Taste-Off: The best sour cream and onion potato chips at Bay Area markets

If there is such a thing as the ultimate picnic food, it has to be potato chips. They’re a grab-and-go snack that goes with any menu, and they hit all the right notes — salty, crunchy, familiar and satisfying.

Regular potato chips are great, but when the mood hits for a flavor tweak, its time to reach for the sour cream and onion-flavored variety. Crazy popular — second only to BBQ chips — sour cream and onion are an addictive nibble. If they’re made right.

Infusing a chip with those flavors is a tricky process involving more science than cookery. Most recipes incorporate a handful of powdered flavorings, such as sour cream, whey, buttermilk, onion, parsley and some form of sugar. Finding just the right blend requires a great palate — and precision. Some brands lean so hard on buttermilk powder that it buries the flavor of the potato. Others add so little onion or sour cream that the result is bland and underwhelming.

The best sour cream and onion chips are crispy rounds that balance potato, onion, sour cream and salt in every bite. The chip should be stout but not tough, and it needs a spot of green to make it look appetizing. Bad ones are thin, greasy or bland. The worst of the bunch are missing one or more key flavors — or they include oddball flavors that simply don’t belong.

Surprise: The top two are supermarket brands. Less surprising: Some very famous brands are underwhelming.

Here’s the scoop on the tastiest bites to bring to your next picnic — and the ones that don’t deserve space at any buffet. Nutrition info refers to 28 grams or 17 to 24 chips, depending on size.

Raley’s Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Delicate sour cream and onion flavors dusted on extra-toasty, perfectly thick slices of potato make these the chip to beat. 150 calories, 9 g fat, 180 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein. $2.98 for 9.5 ounces. (4 stars)

365 Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips

These crisp slices of potato, which include the skin, have lots of potato flavor, a slight sour cream-tang and just the right amount of onion. 150 calories, 9 g fat, 160 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein. $2.99 for 10 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Boulder Canyon Sour Cream & Chives

Fans of sour cream and chives will fall hard for these boldly seasoned, hearty chips. As most of these ridged chips are folded, the crunchy texture borders on tough, but the deep range of flavors makes up for it. 160 calories, 9 g fat, 170 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 2 g protein. $3.99 for 6.5 ounces at Raley’s. (3½ stars)

Ruffles Sour Cream & Onion Flavored

The familiar flavor of these large, ridged chips is just plain good. The salt is in check, the chips are thick, and flavors are balanced. It’s interesting to note that they’re made by the same company as Lay’s, but they’re surprisingly — and impressively — different. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 140 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 2 g protein. $4.79 for 8 ounces at Target. (3 stars)

Kettle Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips

Those who prefer an extra-thick, crackly crisp potato will enjoy these understated, but nicely seasoned chips. They pack less sodium than some competitors, but they don’t taste like it. 140 calories, 8 g fat, 140 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein. $5.29 for 10 ounces at Whole Foods. (3 stars)

The Good Crisp Sour Cream & Onion Potato Crisps

Even those who avoid extruded, stacked chips may appreciate these canned discs. They look bland and unappetizing, but they have a delicate onion flavor, and they’re pleasantly crisp. 140 calories, 7 g fat, 220 mg sodium, no sugar, 2 g protein. $1.49 for 5.6 ounces at Grocery Outlet. (2½ stars)

Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Onion? Oh yeah! These greasy, small and super thin discs are coated in green flecks and have lots of onion flavor. But beware, as they are tongue-searingly salty. 160 calories, 10 g fat, 200 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein. $4.79 for 7.75 ounces at Safeway. (2 stars)

Lay’s Stax Sour Cream & Onion

Thin, crispy and very salty, these stacked chips deliver onion, but they lack any trace of toasty potato. 140 calories, 8 g fat, 180 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein. $2.12 for 5.5 ounces at Walmart. (1 star)

Pringles Sour Cream & Onion

No, no, no. The uniform yellow color of these perfectly stacked discs matches the uniform flavor: edible, but so bland. Dehydrated potato is the first and last flavor. 140 calories, 9 g fat, 160 mg sodium, no sugar, 1 g protein. $3.49 for 5.5 ounces at Safeway. (½ a star)

Market Pantry Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Newsflash: Sour cream is not butter. These greasy crisps have an unexpected and most unwelcome buttery punch that overpowers every other flavor. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 160 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein. $2.19 for 8 ounces at Target. (No stars)

Crav’n Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Drop these straight into the trash. They have a funky butter note that emphasizes the fake flavor profile — in a bad way. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 160 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein. $3.49 for 7.75 ounces at Lucky. (No stars)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.