It's 5 pm. Lunch feels like a long time ago, dinner is still hours away, and the chai is already on the stove. This is the moment most of us reach for a plate of pakoras, a packet of chips or a few cream biscuits, and then wonder why we feel heavy and sluggish later. The good news is that healthy evening snacks don't have to be boring. With a little planning, your chai-time plate can be crunchy, filling and still kind to your body.
Baked not fried snacks sound like an easy upgrade when you want something crunchy without choosing a deep-fried option. And the cooking method does matter: baking can reduce the amount of oil used during cooking compared with deep frying. But “baked not fried” is only one part of the nutrition story. The ingredients, type and amount of fat, sodium, fibre, serving size and how often you eat the snack matter too.
The 5 pm craving is real, and for most of us it ends with a packet of potato chips next to the chai. If you have been wondering whether khakhra vs potato chips is a fair fight, the short version is that one is roasted and wholegrain while the other is deep-fried and mostly starch. This guide compares the two on calories, fat, fibre and how full they keep you, so you can pick the smarter tea-time snack without giving up the crunch.
