Council, known for its kosher supervision.
• Kof-K: Another widely accepted kosher certification.
• OK: A symbol from the OK Kosher Certification agency
• OU: Orthodox Union, one of the most recognized kosher symbols.
• Star-K: Indicates the product meets kosher standards.
• . Triangle K: Represents kosher certification from the Triangle K organization.

Munchos have a triangle symbol with a K inside, which indicates that Jewish Rabbis have certified this as a Kosher food. This means that Rabbis have overseen the ingredients and given their stamp of approval.

The Triangle K symbol is in the bottom left-hand corner on the front of a Munchos bag. It's small, so you cannot see it in the picture, but look at a bag of Munchos in the grocery or convenience store, and the verification is there.

Munchos Nutritional Content

Munchos have a similar texture to Pringles and Lays Stax, but they are fried and not baked. The nutritional value is as follows for a one-ounce serving.

Calories: ~160

Total fat: ~10 g

Saturated fat: ~1.5 g

Sodium: ~230 mg (Daily recommendation is 1500 mg).

Carbs: ~16 g

Fiber: ~1 g

Protein: ~1 g

If you compare these numbers to those of potato chips in the snack aisles of stores, you will find that the nutritional value is similar.

Fun facts about Munchos

An ad campaign in 1969 included the phrase, "It's MUNCHOS!" spoken in a high-pitched voice. The commercials created by Jim Henson featured a spokesman named "Fred" (performed by Jim Henson) who talked about the Munchos and a monster named "Arnold" (performed by Jim Henson in one commercial, Frank Oz in later commercials) who craved the Munchos. Arnold's puppet eventually became Cookie Monster on Sesame Street, while Fred's puppet later became Zelda Rose on The Muppet Show (Per Wikipedia).

Eat in moderation

Munchos are made from dehydrated potato flakes that are reformed before cooking. This gives them a texture that is lighter-and-airier than regular sliced potato chips.

This is why Munchos appear lighter and less greasy, but the nutritional values are not mucip lock bags of eight.h different, which is why they should be eaten in moderation.

A serving is 16 crisps, so I divide the Munchos into half servings of eight and place them in ziplock bags, which gives me 80 calories rather than 160. Keep this snack in mind if you are looking for a food that is verified Kosher and Bible-approved.