This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Canada is amongst the best countries in the world when it comes to great chip flavours. There are so many chip varieties that are original to Canada and I thought it was about time I sat down, tried them all and figured out exactly which one reigns supreme.
From the world-famous ketchup chips to surprising underdogs like Hickory Sticks, there are a ton of chips that you can get in Canada that you can only get here. This includes both local and popular brands to the Canadian chip flavours you can spot on the shelves.
As a matter of fact, there are probably so many unique flavours and brands that I had to limit the ones I tried or else I would be eating chips all day and this article would be the length of a novella.
So, I went to my local Walmart and raided the shelves for some of the most Canadian chip brands and flavours I could find to get to the bottom of a question that's been plaguing our nation for years — what Canadian chip is the best one?
Of the four I tried, I have come up with a definitive ranking from worst to best, and let's say there were some surprises on what is actually even actually Canadian.
Here are my thoughts on these chips and their rankings.
Hickory Sticks Original
A Canadian chip company with a unique form factor and vibe. Hickory Sticks were invented by Hostess and are exactly as advertised by their name. Little sticks of crunchy potato with a smoky, hickory flavour to them.
While not a classic chip due to their shape, they are very much in the same realm and offer an interesting palate that's not quite like BBQ but could be in the same family.
They're salty and a little bit smoky. However, the stick aspect of them is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it's unique, memorable and something that makes it stand out in the grocery store aisle. However, it's a curse when it comes to eating them.
Grabbing a handful of them and trying to eat the chips means trying to work your mouth around a hodgepodge of sticks jutting out in random directions.
They lack the compact form factor that makes eating a classic potato chip so easy and because they're so small, it makeally hard to eat them one by one in a satisfying way.
Ultimately, they're still a tasty treat but just inconvenient to eat.
Score: 2.5/5
Lay's Ketchup
Ketchup-flavoured chips are potentially the most iconically Canadian potato chip you can get out there. Ketchup chips from many different brands fill the snack cupboard of countless Canadian residents.
The most popular ones are Lay's, Miss Vickies, Ruffles, Old Dutch and PC. They are so crave-worthy that even a father and son dup drove from the States to Canada just to buy around 40 bags of Lay's ketchup chips to take home with them.
The chips all have that trademark red, sweet, and vinegary flavour that, to me, tastes like summer. Whenever I have ketchup chips, I think about being a kid, running around in a wet bathing suit at a birthday party or beach day. They're the chip of childhood in Canada, at least where I grew up.
So, taking a bite of these, I was transported back to that time.
However, once my Ratatouille moment ended, I realized why I don't often have these chips. While tasty and tangy, they're not a chip you can have too much of. They quickly start to lose their lustre and begin to hurt my tongue a little bit.
While good and packed with nostalgia, they're not something I'm reaching for.
Score: 3/5
Miss Vickie's
One thing I didn't know until very recently was the fact that Miss Vickie's is a Canadian-founded brand! Actually, the eponymous Miss Vickie is from Ontario and has left the country to reside in Arizona, according to The Walrus.
And so, to get a good idea of this Canadian chip brand, I opted to get my favourite flavour, salt and malt vinegar, and check in with how Vickie is doing things these days.
One thing that really sets Miss Vickie's chips apart from the competition is the crunch factor. They are so incredibly crunchy that it's hard to stop eating them. It's just so satisfying.
They also are completely bursting with flavour in a way that makes you want more and more. Miss Vickie's is among the best general chip brands in the country, so it's even more amazing that they're a Canadian-owned company!
Talk about tasty!
Score: 4.5/5
All Dressed
And finally comes the motherload, the best damn chip to ever exist in any country ever, at least of the ones I've tried.
The Ruffles All Dressed chip might be the platonic ideal of a chip. It's tangy, slightly sweet, nice and salty. It's thick, but not too thick, with wavy ridges to give the whole thing the most satisfying crunch on the market.
To be honest, I don't know if there is a world where the top spot doesn't go to the Ruffles All Dressed. It might actually be Canada's greatest contribution to the world, just eking by insulin and the Zamboni in the rankings — it's just that good.
Ruffles All Dressed are light and acidic enough to give you that rush, but with those mellower other flavours to act as a good counterbalance. What are they "All Dressed" with? That remains a mystery. They've been described as tasting like a combination of ketchup, barbeque, salt and vinegar and sour cream and onion, however, that doesn't seem to be an accurate summation of them. They're their own spicy, salty, tangy and sweet thing that makes them wholly unique.
You can put them out at a party and please the crowd, or you can hoover a whole bag sitting alone in your room, they are so incredibly versatile. As a matter of fact, they're also a favourite of one of Canada's most beloved sons, Ryan Gosling, who said he struggled to describe them to Margot Robbie.
So, yes, as you can probably guess, Ruffles All Dressed are the best chips on the planet and most definitely the best chips in Canada.
Score: Infinity/5
So, hopefully, with this ranking of chips, you can make your next party or snack session a little more Canadian.
And of course, this is just my opinion of the few chips I've tried for this article. There are a ton of regional and store-specific flavours and brands that I know are available only in Canada. The purpose of choosing these is to give a more general view of the world of chips in this country.
One thing that you should definitely take away from this article is the fact that Canada is really killing it in the snack game.
I Ranked A Bunch Of The Most 'Canadian' Chips & Nothing Beats This One Flavour
Source: News Article Viral
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