Last week, I bought two 24-ounce jars of Tostitos All Natural Mild Chunky Salsa to try out. Now that I’ve consumed both of them, I’m prepared to make some informed comments. As 24 ounces of this delicious veggie-liquid meal is too much to eat all at once, I generally do one jar in two snack sessions. After munching a half-bag of Tostitos Scoops chips along with half of a jar of this product, the taste and texture of this salsa have made a permanent impression on me, and it’s a good one at that.
This salsa was among the thickest canned salsa I’ve reviewed; just like its medium-heat version. It felt more like eating a vegetable salad with tomato dressing than a salsa, in a good way that is. Indeed, the bulk of us could fix our health by adding more vegetables to our diets, and this mild chunky salsa Tostitos product is one handy assistant for dropping those extra pesky pounds. This salsa sensation will keep you wanting for more, even though it’s got lots of sodium.
Benefits, Pros, Advantages, and Features
- This salsa strings me to it, with its healthy yet hearty consistency, and that keeps me returning for second, third, and fourth scoops. Indeed, since practically all the ingredients derive from vegetables and fruits, Tostitos mild chunky salsa is quite nutritious too. So it’s harder to eat enough to gain weight or cause health problems.
- This food contains no fat and no added sugar, but brims with many of the vegetables that are so lacking in the average American’s diet.
- It’s low-calorie as well, at 10 calories per one eighth cup serving. Ten calories for this amount seems to be a pretty standard calorie count for most of the salsas I’ve sampled.
- After opening, Tostitos salsa from the Frito Lay company stays fresh in the refrigerator for a few weeks as long as you re apply the lid and tighten it.
- I like this product’s glass jar, with the metal lid, which I highly prefer to plastic containers. Glass is better because of how little it contaminates the salsa, and how easily recycled it is.
- Less liquid in this salsa, much less than I noted in many other manufactured salsas.
- This salsa well-compliments eggs (Mexican omelette), nacho and potato chips, pasta (a pleasant substitute for Italian-flavored pasta sauce), burritos, chicken, and cheese (try mixing this with cream cheese, cheddar, cheese, and milk for a stringy yet mouth-watering dairy-slanted veggie dip).
- The ingredients list shows almost entirely vegetables. Healthy? Salsa very much epitomizes healthy foods.
- They label this salsa as mild intensity. I’d agree. But a little spicy kick is still offered here. Mild, yes, but still noticable. While some heat I felt as I swallowed, I’d judge this salsa as quite mild. While I enjoy the challenge occasionally of downing a cup or two of burning salsa, I favor less kick for casual enjoyment while watching Star Trek. Less disrupting that way. It’s hard to concentrate on what Kirk and Picard are doing when your mouth is sizzling. So mild salsa works best for me in front of the TV.
- This is an all-natural salsa that contains no preservatives.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- As per usual in many bottled salsas, and as naturally vitamin fortified as this product is, it does contain 250 MG of sodium per 2-tablespoon helping. That seems high, as I ate 10 tablespoons (or five servings) with my scoop chips last weekend. So I’m watching for a no-salt version of this mild salsa.
Ingredients
Tomato puree (water and tomato paste), diced tomatoes in tomato juice, jalapeno peppers, onions, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and natural flavors. No artificial flavors, added sugar, or preservatives! The difference in this mild salsa as compared to its medium sister, appears to lie in the natural flavors, which are not listed individually on this label.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons. Servings per container: About 21.
- Calories: 10. Fat calories: 0.
- Total fat: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Saturated fat: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Trans fat: 0 grams.
- Cholesterol: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Sodium: 250 milligrams, 10% DV.
- Total carbs: 2 grams, 1% DV.
- Fiber: <1 gram, 4% DV.
- Sugars: 2 grams.
- Protein: 0 grams.
- Vitamin A (8% DV).
- Vitamin C (10% DV).
- Calcium (0% DV).
- Iron (0% DV).
Product Rating
Aside from the bigger amount of sodium, in my opinion, I recommend this mild salsa as a dip for about all chips, or as a base in your home-made dipping sauces. I’d rate this mild salsa product thus, at 97 out of 100.
Where To Buy Tostitos All Natural Mild Chunky Salsa
Look for this product in the glass jar with the brass-colored lid with the green “mild” strip on the top and around the sides, and the clear plastic label with the black and white print at most any grocery store or convenience shop. I believe that you’ll enjoy it, and your doctor will appreciate you consuming salsa as well.
References
Revision History
- : Moved this post to the Tom’s Diet Quest blog, added whitespace, adjusted ad placement, and tweaked the content.
- 2012-05-14: Originally published.