Snack Chat

Bringing Culinology to Life for 'Foodies' from the American Dietetic Association

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Passport to Flavor: A World Cuisines Culinary Workshop in Napa, Calif., hosted by the Food Culinary Professionals (FCP) practice of the American Dietetic Association. As a co-sponsor of the event, we brought to life the Frito-Lay culinary story through product sampling, healthier dip and appetizer pairings, and a keynote presentation from our executive research chef, Stephen Kalil, titled "Culinology: A Tasty New Science." More than 150 registered dietitians and health professionals with a passion for food attended the workshop.  

To demonstrate how Frito-Lay is applying culinology –- the blending of food science, technology and culinary arts –- to our product development process, Chef Kalil provided an overview of culinology and how it’s changing the way Frito-Lay teams approach flavor and product development. Our chefs, seasoning team and nutritionists work to translate the taste experience of real foods and regional food trends into snack chip seasonings -- and they’re now bringing these flavors to many of our chips using all-natural ingredients. 

During his presentation, Chef Kalil gave the dietitians and health professionals a firsthand experience of culinology at Frito-Lay. They sampled three varieties of Lay’s potato chips alongside the food recipes that inspired them: Lay’s Tangy Carolina BBQ with Tangy Carolina BBQ sauce; Lay’s Garden Tomato & Basil with tomato soup; and Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion with a sweet onion vinaigrette dressing. 

I really think the FCP members were impressed with how Frito-Lay is using culinology for snack chip innovation. Although some were probably surprised when Chef Kalil shared examples of how we’ve stayed ahead of the health and wellness curve for many years -- removing trans fat from our entire snack chip portfolio back in 2003, launching SunChips with 18g of whole grains per serving and staffing registered dietitians at Frito-Lay for more than 15 years. 

Personally, I had a great time chatting with the health pros and dietitians. They are so passionate about their work, and being able to share things our company is doing that support this work is a win for both of us. Plus, who doesn’t like talking about and eating food -- especially in Napa! 

- Kristin

Frito-Lay Fan Remix Video Contest: Dance for Your Chance to Win!

I’m excited to announce we’re hosting a video contest called “Frito-Lay Fan Remix.”  We’re inviting chip lovers, like you, to show us just how much you love Frito-Lay snacks by demonstrating our unique Frito-Lay Fan Remix dance moves on camera! 

The dance moves are fun and easy, and all are inspired by the work we’re doing to support sensible snacking and environmental sustainability – like Cut the Salt Shaker and The Whole Grain Wave. Check out the tutorial video below to learn how to do each of the five moves, and then get started making your own video!

Be one of the first 50 people to submit a video, and you will receive:  

• An official Frito-Lay Fan t-shirt
• A place in the final Frito-Lay Fan Remix video compilation.  The final video will be featured on Twitter, YouTube, and right here on Snack Chat! 

The top 3 most creative videos will win a Frito-Lay party pack, including a $100 American Express gift card, a chip-and-dip bowl, and more! 

Interested in participating?  All you have to do is:

1. Watch the tutorial video and learn the Frito-Lay Fan Remix dance moves.
2. Create a short video (less than 2 mins) doing ALL of the dance moves featured in the tutorial.  Feel free to add your own style and flair – costumes, your favorite Frito-Lay chips, or whatever you’d like!
3. Email your video to info@fritolayfan.com no later than April 1, 2011. (Send via a link for us to download or as a file attachment to the email. Check out YouSendIt for more info on how to send a link.) 

Note: You must be 18 or older to be featured in video. All videos must be under 100MB in size. Check out the official rules for complete details. As you’re putting your video together, send us an email at info@fritolayfan.com if you have any questions. 

I can’t wait to see how our fans can move! 

- Cathy 

An Inside Look at How We Make Chips at the Frito-Lay Modesto Plant

Hi chip lovers,

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like inside a Frito-Lay manufacturing plant? Or, are you curious to see how our chips are made?

Then take a peek at this video where I join Al Halvorsen, Director of Environmental Sustainability at Frito-Lay, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how we make two of our most popular snacks -- Lay’s potato chips and SunChips multigrain snacks.

Our facility in Modesto, Calif., is one of eight manufacturing plants in the U.S. where we make SunChips. Given the name, it’s only fitting that in Modesto, we make them using -- what else -- the sun!  To harness the power of the sun, we built a 4-acre solar concentrator field and installed photovoltaic panels on the roof of the plant.

