Home > Categories > Food > Snack Foods > Proper Crisps - Kumara Crisps review
The newest addition to the Proper Crisps range is Proper Kumara Crisps! Made with a medley of Kumara Varieties sourced from Kaipara, New Zealand. Red Kumara (Owairaka), Gold Kumara (Toka Toka), Orange Kumara (Beauregard). The ingredient list is simple: Kumara, Rice Bran Oil and Sea Salt. The salt used is NZ sourced, from the Lake Grassmere salt flats in the Marlborough region.
These crisps, like all of the Proper Crisps range, are 100% natural, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, MSG Free, GMO Free, and suitable for vegetarians. A great source of dietary fibre, essential vitamins and trace minerals, these count as one of your "5+ a Day" for good dietary health.
Available at quality stockists nation wide.
Product reviews...
These are the most delicious Kumara Chips on the market. We first tried these at The Food Show in Christchurch several years ago. We were absolutely hooked and always stock up when we see their stand at The Food Show.
We have tried other brands of Kumara Chips over the years and nothing compares with the taste of these chips. Cheaper is definitely not better. The flavour is soo good, you'll have to stop yourself from eating the whole bag. In fact it's best if you hide the packet from the kids because the chips will all disappear in no time.
It's been a challenge finding who stocks these in Christchurch. When we first discovered them, there weren't many stockist which is why we always stock up at The Food Show. But more supermarkets like Fresh Choice Parklands are stocking this brand now which is awesome and quite a few boutique shops too like Piko Wholefoods - and you know it's got to be good for them to stock it.
These chips are great because they are not greasy like a lot of other chip brands are. And they are quite filling. You don't need as many as regular chips to make you feel satisfied. If you haven't tried them, you should. You won't be disappointed. Great to buy from a NZ retailer too! Buy NZ made!
Yummy mum. For these words to come out of a 2 year old when you think about "vegetables" was amazing. He actually, genuinely loved these. We were looking for a healthier lunch box alternative for him to take to daycare when we stumbled across the convenience packs in the chippy aisle. It was worth a try given the alternatives were full of sugar, salt and added stuff I couldn't even pronounce. We have been hooked ever since.
We all love the flavor, we love the quality, and we really love the fact that there are more than a single variety or type within the mix - there are clearly some seasonal variances which are a really nice surprise with alternative textures always keeping you on your toes. Personally I love the much harder and crisper variants within the pack, which is a good thing as to be honest the rest of the family prefer the softer "orange" kumara crisps.
Above the amazing taste the quality across all touch points is really good. The packaging itself stands out from the rest, and has a "realness" feeling to it that makes the product feel much more natural and less processed. And sounds weird but they don't have that horrid chippy packet feel / sound to it, you know the cheap foil one we are so familiar with.
Price point is on the higher side but I am absolutely one to pay for quality vs. quantity. If you haven't given them a try I think you will be surprised at what you get in each and every handful, or "bagful" in all my consuming cases.
There have been dozens of new varieties of snack chips reaching the market in recent years - the traditional potato chip has had to move sideways to make way for new products made from other starchy crops. Cassava, kumara and corn have all arrived, each with a unique flavour and texture, to be marketed variously as chips, crisps, or nachos. So when I tried Proper Hand Cooked Kumara Crisps, I was prepared for just another variation on an old theme.
What impressed me on first tasting them was the crisp texture and salt-sweet flavour. They do have a kumara after taste but it is by no means intrusive - unlike some potato chip varieties which can be almost too strong to be enjoyable. They are salty but again not overly so, and this is counteracted by the natural sweetness of the kumara.
I was really sold, however, when I emptied the packet on to a plate. I already knew from the packet information that the contents were made up of a medley of seasonal varieties - and this makes for a most attractive combination for offering round at a party. The chips were of every shade from pale gold to dark brown, and the dark edge on each chip added to the attraction. Visually, they were quite unlike any other bowl of chips I have ever served.
I will certainly be adding this item to my list when I am entertaining. It is great to find a home grown product which lives up to the packet information and is both tasty and innovative. Thanks to KIWIreviews for introducing me to a new product.
Being from a family of Kumara lovers, I was super excited to try Kumara Chips!
When I received the sample bag, I was first really surprised by the generous portion size of the bag which I thought was excellent. I eagerly opened the bag (after wrestling bag off the kids), and the colour hit inside the bag was amazing, the chips were bright orange, cream and every colour in between! I checked the back of the bag which said they use all three kumara types I've seen at the supermarket which would account for all colours,
The kids soon returned, so we all tried the chips, they were very so crunchy, not heavy with oil, and lightly salted. The lack of seasoning really made the kumara taste come out and we were all agreed that it was nice to taste a chip without all the overpowering seasoning that can make your mouth dry and craving a drink to dilute the taste.
