Hula Hoops Original

The first type of crisp that I will be reviewing are Hula Hoops, starting with Hula Hoops Original.

From Wikipedia: "Hula Hoops are a potato-based snack sold in the United Kingdom, in the shape of short, hollow cylinders. They were first introduced in 1973. Hula Hoops come in several flavors."

We will feature the other flavors at some point as well, but you gotta go start with the original, so I did. 

I will cover the different ratings in what I think is the most logical order, so here we go!

Packaging: Pretty classic packaging here. Nice catchy red color, image of the crisp (or hula hoop in this case) right on the front of it (albeit a little exaggerated, it's not a bloody onion after all so what's with all the overlapping rings!?). It's a nice small pack which is good for transporting and it fits well in your hand. However, my surprise was with the back of the packaging:

There was actually a lot more going on here than I expected. I enjoyed the Hula Hoop facts inclusion, good use of the often neglected space back there. I like the 1-2-3 for a healthy balance idea and the typical stuff about "If you don't like it, contact us if you can be bothered to!".

Odour: The odour is pretty soft, smells like potato. Doesn't smell too fried, and the smell is overall rather light. Nothing overwhelming or unpleasant, and nothing you'll be able to smell easily unless you try.

Hula Hoop and Penny for size comparison. No pennies were harmed in the making of this review.

Appearance: True to the images on the front and (mostly) the back of the packaging, the hula hoops look like small, wider versions of the real life children's toy. In terms of colour, they are the same neutral tone as an oven-baked potato wedge. Basically, they are a light or pale yellow colour. The hole in the middle of the hula hoop brings back memories of when as children we'd wear them on our fingers and make our friends jealous before devouring them. But if you're over the age of 12, wearing them on your fingers will only make you look like a knob. Don't try it. People will know. There are relatively few broken hula hoops, and the ones that are have been broken in half, which is still a size that is easy to consume. The bag I had and which is pictured held 25 grams.

Taste: Something particularly nice about Hula Hoops is they taste exactly how you remember them. It makes you wonder how much, if at all, did the recipe change since that fateful day in 1973. They taste lightly salted, just enough so you want to have more, but not too much that you necessarily need a drink with them or feel particularly unhealthy. The salty taste is magnified when eating a couple in quick succession or at the same time, but again never feels overwhelming. Hula hoops are also not greasy and leave your fingers unsoiled. I don't know if that is a word, but if it isn't it damn well should be. There are small crumbs that may cling to your finger, but they wipe off easily without residue. The natural, wholesome taste is satisfying and makes you reach for another. Their size is just right as well, meaning you don't feel bad at all grabbing more of them and you figure you'll have just one more... But who are we kidding? Bye bag.

Aftertaste: No complaints here, only a remnant of the salty, potato-y taste lingers in your mouth. Just enough for you to want to grab another! Nothing unexpected from an original flavour

Crunch: This is definitely where the hula hoop is at its best, making it very fitting that it is this blog's first review. Cracking a hula hoop with every bite is a very rewarding feeling, both due to the sound it makes and the physical feeling of crushing it between your teeth. The sound is loud enough for people to hear, so that they may longingly look at you hoping that you'll share. Yea right. The hula hoops are thick enough for that satisfying crunch, but not too thick. A very good crunch balance, and the reward is the fun you have eating them.

Cost: Hula Hoops are very inexpensive. I got a mixed bag with 3 flavours and 7 bags total from Sainsbury's for the low price of £1, and if they were sold individually I imagine it would be much less than that. Well worth it.

Overall Score: 8 out of 10. 

That wraps up our first review. Look out for my review of Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion Hula Hoops to come!