Thanks to CHOMPS for sending us free samples to try for this article!
Even though over 40% of American adults battle obesity, the “healthy lifestyle” sectors of American business have increased exponentially over the past several years. More and more people are looking for organic, clean eating options.
However, busy working adults can’t always find cost-effective, convenient, healthy snack options. Luckily, CHOMPS hopes to change that by offering affordable, sustainably-sourced protein-filled snacks to the masses.
Never heard of CHOMPS? Neither had I until recently!
Why Protein-Filled Snacks Are Important
To keep it simple, our bodies need protein to function. Proteins repair muscles, build enzymes, regulate hormones, and aid our immune system. Most importantly, our brains require protein to remain healthy and alert, making it a much-needed part of our everyday diet. Furthermore, protein is especially important for children and young adults, as those bodies are still growing.
While the list of what protein does for our body should be enough to encourage you to make it a part of your everyday diet, the negative impacts caused by a lack of protein may also help you see why it’s so important. In fact, low protein consumption can lead to moodiness, an inability to focus, low energy, and sluggish metabolism. Trust me, nobody wants any of that going on — especially if you’re a busy person!
Because of all the things protein does for us, it only makes sense to make sure you’re eating adequate amounts of it each day. Furthermore, protein-filled snacks fill you up quickly and stabilize your blood sugar. Inversely, starchy snacks do the opposite, which is why you end up tired and unfocused when you load up on carbs during a snack break.
What Is Chomps?
Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali started CHOMPS with the mission to create simple snacks filled with high-quality, sustainably-sourced proteins without any artificial ingredients hidden inside. Since starting the business, the company has expanded to offer a variety of beef and turkey jerkies. With flavors that range from sweet and tangy to savory and spicy, CHOMPS has something for every jerky lover.
Because CHOMPS was created with healthy eating in mind, the company only uses 100% grass-fed and finished beef and 100% free-range turkey in all of their jerky products. What’s more, all CHOMPS products remain free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, added sugar, added nitrates or nitrites, MSG, artificial preservatives or coloring, and artificial sweeteners.
You can pick up CHOMPS at stores like Trader Joe’s and Albertsons, or simply order through the CHOMPS website. Through the website, you have the option to place one-time orders or save money through the CHOMPS subscription program. Furthermore, CHOMPS offers a rewards program where you not only earn points for your purchases, but you can also earn credits for sharing about the brand on social media and referring friends to the site.
Although their products don’t require refrigeration or any special temperature requirements during shipping, CHOMPS jerkies are only available within the United States at this time (although their website states that shipping to Canada is coming soon).
My Personal Thoughts On Chomps Jerky
Just like any other busy millennial with young children, making time for healthy lunches and snacks isn’t always on my radar. (In fact, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit how often I utilize Uber Eats or stuff my face with candy while I work away from my home office.) Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day, I have deadlines to meet or laundry to do, and taking time to find a nutritious snack just seems like too much effort.
Needless to say, I am almost exactly the type of client CHOMPS wants to test out their product, and I am never one to turn down free jerky (or, honestly, any snack).
Although I’ve tried other “healthy snack delivery services” like NatureBox and meat subscriptions like Butcher Box, I’d never previously tested out anything like this — but then I snagged a variety pack from CHOMPS and was eager to test it out.
The Variety Pack comes with a sample of all of their main products: (list products). While this probably isn’t the way to go if you want a decent supply of jerky, it was the perfect way for me to test out what CHOMPS has to offer and decide what I like or don’t like before buying in for a whole case of any one specific flavor.
First Glance
As soon as I opened my pack, I already loved several aspects of the packaging. For starters, each item comes in a different color wrapper, which makes it easy to distinguish one flavor from another. Furthermore, they have several full-proof labelings on each item, such as the picture of the animal so you know what you’re getting (beef, turkey, or venison) and the helpful labeling of the spice level. This not only can help adults with selective palates, but it also can be a lifesaver for parents who may typically let children pick snacks based on the color of the wrapper.
The Taste Test
As someone who really enjoys beef jerky and grew up eating fresh venison, I really wasn’t sure if these jerky sticks would live up to my high standards. However, they honestly tasted great! I started with the Original Beef Jerky and Salt & Pepper Venison — both of which had a great peppery, smoky flavor. I tasted subtle differences between the two meats in terms of texture and overall flavor, but they were both mild and not overly salty.
The next time a snack break rolled around, I decided to be adventurous and try a bit of the Jalapeño Turkey Jerky and a small piece of the Cranberry Habanero Beef Jerky (I have a very low threshold for spicy foods). I absolutely loved the flavor of the Cranberry Habanero Beef Jerky, but man, Chomps isn’t kidding when they mark it as a spicy stick — it definitely has a kick! You can taste the sweetness of the cranberry as well, though, which really set a nice tone.
Analyzing The Value
I’ll admit, if I could simply go off the flavor, CHOMPS had me sold after just a few sticks of jerky. As I looked over their prices on the website, though, I wondered if this jerky actually provides a good value. After all, money matters.
I first compared CHOMPS products to a nationally recognized jerky brand: Jack Links. I immediately noticed that a pack of Jack Links is cheaper than a pack of CHOMPS — but why? Well, besides the most logical reason that Jack Links produces in massive quantities which makes their production costs cheaper, a quick look at the nutritional info for Jack Links gave me the answer I needed. Jack Links are 100% beef, but they aren’t made with grass-fed beef, and they have plenty of stuff added in (seriously, one Jack Link has twice the sodium as a CHOMP stick).
In my mind, the savings with Jack Links wasn’t worth the differences I perceived in nutritional value, so I moved on to another option: Paleovalley. Paleovalley’s jerky ended up being very comparable in terms of nutritional value, ingredient sourcing and price. However, Paleovalley doesn’t offer nearly as many flavors or variety of meat sources as CHOMPS. Also, I simply found their site difficult to navigate, which in my mind is a turn-off for any company who should be focused on eCommerce.
As I continued my research, I quickly found many similar results: Cheaper jerky usually meant lower quality jerky, and comparable quality jerky came in around the same price as CHOMPS (or, in some cases, a higher price).
The Verdict on CHOMPS Jerky
If you’re looking for healthy snacks that are packed with protein and come straight to your door, CHOMPS jerky sticks are definitely worth checking out. They have a wide variety of flavors, plus you can order one time or set yourself up for regular deliveries through their subscription program.
Just remember that your body needs protein, but it can’t live off of jerky alone. So if you need some more ideas for healthy snacks, check out our review of Frozen Garden Smoothies too.