Lesser Evil Snack Foods

"Snacks that feel and taste good".

Do I really care if my snacks "feel" good?  Nah.  Am I a healthy snacker?  Ha.  But do I love snack foods?  Oh yes.  And do I jump at the chance to try new products and brands, even if they don't appeal at first glance (hey, this is how we discover some gems!).  Of course.

Lesser Evil makes several product lines, including my #1 snack obsession (popcorn!), along with Paleo Puffs, "Power Curls", and now, cookies.  All are gluten-free, certified organic, plant based, etc.

I can't say I'm a brand lover, as they really are generally a bit too light for my style, but there are a few items that aren't too bad.

Organic Popcorn (Previously branded as "Buddha Bowl")

"If you have heard of Buddha bowls you know the ingredients you are meant to put in them are healthy and beautiful. Like in a Buddha Bowl we only wanted to put healthy and beautiful things in our popcorn bags. Our popcorn is special because it's earth friendly (it's organic), so it's free of many of the chemical residues that exist on convention popping corn. Also, we air pop only the most tender kernels so we don't add unwanted fat and calories. We then use either coconut, avocado oil or ghee. The oils are cold pressed without heat or chemicals keeping the essential nutrients intact. We then dust with Himalayan salt which we think is the purest form of salt available. We think you will like the ingredients we use."

The popcorn is available in a slew of varieties, savory and sweet.  Classic Cheddah, Avocado-Licious, Himalayan Gold (e.g. "butter"), Himalayan Pink, Himalayan Sweetness, Jalapeno & Honey, Oh My Ghee!  They also introduced new seasonal flavors like, sigh, Pumpkin Spice.  I've tried many.

"We air-pop the most tender butterfly popcorn, making it lighter, fluffier and lower in fat and calories."

The popcorn all is ... fine.  It is fairly fluffy.

Savory

Oh My Ghee!

"The first organic popcorn made with organic grass-fed ghee. We tumble this popcorn in ghee with an amazingly silky flavor that is much easier on the digestive system than traditional butter."

This was a very simple variety, just plain salted popcorn, but made with ghee instead of traditional oil or butter.

It is ... fine.  

Simple, well popped, slightly salty, popcorn.  It doesn't taste any different than popcorn made with more traditional fats, so if you want simple salted popcorn that is possibly better for you ... try it?  For me it was too plain. **+.

Oh My Ghee! (June 2020).

I didn't seek it out again, but my partner's company sent him monthly snack boxes during the COVID working from home situation, so of course I stole any popcorn that came our (uh, his?) way.

It certainly isn't what I normally go for - very plain, savory, but, nice when I've had too much sweet.  Slightly almost cheesy flavor.  Nicely popped kernels.  Guilt free at 100 calories per bag?

I ate it happily (frozen) one night late at night when I was munchy, and had really overdone it on sweets.  It hit the spot, but again, I don't seek this out on my own. ***.

Classic Cheddah.

"The ultimate cheesy popcorn that will instantly enlighten your taste buds. Lovingly dusted with a specially crafted organic cheddar cheese blend."

This was ... also just fine.  Well popped, good salt level, but the cheesy nature was very muted.  Probably the lowest calorie cheesy popcorn I've had, and, it was clear it was a lighter style.  Not really for me.  **+.

"No Cheese" Cheesiness.

I was really craving cheesy popcorn, and so I tried the cheese-less cheesy flavor from Lesser Evil.  It uses nutritional yeast to create the cheese-adjacent flavor, which was fine, but not great.  However, like most of their popcorn, the coconut oil flavor was really quite strong, and I didn't care for that underlying taste.  Well popped popcorn, but, another that just isn't for me.  **+.

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Himalayan Pink

"Our original flavor is made with just three simple ingredients – organic popcorn, organic extra-virgin coconut oil and Himalayan salt."

Another very simple flavor, more well popped, nicely salted popcorn.  Somehow I liked this more than the others, I think because it wasn't trying to be anymore more than it was.  But still, not an exciting variety, and I don't really like the coconut oil base.  **.

