Juanitas chips walmart

What to Consider When Buying Tortilla Chips

Intended and Alternative Uses

The type of chip you choose will depend on how you plan to eat them: on their own, with dips, as nachos, etc. However, tortilla chips are a versatile pantry staple to keep on hand. They can be used as a crunchy topper for salads, soups, and burrito bowls. Simply crush them lightly by hand. They can also be crushed more finely into “crumbs” for an alternative to breadcrumbs for a crunchy coating on chicken breasts or as a binder in burgers and meatballs.

Portion size

It can be easy to mindlessly snack on tortilla chips straight out of the bag. To curb how many calories, grams of fat, and sodium you eat in one sitting, try portioning the chips into single servings. Simply check the Nutrition Facts label for the recommended serving size. A typical serving of tortilla chips is 28 grams or 1 ounce. If you’re without a food scale or not sure how to eyeball an ounce, a good rule of thumb is to count about 7-10 chips as one serving.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Sharon Lehman, the author of this tortilla chip article, knows all foods fit in a healthy diet—even chips! A self-proclaimed dip lover, she recognizes the importance of offering the tastiest chip. Unable to pick a favorite, she rotates several brands from this list through her pantry, including Late July, Garden of Eatin’, and Siete.

How to Freeze Anything

We would definitely consider tortilla chips to be a household staple. Whether they're an afternoon snack with some homemade guacamole, a side to a cheesy quesadilla for dinner, or the base for a heaping plate of nachos, there's never a bad time to munch on a few chips. The problem with tortilla chips though, is that once the bag is opened, you never know how many you'll eat. It's that salty flavor that makes them so delicious, but it's also not the healthiest snack in your pantry.

That's why is important to be aware of different tortilla chip options on the market, as well as the ones that are hiding all that sodium, so we decided to rank them in a list of the best and worst options. All of these options can be found in major grocery stores.

How we judged the tortilla chips

To rank them properly, we first looked at proper serving sizes. Because the chips vary in size, servings are typically measured in ounces rather than number of chips. One serving is one ounce, which on average is between 7 to 10 chips.

We looked at the amount of sodium per one serving of tortilla chips, as the sodium is what adds up quickly when it comes to chips. The higher the sodium, the more unhealthy the chips. However, for the brands with the same amount of sodium, we then looked to the calories. Fewer calories means healthier chips, so the serving of chips with fewer calories had a higher rating than its competitors.

With that being said, here are the best and worst tortilla chips.

First, the best tortilla chips

Per 1 oz: 150 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 105 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

Despite the Xochitl Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips being paper-thin, they still manage to pack the sodium in each serving. But with 105 milligrams in one serving, they are still considered a healthier option in terms of sodium, compared to those on our worst list.

1 oz: 140 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 90 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

Mission Rounds Tortilla Chips boasts its authentic Mexican four-ingredient recipe, which is no doubt impressive, but one of those ingredients is sea salt, which comes through in the sodium count at 90 milligrams per one serving. However, keeping a simple ingredient list is what helps keep these chips on our best list.

Per 1 oz: 150 calories, 8 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 65 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

Whole Foods' 365 brand now makes a tortilla chip, and it's relatively low in sodium. However, it is higher in calories compared to our top spot winners, so it came in second. One serving has 65 milligrams of sodium and 150 calories.

Per 1 oz: 130 calories, 7 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 65 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

That's right! Garden of Eatin' Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips have the same exact nutritional information as Late July's chips, making them both the best tortilla chip you can buy in terms of lower sodium. Both of these options have the best nutritional value. Next time you're looking for a low-sodium tortilla chip option, these two options should be your go-to.

RELATED: These are the easy, at-home recipes that help you lose weight.

And now, the worst tortilla chips

Per 1 oz: 140 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 110 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

The Great Value products are sold at Walmart—a major grocery place where millions of people go shopping for food. But with 110 milligrams of sodium per serving, they just made it on our "worst" list because they have 5 milligrams of sodium more than the Xochitl chips on our "best" list.

Per 1 oz: 140 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

When it comes to the variety of tortilla chips, Tostitos definitely has the most. Unfortunately, not only does Tostitos have a lot of chip options, but they also have a lot of sodium. The Original Restaurant Style has 115 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Per 1 oz: 140 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat),120 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

When we think of Utz, the first thing that comes to mind is the delicious salty pretzels, so it's not surprising they bring the same salt flavor to the next level with their tortilla chips as well. Coming in as one of the worst for sodium, the Utz Organic White Corn has 120 milligrams of sodium in one serving, which is not the worst of the worst, but it's up there.

Per 1 oz: 150 calories, 8 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat),120 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

These Trader Joe's chips may be easy to grab, but they aren't exactly the healthiest option. They are higher in calories and in sodium compared to most other options.

Per 1 oz: 150 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 125 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 1 g protein

Not only are the Siete Sea Salt the highest-ranked in sodium at 125 milligrams per serving, but they're also among the highest in calories as well at 150 calories. It was the sodium, though, that made it the worst of all the options we surveyed in nutritional value.

Rachel Linder

Rachel is an Associate Editor responsible for compiling the daily Eat This, Not That! newsletter, making TikTok and YouTube videos for the brand, writing articles for the site, creating original graphics and providing direct assistance to the editors when needed. Read more

Specifications

TCIN: 47075372

UPC: 048867312164

Item Number (DPCI): 071-06-1448

Origin: Made in the USA or Imported

Description

Nothing beats the tried and true taste of tortilla chips, like these classic Juanita's Brand Tortilla Chips. They serve as the basis for so many wonderful dippables – salsa, queso, hummus and more. Pick up a bag and share it with your friends!