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The scam of potato chips

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Actually it's less than one potato. You're forgetting to factor in moisture loss + oil weight gained during frying.

Isn't it the other way around? What percentage of a potato's weight is water? I'm betting that by the time the potato is sliced, cooked, dried, and packaged it takes more than one normal-sized potato to make a full-size bag of chips. Remember they also throw away the skin and the ends.

edit:
Has anybody mention the fact the potatoes are 85% water yet?

Drako beat me to it.
 
Believe it or not, that's a good thing for us. It's inert gasses (nitrogen usually) which helps preserve the chips, and, even better, helps keep the chips in good shape during shipping. The precious chips could be crushed without that cushion of air! 🙁

I know. But, the marketing is deceptive! I don't buy a beer in a gallon jug, only to enjoy 12 oz that it contains.

"Chicken" nuggets can be cheaper than raw chicken

(I guess its the quotes that make a difference)

I don't know why you would put quotes around the chicken. They are all made entirely out of chicken as far as I know. The only difference is the raw chicken you buy is more prepared (cut into pieces rather than entire chickens ground up into paste).
 
You definitely drink with your pinky finger out.

Just because I like some kale chips?

Yall are missing out, kale chips are delicious. You get ones with some sort of nut-based sauce (like cashews or pecans) and it can be fairly filling too.

They are my second favorite chip to a pine apple chip.
 
New average size bag of potato chips: 11oz.

Average weight of a potato: 13oz.

You're paying $3-$4 for 1 potato.
dat gmo.

Ok i guess there are some potato types that weight that much.
 
Last edited:
New average size bag of potato chips: 11oz.

Average weight of a potato: 13oz.

You're paying $3-$4 for 1 potato.

What's funny is that the "average" sized bag not too long ago used to be about 7oz. The 10.5-13oz bags you are quoting are normally considered "party/family size" now.

In fact, back in the day, an average sized bag used to be 9oz for $0.99. That same size classification now hovers between 5.5-6.5oz for $2.49 on average.
 
what is your point? do you really think a steak at a restaurant costs $40 for the meat? no, it costs a lot less. you are paying for the final product and how it was prepared.

same with a potato chip. you are paying for the final product, which consists of potato, oil, spices, marketing, packaging, and whatever else is in it.

Just saying, one average sized potato would cost about .08 in bulk, and I read somewhere Lay's overhead is about .22 per bag, so .30 to charge $4 is a pretty good racket.

And as for going home and making potato chips- it actually IS that easy. 1 pot of oil and a mandolin slicer will get you kettle cooked chips in about 3 minutes 🙂 Made some over the weekend.
 
well you need to take into account packaging. it's only cheap because they order in massive quantities but if you ever looked at designing your own it's pretty expensive if you do a small run.
 
More details please!

nothing to explain. we have a couple of cafeterias ran by outside vendors. when your buy a sandwich they'll include a plate full of homemade potato chips. probably just sliced potatoes and salt. tastes amazing though.

at this ski resort i go to they sell homemade bbq chips which are pretty awesome. it's like $5 and you get a lot of chips.
 
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