Some things were really loved about the chips were that they were wholly NZ grown kumaras, made and packaged in NZ (our packet said by "Troy" - how cool is that?) and that they were Gluten Free, Dairy Free, MSG Free, GMO Free. Our only complaint is that they were gone too quick!
I ventured down to my local Countdown and New World, but after hunting high and low, and asking staff, sadly they are yet to stock them, but I can assure you we will buy these again. They are more expensive that your bog standard potato chips, but these chips are anything but standard.
The packaging is quite a robust bag; thicker than the usual potato chip bag, holds 120g and has a very simple design that is easy to read. 100% grown in Kaipara NZ, NZ made, hand cooked, and lightly salted. Mine were apparently made by Greg. Good job, Greg. Opening the pack, it's easy to see that these are not your usual crisps. There are a variety of colours, assuming it's related to the type of kumara that it was made from. A good sign really, as you can tell that these crisps are not saturated in flavouring. They don't need it.
The chip itself is surprisingly strong; I would guess that they feel at least four times stronger than a usual potato chip (maybe twice the strength of a thick Copper Kettle crisp). This does mean that they hold their shape well, and you end up with a larger number of intact crisps by the end of the packet. In fact, the extra thickness and strength of the crisp means the packet actually has a great crisp to air ratio.
The flavour is rather subtle. A slightly muffled sweetness, with a saltiness on the edges. It doesn't scream it's flavour, which is both a positive and negative. On the up-side, you could eat the entire pack without overloading your palate. On the down-side, you can and will eat the entire pack in one sitting. Still, it felt good to pig out on a 100% natural, GMO-free, gluten free, dairy free, and MSG free crisp. Will definitely try again
Just recently I have started packing miss 2's lunch for daycare rather than her having the provided meals due to her ending up in hospital and being placed on a very strict diet to help clear her allergies. While I was at the supermarket searching for healthy, but yummy snack ideas for her lunch that she would enjoy, I remembered reading other members reviews on the Proper Crisps - Kumara Crisps so decided to give these a shot over all of the other listed brands. Though my daughter is definetely not a fan of kumara, I thought these being in chip form that I may have less, and if that failed id be happy to finish the bag off myself!
Other than reading all the rave reviews about these on KIWIreviews, I was drawn to buying this particular brand due to the eye catching and natural seeming bag, I also loved the fact that they were 100% natural, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, MSG Free and GMO free, and a bonus was that they could even be counted as one of her 5+ a day vegetables, I mean since when can a chip be classed a vegetable? I was sold!
The first thing that interested me and my daughter when we ripped the bag open was the medley of different coloured chips in the bag, which I have to admit surprised me as I expected to see just red Kumara as per the front of the packet, Miss 2 was very excited about the coloured chips and started sorting them into colour groups in her bowl! The crisps are sweet just like kumara, and have a very light sprinkling of salt, they are crisp to bite and have a good crunch to them which reminds me a lot of Kettle Chips. I'm happy to report that when Miss 2 came home with her lunchbox the Kumara Chips were gone, when I asked her what her favourite part of her lunch was that day her reply was "rainbow chippies, my favourite".
Though these are a little bit more expensive than your average potato chip, I would happily buy these again, such a healthy option and a great snack!
I have always been a fan of hot Kumara chips since I tried them when I was a kid, a few years ago I saw a bag of cold Kumara chips at the supermarket and thought I must try them, only to be disappointed in them and to discover that they weren't even manufactured here. When I saw the Proper Crisps ones on the shelf at the supermarket I checked to make sure they were NZ made and was thoroughly pleased to discover they were.
Upon opening the bag, which was a little bit of a struggle, but not one I was concerned about - that must mean they were still lovely and crisp doesn't it? - I was surprised at the fact there were three flavours in there, they were mostly whole, the bag was pretty full, and yes, they were still lovely and crisp.
I had a little play, trying each flavour on it's own, then blending them together, I must admit I'm a bit of a purist and found the purple skinned ones the nicest and liked the orange ones the least. Blending the flavours worked well too and gave a nice variety. The next time I had these Miss 6 was with me and had a stick of jubes that she had chosen, I allowed her to try some, she then kept trying to swap jubes for kumara crisps, I think it's fair to say she loved them too!
They are certainly something I'll pop into the trolley on a regular basis, and not only when they're on special. I definitely recommend them to friends as they're a nice change from potato chips (although you really need to try the Proper Crisps ones!) and can seem a little more grown up than standard chips as well.
I was keen to give these a try as have tried other kumara crisps before and been very disappointed.
At my first glance I liked the packet as it clearly stated what I needed to know, NZ product, gluten free etc. I was surprised at the size of the packet but then realised once opening that this packet was full (unlike other crisps which packet are mainly air). It was a pleasant sight to see that they had used three varieties of kumara. It made for a very colourful bowl of crisps and as the orange kumara are a favourite in my house due to flavour I knew that there may be a few different flavours within the packet.