Find out more about how we make Lay’s and SunChips, and learn about some of the other resource-saving practices in place at Modesto, by watching this all-new video -- made just for fans like you.

Enjoy the show!

Cathy Dial
Director of Consumer Affairs at Frito-Lay

Tickle Your Tastebuds with These Homemade Dip Recipes, Created by Our Fans!

Hopefully, you saw last week’s Snack Chat post offering healthier-for-you dip recipes created by some of our fans. Well, I’m back today to share a few more homemade dip recipes, from fans like you! 

We recently reached out to a few “dip chefs” and asked them to share their favorite dip recipes.  To get them started, we provided each with gift card so they could purchase ingredients, as well as their favorite Frito-Lay snacks to pair with the dips.  When chips like Fritos® corn chips or Tostitos® Scoops! tortilla chips are paired with healthier dips, they can be a vehicle to get more positive nutrition into your diet.

This week, we’re featuring the dip recipes created by bloggers from Meals and Miles and Simply Being Mommy.

For those who love to spice up their snacks, the “Sweet Potato Holiday Dip” from Meghann at Meals and Miles is a perfect sweet-and-savory combo and pairs well with the toasted corn flavor in Fritos® Scoops!.  The dip is a creamy blend of sweet potatoes and white beans, with a touch of chili powder and cinnamon. Meghan refers to the finished product as a dip with great “pumpkin-y taste.”  Check out Meghann’s recipe.

Over at Simply Being Mommy, Crystal shares two dips full of bright, bold colors which deliver big chunks of flavor in each bite: “Southwest Salsa” and “Olive Dip.”  “Southwest Salsa” is a healthy dip full of chopped tomatoes, corn and black beans.  Her “Olive Dip” is a combination of black olives, green chilies and tomatoes, and tastes best when served chilled.  Check out Crystal’s recipes. 

I encourage you to whip up one (or more!) of these tasty dips for your next get together.  Don’t forget to check back here on Snack Chat soon for more dip delights from other Frito-Lay fans -- and please share your own too!   

- Kristin

An Optimistic and Outdoorsy Frito-Lay Fan of the Week: Valerie Mitchell

Each week, we’re featuring a new Frito-Lay Fan of the Week – a great way to highlight and reward our most passionate fans! If you would like to be part of our fan program, sign up here, and you just might be featured as a Fan of the Week in the future!

Valerie Mitchell (pictured below) loves the delicious flavors of Frito-Lay chips and has had a few great snacking memories with them to prove it!  Check out our Q&A with this optimistic, outdoorsy Fan of the Week to learn some fun facts about her and why she’s a Frito-Lay fan!

Favorite Frito-Lay snack: 

Two favorites: Lay's Barbecue and Lay's Salt & Vinegar chips 

Favorite dip recipe or way to enjoy your chips:

Straight out of the bag - the flavors are perfect as is! 

If you could be a Frito-Lay chip, which would you be and why?

SunChips because I like to be outdoors and enjoy nature. 

What extreme ingredient would you like to see our chef use in a Fritos Pie Remix recipe?

I love cilantro and would love to see a Fritos Pie with chicken, lots of cilantro and garlic. 

Which chips would you pair together to make a new snack mix?

I prefer to eat them separately so I can focus on the individual flavors. 

What are some tips you can share for snacking smarter or living healthier?

All good things in moderation. Depriving myself of my favorite foods makes me cranky. It's much easier to enjoy what I like and just make sure I don't overdo it. 

If you got to work at Frito-Lay for a day, what role would you want to be in and why?

I would love to be the executive chef. It would be very fun to experiment with new flavors.

Give us 3 fun facts about yourself:

Woot! The glass is half full.

I can watch funny movies over and over and over again.

My cats have completed their anthropomorphization. 

Most memorable Frito-Lay snacking moment:  

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had mad cravings for Lay's Barbecue potato chips. Other brands wouldn't do. Other flavors wouldn't do. It had to be Lay's Barbecue. Now, whenever I eat Lay's Barbecue chips -- or even think about them -- it reminds me of how wonderful it is to be a mom. 

Tell us why you are a Frito-Lay Fan:

Frito-Lay satisfies my snacking needs! 

You can learn more about Valerie from her blog and on Twitter: Blog: Sweeps4Bloggers -- Twitter Handle: @Valerie2350

Congratulations, Valerie, on being our Fan of the Week!  Check back next week to meet our next Fan of the Week, right here on Snack Chat. 

- Kristin