Because it can be so filling, squash is typically not thought of as a snack food—unless you're eating these Baked Kabocha Squash Chips from the recipe by the Veggies Don't Bite blog.
The recipe calls for one squash, plus thyme and sea salt for seasoning. Although oil is usually an essential part of making any vegetable chip, the squash tends to release water when it is cooked, which results in a finished product that's surprisingly crispy instead of mushy. Although the use of a dehydrator might seem like the easiest way to make these squash chips at home, this recipe makes do with an ordinary baking sheet and an oven.
Although chips are commonly grouped into the junk food category, alternative varieties made from kale, spinach, tomato and squash are emerging to show that a balance can be struck between good taste and health.
Sliced Squash Chips
Using Squash, Veggies Don't Bite Makes a Filling, Crispy Snack
Trend Themes
1. Alternative Vegetable Chips - There are opportunities for food manufacturers to create innovative vegetable chips made from kale, spinach, tomato, and squash.
2. Healthy Snacks - As consumers look for healthier snack options, there is an opportunity for the food industry to make innovative snacks using vegetables.
3. Non-traditional Snack Ingredients - Innovative food manufacturers can experiment with non-traditional snack ingredients like squash to create new snack options.
Industry Implications
1. Food Manufacturing - There is an opportunity for food manufacturers to create healthier snack options that use vegetables to replace traditional junk food snacks.
2. Snack Industry - The snack industry can innovate by incorporating vegetables as ingredients in their products and creating healthier snacking options.
3. Agriculture Industry - As there is an increasing demand for vegetables used in snack manufacturing, there is an opportunity for the agriculture industry to increase their output and profits.