Nacho average snack

Let me paint you a picture. It’s mid-afternoon, and I’m staring into my pantry like it’s a scene from a survival movie.

The hunger is real, my snack options are tragic, and then my eyes set on the bag of Thrive Market Grain Free Tortilla Chips I bought from Thrive Market last week. 

Could these chips be the hero of my snack story, or am I going to starve this afternoon? 

The picture on the front of the bag had me dreaming of Chipotle’s tortilla chips—my gold standard, thanks to the magical lime salt (that I can’t seem to find anywhere- not any that’s JUST like Chipotle’s). 

Tostitos tries to mimic it, but let’s be completely honest: it’s like comparing an original artist with a best friend’s drunk karaoke performance.

My second favorite? Santitas. Affordable, reliable, and delicious. So, where do these Thrive Market chips fall?

Let’s start with the bag itself. Half of it is air. Of course it is! Why wouldn’t it be?!. The real kicker, however? It’s basically Fort Knox.

I’m not saying you need any sort of manly tool to open it, but if you’re not hitting the gym regularly, good luck.  After an embarrassing struggle, I finally broke in. (Maybe I should have just used scissors.)

We’ll call it a victory.

First whiff: entirely cardboard. Yes, I said cardboard. 

It’s not the most appetizing aroma (not the most unappetizing either, I guess),

but hey, we’re not here to sniff chips—we’re here to eat them.

Crunching into the chips themselves?

Imagine a slightly toasted tortilla chip and a toasted pita chip had a love child, and that child was born with grandma’s chia seed gene that nobody expected. (Yes, chia seeds in the chip! And they’re visible!) 

That’s what we’re working with here. The salt level? Balanced… most of the time.

Some chips are like, “Let’s take it easy on the sodium,” while others are full-on salt bombs. Consistency is not their strong suit.

To my surprise though, they’re actually good. Like, really good. They don’t taste like cardboard after all. 

I’m sitting here munching away, thinking, “I could eat this whole bag in one sitting.” And I just might.

I grabbed some Pace Hot salsa from my fridge to see how these chips hold up as a dipping vehicle. 

Ah, yes. Perfection. They’re sturdy enough to handle the salsa without crumbling and pair beautifully with the spice. 

Thrive Market, you’ve got a winner here.

At just $3.79 (on sale from $7.89) for a 5 oz bag, these chips come packed with an impressive array of dietary labels.

They’re gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, peanut-free, soy-free, plant-based, low in sugar, and preservative-free.

Are they better than Chipotle’s lime-salted masterpieces? No. Are they better than Santitas? Also no. But for a grain-free, healthier alternative, they’re shockingly good. 

Thrive Market, you’ve got my attention—and probably more of my money!

Thrive Market Mild Salsa

Now, let’s talk about Thrive Market’s salsa. First impressions? It looks great. You can see the chunks of tomato, peppers, jalapeño seeds, and cilantro—a promising start. The smell, however, is mostly tomato. I couldn’t detect many of the other ingredients, which was…

a major salsa concern. 

Especially in comparison to my homemade salsa…you can smell every ingredient. 

Thrive Market salsa is ketogenic, organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, preservative-free, soy-free…sounds pretty promising on being a ‘healthier’ salsa alternative.

But isn’t most salsa relatively healthy? Perhaps we’re going overboard trying to prove my salsa is healthier than your salsa. I mean, we’re talking tomatoes and peppers here.

Anyway, being the salsa lover I am, I decided to go all in and eat a spoonful straight from the jar. 

Meh. Primarily tomato…

I think I could put this on my spaghetti. Catch my drift? 

There were hints of ingredients other than tomato, but the

spice level was almost non-existent.

There’s a slight kick in the aftertaste, but nothing that would scare off my grandma. 

For the price of $4.99 (on sale from $7.99- buuuut my Pace Salsa is only $3.69 at Target), it’s a decent salsa if you’re looking for something mild and tomato-forward. 

The jar claims a serving size is two tablespoons?

HAHAHAHA, seriously? Who eats just two tablespoons of salsa?

I go into the Mexican restaurant and am LUCKY if I even make it to my main course meal! I primarily am eating that endless salsa they keep putting on the table.

While it’s not the bold, spicy salsa I usually crave, it pairs well with the Thrive Market Grain Free Tortilla Chips for a light and healthy snack.

If you’re a spice weak-link that is. 

If you’re into mild (not even mild…the spice is so quiet it is merely a whisper) salsas or want something that won’t overpower your chips, this might be a good option. But if you’re anywhere near a heat seeker, you’ll probably want to keep looking.

So, what’s the verdict? The Thrive Market Grain Free Tortilla Chips are a solid snack option—crunchy, flavorful, and perfect for guilt-free munching.

Pair them with a decent salsa (or even a not-so-decent one like Thrive’s) and you’ve got yourself a winning combination. They’re not quite Chipotle or Santitas-level, but they’ve earned a spot in my pantry.

And the salsa? Let’s just say it’s not dethroning my go-to brands anytime soon, but it’s serviceable if you’re in the mood for something less-than-mild.

In the end, Thrive Market delivers on its promise of healthier snacks, even if they don’t quite knock it out of the park every time. 

IMBHOverall- Mostly Yes ;)

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to eat bottomless chips and salsa at my favorite restaurant for $3.99.