Texture and Taste Together – Undercover Snacks

Nov 21, 2023 by Chef David

By Chef David

Taste and texture are two factors that influence the culinary experience. Recipes often focus on flavors, even though the eating experience is enhanced by food texture. It is also called mouthfeel and refers to the physical sensations you experience in your mouth when eating. Consider the difference between eating apple sauce and a crisp apple. Biting into a juicy crisp apple can be more satisfying. Chewing apples release juices creating a sensory experience that is not present with applesauce. Combining complex tastes with textures often makes the food more exciting.

Texture Adds Enjoyment

Complicated textures add another dimension to the eating, a tactile experience, which is part of our subconscious appreciation of foods. The term mouthfeel is commonly used when describing wine, it refers to the way a wine coats the inside of the mouth and is an indication of the viscosity. With food, it is more about the texture and preparation method. The first bite provides an indication of firmness. As we chew, we perceive smoothness and creaminess, while the flavors and textures commingle and coat our palette.

Just as we enjoy the complexity of flavors we gravitate to complicated textures, there is a preference for chips with a crunch. While soggy slimy textures like cereal sitting too long in the milk may be an indication that food is spoiled and should be avoided. Our reaction to various textures depends on culture and expectations and determines what we choose to eat.

Foods having texture encourage chewing, which breaks down the food, mixing in enzymes and preparing your body for digestion. In fact, experts found that chewing more may be linked with satiation and increases the release of nutrients.  Simply said, foods that have a complicated mouth feel encourage you to chew, which in turn promotes healthier eating.

Texture and Great Taste – Undercover Snacks

Undercover Snacks certified by the OU uses texture to enhance the eating experience, giving it a unique mouthfeel to elevate the snacking experience.

Quinoa gives Undercover Snacks a crunchy, fun mouth feel, and a distinctive appearance. These crispy quinoa-based crisps covered with light chocolate make perfect pop-in-your-mouth snacks. They are addictive, full-flavored, not too sweet, and yet, they taste decedent. The secret is quinoa, a whole grain that provides fiber and protein, and it is gluten-free.

A one-ounce serving contains 2 grams of fiber and protein, as well as providing iron, potassium, and calcium. It is on par with cookies at 120 calories. The ingredients are simply chocolate and quinoa. Undercover Snacks toasts the quinoa at a high temperature without using oil, a process that retains the natural fiber, protein, and nutrients while providing a satisfying crunch.

They remain true to their core ingredients, chocolate, and quinoa, using this as their foundation as they produce a wide variety of crisps. We tasted the chocolate sea salt, pomegranate, dark cherry, mixed berry, and blueberry. We also tried some of their seasonal flavors, pumpkin spice, and dark chocolate peppermint for the holidays. We enjoyed the peppermint which was voted one of our favorite flavors. We also preferred the single-bite minis over the classic-size crisps (but it is only available in limited flavors).

Our testers noted the consistency in the distinctive crunch. The variety of flavors was satisfying and irresistibly delicious. Undercover Snacks are available online or use their store finder.

A Mom With A Mission

Founded in 2017 by Diana Levy, a health-conscious chocoholic and mom of three daughters, and her husband Michael. After experimenting in her kitchen to create a healthier snack for her chocolate-obsessed daughters diagnosed with celiac disease, Diane developed the idea for chocolate quinoa crisps. She is a self-taught chocolatier, who began making small batches by hand. The brand has expanded rapidly, and for good reasons, they are allergy-free, gluten-free, and delicious.

Snacking with Benefits

Undercover Snacks provide a munchy, crunchy crisp which will satisfy your sweet tooth. And yet they are full of disguised healthy ingredients and filled with protein, and fiber. The crisp’s distinct mouth feel distinguishes them from traditional snacks and enhances the entire eating experience. Sure, we could easily eat an entire 2-ounce bag in one sitting, but then two ounces is just a typical two-serving snack. The difference was the unusual chewing experience, vibrant taste, and healthier contents.

Undercover Snacks is exactly what it was created to be, an allergy-free healthier snacking alternative, that combines taste, flavor, and mouth feel into each crisp. Snack healthier!