This Is My New Favorite Snack of 2018
Yes, I know we're not even halfway through the year—but I already know nothing will come close to being as great as this new product.
As a Cooking Light reader, you probably fall into one of three categories: You're an early riser who loves to wake up to a filling and nutritious breakfast, a hard worker who relishes a break with a light lunch, or a home cook who can't wait to start on a healthy dinner.
But I'm in a fourth category—I simply can't resist munching on a wholesome snack during the day.
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I spend a lot of time ripping through the snack aisle in the search for delicious, affordable options that also won't derail my intake counts for the rest of the day. And I've found some pretty good options lately—like Annie Chun's umami-rich Gochujang Seaweed Crisps or the shockingly yummy (and light!) $1 crackers at Dollar General.
But nothing comes close to Blue Diamond's newest addition, now known as Gourmet Crafted Almonds. Hands down, they're one of the best snacks I will eat this year. Here's why:
The first thing you'll notice is that the almonds have been blanched, which means the papery skin has been removed. It totally transforms the texture of the nut. It's much smoother and I love that I don't have to worry about any almond skins sticking to my teeth or—even worse—getting stuck on the roof of my mouth.
Then they come in four different flavors, each delicious in its own right—pink himalayan salt; garlic, herb and olive oil; rosemary and sea salt; and my personal favorite: Black truffle.
Black truffle almonds might sound a little too refined for a quick snack, but Blue Diamond nailed the savory flavor—not too strong, and but definitely full-flavored. I couldn't help but run around to my coworkers' desks when I first opened the bag—I even got an editor who didn't like nuts to ask for seconds. My favorite comment? "It's like someone made cheese ravioli almonds."
But this is the best part: These almonds are a dieter's dream.
Each serving size is extremely generous for a filling snack: a whopping 24 almonds. A serving of this no-fuss snack is a mere 170 calories, 135mg of sodium (and it tastes like so much more), and 1g of saturated fat. There's no added sugar, and you'll also reap 6g of protein each time you open the bag.
But wait—there's more! Guess how much these are currently retailing for? You can buy a pack of 6 bags, sized nicely at 5oz with around 120 almonds in each bag, for just $21.95 via Blue Diamond's online store. That's around $3.60 per bag: I don't know about you, but those might be the cheapest almonds I've ever come across.
Blue Diamond isn't the only brand to pick up on how insanely delicious truffle almonds are—we also hear that Trader Joe's has a pretty fantastic blend as well. Blue Diamond representatives tell me the new products will be in stores by the end of March 2018, and available at many big-box retailers and sold wherever nuts can be found. For more information on what I'm calling right now as the best snack addition of 2018, click here.