The taste of these crisps were very different to those of potato crisps (which I know disappointed my son), however I had a different view. The taste when putting into your mouth had very little flavour, however after a few chews the flavour exploded and the kumara taste appeared. I really liked that taste including the sweetness was there and there was no oily aftertaste.
The packet sat on the bench and it was happy just to take a few at a time while cooking dinner. I got distracted by the kids and there were a few left in the packet. On finding these the next day I was surprised that they had not gone soft like other crisps would of. This is a real bonus for me as I like opening a larger packet of crisps and using for snack over a few days in which I quite often find the chips go stale.
I will definitely be buying these again and also sharing with friends and family..
Potato chips are something that most kiwis enjoy as a special snack (or in some cases, more a regular snack). I love them but try to stay away from them as I know that they aren't good for me. I have never tried kumara crisps before. I love kumara and I was pretty sure that I would also love the kumara crisps.
Firstly, I looked at the ingredients and found that they are made of kumara (three different types), rice bran oil and sea salt. Pretty basic ingredients, in fact they could be what I would use in order to make hot kumara crisps in the oven home. In comparison to a bag of potato chips that I have in my cupboard, the potato chips had 33.6g per 100g (saturated was 15.6g) and the kumara crisps have 23.0g per 100g of fat (saturated was 5.2g). I know that kumara is in fact better for you than potato if you are watching your weight and I am sure that would follow through to the chips too (within reason of course!). The amount of fat in the kumara crisps is considerably less than in the potato chips. I noticed that they are only lightly salted as well and the nutritional information agreed with that (in comparison to the potato chips I had at home anyway).
I noticed that the bag was about 3/4 full which was a bit of a surprise in comparison to potato chips, where often I feel like they are selling air. Inside the bag, there was a lovely colour range of crisps. This is because there are three different types of kumara used. It is easy to tell the difference between each of the varieties of kumara. They each taste different and have a slightly different texture.
I liked the fact that the kumara still had the skin on. This gave added to the homemade appeal and also, the skin is where the best nutrition is in a vegetable. They were definitely quite sweet and therefore different to potato chips. It took a few tastes to get used to the fact that I was eating kumara rather than potato. It was a good difference....just different! I found that they didn't taste as salty as one would expect from potato chips. I keep comparing them back to potato chips because I would see them replacing potato chips in the snack menu for an event. They are a bit more expensive, but they would fill people up more and be better for them.
I quite liked the message at the back of the bag. It is nice and personal and makes me proud to support a Kiwi venture. I loved the touch at the bottom which states that the chips are made by Greg. That is pretty cool. It makes me wonder who this talented person is that has made my crisps for me and my family. It is very different to the mass production of chips by most companies.
Kumara is really an institutionalized vege of New Zealand. We love kumara roasted, or mashed and in soups. I love trying new ways with it, as it is super versatile and tasty. I was so excited to open up my KIWIreviews box to find these in there I had just arrived home from holiday and we had swimming lessons with the children. After that we came home and snuggled up watching a movie. I thought that I would be a great opportunity to open these as a tasty snack for hungry tummies.
The pack is quite hard to open, it has a good seal and the packaging is quite thick, which seems to make it appear really good quality and that the product will be crisp and fresh - which it was! When tipped into a bowl it was visually pleasing with different colours (different types of kumara).
My two boys (4 and 6), were eager to try these, and thought they were tasty, but not 'chip' like. After a few tries, they then asked for a pack of 'normal' chippies. I was disappointing that they didn't like them enough to want to keep eating however I was kind of pleased as I really was enjoying them. I found them less crunchy than normal crisps, however they were a lot more natural tasting and has the perfect amount of salt on them. I wasn't planning on eating the whole packet, however before I knew it they were gone!
I think that these would make a great alternative to corn chips for nachos, or added into a salad for crunch. I will be adding these to the shopping list and buying them again - perhaps even to add into my lunch for a treat.
I am a huge Kumara fan and this is not the first packet of kumara chips I have tried in my time. I knew that I would enjoy them, but I was interested to see if my family would take to them. My kids are a bit like chalk and cheese with food. If one likes it the other doesn't. But I was surprised by the reactions both good and bad.
My toddler was given a kumara chip to try. She ate the first one no problem. Then she ate half of the second one. At this point she twigged that something wasn't quite as expected on her palate. She handed me half a chip. "What's wrong?" I asked innocently. "These NOT chippies mummy. Mummy, these NOT. These YUCKY!!!" came the answer. So it was no sale there sadly.
