As summer is officially among us, and the dad bod is making a revival in our nation's history, the grocery stores are filling up with one of America's favorite snacks. Everyone has their own preferences on what snack he or she likes to munch on for a mid-day or midnight snack, but one snack in particular captures the hearts and bellies of many people across the board: potato chips.
In Great Britain and other European countries, chips are synonymous with our version of the french fry, but I am talking about good ol' crunchy, fried potato chips. Potato chips have been an American staple for over 150 years now, and continues to grow every year.
Let me sprinkle on you a little bit of potato chip history. The tale has it that an African/Native American chef, George Crum, was working at some snobby restaurant in well known New York, NY in the mid 1850s. During one of Mr. Crum's shifts, a disgruntled customer did not like the french fries he received with his meal, claiming they were too thick. The customer sent it back for a better order. After the second and thinner batch of french fries, the customer was still not happy with his side and sent it back for a third go.
Now, Mr. Crum must've gotten very impatient and to get back at the unworthy customer, Mr. Crum made the thinnest batch of french fries he could've and sent it back to the customer to await for another reaction. The customer actually fell in love with the thin batch of french fries, and just like that, the modern day potato chip was born. Soon after this delightful invention, everyone wanted more and more thin french fries and Mr. Crum was on to something epic. Today, potato chips stand as one of the most beloved and tasty treats around.
Potato chips are one of the most versatile of all snacks; they go with a wide array of options. It is classic for going with hamburgers at a BBQ or lunch. The potato chip and any form of dip, whether sour cream based, meat based, or even topped with some guacamole are the best of 'buds.' To support my claim of the potato chip being on the top of the snack food chain, here are some insane facts on the tasty, little, fried potatoes:
- According to a Statista survey, roughly 85% of American households claim to eat potato chips.
- Lays, the most popular of all potato chip brands, averaged sales of $1.5 billion within the United States.
- There is an entire day to recognize the snack of all snacks: March 14th!
- The love of potato chips has lead to an increase in the most popular condiment throughout our country—salsa!
So, next time you are thinking about what you should do with your free time or are a little stressed with life, I suggest grabbing a remote and a bag of potato chips... It'll be one of the best decisions you make all day.