Sweet

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Himalayan Sweetness

"For the sweet tooth in every household!"

Ok, so they tried to do sweet but not crazy decadent.

In this product, the coconut oil base works quite well.  Coconut and sweet are a good combination.  In particular, I liked this one frozen, the coconut oil provides a coating that gets crunchy.

This, frozen, was my favorite of all varieties I tried, no question.  I'd get it again. ***.

Seasonal

The seasonal offerings are definitely far more exciting than the regular products, although, still, healthy style ...

Dark Chocolate & Himalayan Pink Sea Salt.

"Your favorite Himalayan Sweetness flavor is all dressed up for the holidays. This subtly sweet, organic popcorn tumbled in luscious dark chocolate proves that indulgence really can be guilt free."

This is an interesting flavor.  

It is not nearly as decadent as other popcorn I go for that features chocolate - e.g. the kind that is drizzled in generous melted chocolate (like Salted Caramel & Fudge from PopWorks or Dark Fudge Peppermint Drizzlecorn from Popcorn Indiana), and usually is sweet crispy kettle corn under all that.  Or the kinds that are *entirely* coated in chocolate, such as Harry & David's signature Moose Munch (omg, so good, but soooo decadent) or the equally ridiculous Zebra Caramel Corn from Popcornopolis (yes, fully coated rich caramel corn, with both white and dark chocolate coating in addition!).

It is not a decadent style, and I didn't expect it to be.  This brand is about better for you options, and, they call this one "guilt free" and "subtle sweet".  Which it was, more the style like Johnny's Popcorn (chocolate chip) or Skinny Pop (chocolate), a lighter style, cocoa dusting rather than melted chocolate.

This was the best of the lighter styles I've tried though - a more intense chocolate, richer, real cocoa flavor (at least on some pieces), than other brands.  I did find myself hunting for the kernels with more coating though.

It had decent salty component as well, and the kernels were fluffy and well popped.  It was definitely good, not the kind of popcorn that I crave usually, but, for the style, the best I've had.  

Over time, it really grew on me, particularly once I froze it! ****.

White Chocolate & Matcha.

"Behold the un-matcha-ble combination of white chocolate and matcha! Turn any space into a cozy teashop with a bag of this lightly sweet, vegan, seasonal treat."

Another holiday only variety, although I really don't understand why.  There is no reason not to enjoy matcha and white chocolate in the summer!

I have long been a fan of matcha white chocolate popcorn, although usually go for, as you likely suspect, a much more decadent version.  One covered in tons of white chocolate and matcha.  This was, like all Lesser Evil popcorn, very, very lightly dusted, just a little sugar, salt, matcha powder, and ... "organic flavor".  No actual white chocolate.

But it was good, again, for a lighter style.  You just have to be ready for the lighter style.  Sorta sweet, sorta matcha flavored.  Again not what I generally go for, but I liked it enough.  I wouldn't get again though.

***.

White Chocolate & Matcha (Seasonal).

"We're spilling the TEA on what makes our snacks so awesome - clean ingredients! Our limited edition White Chocolate and Matcha popcorn will satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season! Creamy white chocolate and herbacious matcha create a melt-in-your mouth flavor combination that is simply zen-sational."

I forgot that I had tried this last winter holiday season (when Lesser Evil has dubbed matcha & white chocolate appropriate).  I didn't dislike it then, but, I probably would not have gotten it again if I had re-read my review first.

The base popcorn itself was fine.  Big puffy kernels.  Well popped.  Unlike most of their flavors, I don't taste the slightly odd coconut oil much here.  But ... it really is a quite light popcorn.  Very very very mild chocolate flavor, and really barely any matcha.  I easily could have believed it wasn't matcha flavored at all.  As you can see, it isn't even green colored to give it away.  It was lightly sweet, and good for a healthy popcorn, but certainly no decent white chocolate drizzlecorn like most other brands.  Fine for what it was, ***, but I generally want something more decadent, sweeter, and, well, that tastes like matcha if I buy something matcha.