The next child is 7 going on 8 and she is quite fussy. So I was surprised when I gave her a small bowl of the chips and she not only cleaned the plate, she asked for more! I re-filled her plate and she cleaned that up quickly too. When I asked her what she thought of them, she said they were nice but there was something "not potato" about them. She couldn't quite put her finger on the difference. When I mentioned that they were kumara she realised that was the difference she was looking for. They do have a different texture. Nevertheless she did enjoy them, though she said she wouldn't necessarily pick them over potato chips - she loves the smoked paprika ones they do.
I personally enjoyed these chips. The texture is slightly softer than a potato chip. But they are still crunchy and have that big crunch like a kettle chip. The colour of them is nice and appealing. They are quite salty, and while the bag is a little smaller I think these would easily find their way into my trolley. I wouldn't have to share them much, which is pretty awesome.
Having successfully got these Proper Crisps home unopened I couldn't resist when curled up pn the couch watching Offspring. I thought I would just taste a few but aside from a few that hubby tried I polished off the whole bag myself. A whole bag was definitely too much as I definitely felt like I had overeaten but they are incredibly Moorish. I love that the are all natural containing only kumara, oil and salt but also that they can be shared with my gluten free family members.
I love that these had three different types of kumara which made the look visually interesting in the bowl but also gave a variety of tastes and texture when eating. Given that they are oil coated also means that they are very crispy and Moorish so very, very easy to eat. I actually liked eating these more than potato crisps I think because of the variety of texture and that these are much healthier nutritionally than potato crisps. At $3.99 a bag I might not buy these often but would buy them in preference to potato crisps if buying just for me (we usually buy the Proper Crisps so already like the brand). I think these are a great product and love that they are so natural without trace contamination so perfect for those with allergies and intolerances. Definitely a fantastic product that I can recommend.
I have been searching high and low for this particular brand of Kumara chips without any luck so I was super excited to receive this product to review. I'd been interested in this product as soon as I saw it on the KIWIreviews website and I was drawn to it by the fact that it only contains a few simple ingredients plus I just adore Kumara and all of it's health benefits.
The crisps are sweet, crispy and very lightly salted. The Kumara medley gives the product great visual appeal but unfortunately I felt like the red Kumara didn't really work and was rather hard (as opposed to crispy) and bland. However, it was much more appetising when eaten together with the other types of Kumara and I felt like the more I ate the better they got. My brother wasn't overly keen on them as they are very plain and would probably be best served with a selection of dips. My son, on the other hand, absolutely loved them and I love that they are a healthier snack option for him.
The bags are quite small which makes them a little pricy but they would be a yummy treat for special occasions and a nice change from regular potato chips.
We were given some of these kumara crisps to review and I saved them up to share on a beach holiday with family, including my sister who is gluten free.
The first thing I noticed when I tipped them out, was the beautiful medley of colours. Sure enough when I read the packet properly I noticed that 3 different types of kumara were included - I was impressed, and they certainly make an attractive contribution to a nibbles table.
As these were plain sea salt flavour, I served them with some dips as I'd normally only eat salted chips this way. But first I taste tested the chips by themselves and I was very impressed. This is where I say that I don't really like kumara - it has to be well flavoured for me to eat it and even then I'll avoid it if there are other options. This is partly why I was so keen to test these chips for free, as I would have been nervous buying them at the supermarket. But as it turns out, they were delicious and yes I will be buying these again... perhaps all for myself next time!
I quite liked the mild plain salted flavour but others who were with me thought they were a bit plain without the dips. I guess that comes down to personal preference, but everyone enjoyed them. The packet is fairly small, but served on a platter with other items, you really do only need the one bag for a big group. I did notice a small flavour difference between the different colours, but I couldn't pick a favourite. These aren't the cheapest chips out there, but they make a platter look fabulous and I personally think they are worth the price for a quality item. I plan to buy these again for sure.
I am the only one in my household that loves kumara. Everyone else thinks I am trying to poison them if I dish any up for them. I rarely eat potatoes and prefer to eat kumara instead for the health benefits. When I was given a packet of Proper's Kumara Crisps to try I was pretty sure I would get to eat the whole packet by myself. I was so wrong.
I had the unopened packet sitting in the car when I picked up Miss 5 and Miss 6.5 up from school. I offered them some chips being careful not to mention the word kumara or show them the front of the packet. They both happily ate their chips. My eldest's first reaction was they were crunchy and didn't have much flavour. My youngest just ate hers quietly.
I have to agree with my daughter. The chips didn't have much flavour. I could taste the kumara slightly but was quite bland, but then we all prefer a flavoured chip to a ready salted one. I also found them crunchy. To me this is a sign of freshness and is only a bad thing if you are trying to eat them in secret.
The packet contains three different types of kumara so there were slightly different flavours depending on what type of chip you tried. The only other ingredients are rice bran oil and sea salt. This makes it a quality product and as a result comes in a smaller 120g packet. If I see these on special I will probably buy them especially for family occasions as my sister is unable to eat potatoes or gluten.
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