The Unexpected Way To Use Your Chip Bowl For Leafy Greens

Whether you prefer homemade potato chips or one of the many prepackaged options available at your nearest supermarket, chips are many Americans' snack of choice. According to Statista, out of all the snacks people eat regularly, 58% of survey respondents in 2021 admitted to regular chip consumption.

History.com says the story behind who exactly was responsible for creating the fan-favorite snack has many different angles, ranging from a storied beginning in Saratoga, NY in the mid-19th century to an English chef's cookbook recipe in 1817. Regardless, chips didn't start to explode in popularity in the U.S. until the 1930s, when two major power players, Fritos and Lays began to mass-produce these potato and corn snacks and market them to the general public.

According to Candy Retailer, Americans now spend $8 billion every year on chips. Along with a need for water to wash down all that salty goodness, a solid dip for those crunchy snacks has become a standard necessity as well. Chips and dip together made way for special platters designed specifically for this dynamic duo. But the glorified chip bowl can be used for more than just salty snacks.

Beyond creating an appetizer platter or nacho display, Tupperware suggests using chip and dip sets to create an epic salad display.

As you consider which salad and salad dressing recipes to make for your next dinner party, if you want an easy way to serve salad, you may want to take blogger Yumna Jawad's advice for an award-winning salad platter. In a December 2022 Instagram post, Jawad uses a donut-shaped tray (like this one on Amazon) to spread her greens and other salad toppings around the outer base. Her dressing of choice is then placed in the center compartment for easy access. While her idea is perfect for holiday celebrations, as the finished product mirrors a beautiful holiday wreath, there's no reason you can't use this tray during the rest of the year, too.

The Pioneer Woman also compiled a list of the best chip and dip platters. Despite the different styles, uses, and shapes available, any of these sleeker models can also serve as the perfect salad platter for your next family brunch.

According to The Loupe's 2022 Google trends report, there are favorite chip and dip varieties in every state, ranging from Pringles and Tostitos to guacamole and ranch dip. But when, exactly, did dipping crispy potato chips in a cream- or vegetable-based dip become an everyday snack? The Calgary Herald speculates that the beginning of chips and dip may be linked to the 1950s Lipton advertisements suggesting consumers mix the brand's onion soup mix with sour cream for chip dipping.

The Calgary Herald notes that just as quickly as chip dips became a snack choice for American foodies, platters and containers for displaying this epic snack combination also appeared on the scene. Numerous supermarket advertisements in the 1950s showcased the already-extended assortment of platters. The Pyrex Passion blog describes how Pyrex came out with several chip and dip sets in the mid-'50s that contained two separate bowls, a larger one for chips and a smaller one for the dip. 

While modern America has led to the further development of awesome chip and dip platters, there are also other uses for this dish set. And if you're looking for an out-of-the-box way to serve salad, this chip and dip hack might be just the solution.