Pumpkin Spice (Seasonal).

"Tis’ the season(ing)! Our Pumpkin Spice Popcorn is a superb autumnal treat. Our signature blend of coconut oil and Himalayan Pink Salt gets cozy with Organic Pumpkin Spice seasoning. It’s a sweet, spicy, salty snack you’re sure to Fall in love with."

This is the tale of two popcorns.  First, we have the popcorn that made up the majority, probably 75%, of the bag.  This was lightly pumpkin spice seasoned plain popcorn.  A little sugar, salt, cinnamon, and a touch of something else, but nothing aggressive.  Fairly plain popcorn, really, with a hint of fall if you really searched for it.  

And then, the bright orange glazed popcorn, <25% of the bag.  These were a light caramel corn, that just happened to be oddly orange, and seem to have been kissed by a touch of pumpkin spice.  Blindfolded, you'd likely think it was just light caramel corn, maybe cinnamon caramel corn.

Put them together, and basically a very, very mild pumpkin spice lightly sweet experience.  Rather boring really (not that I wanted a punch in the face of nutmeg!).  I ended up breaking this bag down entirely, eating all the orange glazed popcorn first, which of course made putting the bag down impossible, as I got rather obsessed with finding all the pieces.  Eating just those pieces, in quantity, made for a sweet treat, which became cloying by the end, but, they were my favorite.  No better nor worse though than average light caramel corn.  ***.

Then, the plain lightly spiced ones, even more boring.  **+.

Overall, fine, but, not remarkable, and if you are looking for strong pumpkin spice vibes, they aren't here.  ***.

Grain Free Paleo Puffs

"Our organic puffed snacks are packed with nutrient-dense cassava, coconut, and sweet potato flours. We stand for the little things both in our products and in this life and it's the simple acts that make this world great."

The puffs are available in three varieties: Himalayan Salt, Apple Cider Vinegar, and  “No Cheese” Cheesiness.  I tried the later.  They ... weren't bad, actually.

 “No Cheese” Cheesiness.

Ok, these *really* surprised me.

The puffs are made of cassava flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, and more, a fairly strange texture, but not entirely unpleasant, and they were light and airy.  Not a bad base, really.  The "cheese" came from a combination of garlic, onion, and sweet potato powder, plus ground mustard (?!), and nutritional yeast.  It was a kinda cheesy, kinda zesty mix, and, well, I was fascinated with it.  It paired well with the base puff.

Overall, I don't want to run out and purchase bags of these, but, I did actually find myself enjoying the ones I had.  Well, huh.

***+.

Fiery Hot!

"When you're craving something smoky and spicy, our Fiery Hot Paleo Puffs, pack all of the flaming hot flavor you love without all the bad stuff."

It had been several years since I had Paleo Puffs, and somewhat forgot that I had tried them before (in another flavor).  I was drawn in again by the form factor, and the promise of heat.

I tried a few, and was somewhat put off.  But I was also a bit fascinated, and had a few more.  Which quickly turned into nearly half the bag.  Gulp.  At least these are, after all, "Lesser Evil", even if I quickly went way past a normal serving size.

The puff is super crunchy, yet a bit airy, which I find really compelling.  It is that great crunch that keeps me going.  They look ugly, but, hey, something about it really works.  Great form factor and eating experience: ****.

The base flavor is where they start to seem a bit odd.  The combo of cassava flour, sweet potato flour, tapioca starch, and coconut flavor leans in the direction of tasting too "healthy"ish, or hearty perhaps.  And then the coating?  That's where things get confusing.  I don't care for the nutritional yeast very much.  But onion, garlic, salt, vinegar, and habanero?  Sure.  Very savory, and some slight heat.  I actually wanted, and expected more heat from the habanero, but, there was some.  So flavor wise, I couldn't tell if I liked them, tolerated them, or disliked.  I think probably somewhere in the "tolerate" spectrum, with an appreciation for the slight heat.  **+ flavor.

I easily finished my bag, but there were enough little misses here that I wouldn't purchase again.  Low *** overall.