Veggies as Snacks?
Snacking can be a great way to help maintain healthy lifestyle goals, especially when it includes veggies. Before Dirt Kitchen Snacks, snacking on real veggies was kind of…well…boring. We have nothing against carrot and celery sticks, they just get a little mundane over time. We knew we could do better.
Veggies are delicious. They are crunchy. They are earthy. They are spicy. They are used in every kind of cooking. Do you know how many different flavors of veggies there are? We have so much to work with! All we had to do is apply a little snacking know-how and culinary creativity to make them into delicious, portable snacks.
We love playing with seasonings and flavor, so we created Air Dried Veggie + Nut mixes inspired by our favorite veggie side dishes, like Spicy Thai Noodle Salad and Green Bean Almondine. We couldn’t think about portable snacks without thinking about bars. Our delicious bars are made by taking veggies, fruits, seeds and nuts and simply pressing them together - with nothing in between. True to our passion, our Air Dried Veggie Crisps are all about the veggies: zucchini, grape tomatoes, and blushed bell peppers, air dried and simply seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt (and sometimes pepper). They not only taste great…we use rescued veggies in our Crisps, which helps reduce food waste!
Rescued Veggies
There are lots of perfectly edible veggies that are labeled "unsellable". Sometimes they have funny shapes or blemishes, or are a little off-color. Other times there are simply too many that ripen at the same time, which creates a surplus. Veggies going to waste makes us sad, and it's not good for the planet. We work with a partner, Full Harvest®*, that finds veggies in need of rescue, and then we turn them into superstars in our Air Dried Veggie Crisps.
Here's what we've found so far:
- Our grape tomatoes were too ripe to sell into retail, but they are perfect for us because they are so full of flavor.
- Our zucchini is surplus, meaning it would likely have sat in a storage facility to rot.
- Blushed bell peppers are multi-colored, which is considered a cosmetic imperfection, so most retailers won't take them.
We love supporting veggie farmers and helping to reduce food waste with our snacks. Who ever said perfect looking veggies taste better anyway?
*Full Harvest® is a marketplace that works with farmers to find buyers for "ugly," imperfect, or surplus produce. The result is less food loss, more money for hard working farmers, and great produce for brands like us. Check them out at fullharvest.com for more on rescued veggies, how they are helping to address food loss, and its impact on our planet.
Our Promise
Real Veggies
Real veggies define our philosophy and our promise.
We make sure our veggie pieces are real, recognizable, and full of flavor, and we believe that is what sets our snacks apart. We put a lot of time and effort into finding veggies that are perfect for snacking. We experiment with different cuts to find the perfectly snackable bite.
When you taste Dirt Kitchen Snacks, you will taste the best nature has to offer. The veggies are crispy, the nuts are crunchy, and the seasonings and spices give it just the right vibe for the mood you're in.
Minimally Processed
The tough part about snacking is finding foods that are ready when you are. Snacks have to be easy to take on the go, and they have to stay good for a while. While grape tomatoes and zucchini are pretty amazing, they don’t travel very well in your pocket or backpack.
Air Dried Veggies
Air drying locks in authentic flavor, veggie goodness, and a crispy crunchy texture.
Simply Pressed Bars
Our bars are made of real ingredients, simply pressed together with no binders, added sugar, or artificial ingredients. You get unique, beautiful, boldly flavored bars. Taste the different textures and flavors in every bite!
Culinary Inspired
We've worked hard to craft different ways to love your veggies.
