To see whether chips and cheese crunchies, those quintessential Super Bowl snacks, can lose their fat but keep their taste, we compared regular versions with some lower-calorie, lower-fat, or multigrain cousins. We also dipped the tortilla chips to see which put up the best defense against salsa and which snapped.

What we found. Snack makers still haven't found a way to cut lots of fat and maintain great taste. The baked snacks, though much lower in fat, were least tasty.

Potato chips. Three chips that have reduced fat (but are fried, not baked) tasted very good, and Cape Cod was especially low in sodium. That said, Lay's regular was the munch with the most—the most potato flavor and fat flavor.

Tortilla chips. Tostitos Multigrain was the only tortilla chip flavorful enough to enjoy unadorned. The others could do with a dip. And if you're dipping, use Tostitos Scoops 100% White Corn; only 3 percent broke in our small test, vs. 10 percent of Snyder's, 15 percent of Tostitos Baked Scoops, and 29 percent of Tostitos Multigrain.

Cheetos. Regular Cheetos was the big cheese. Our tasters concluded that the baked version was rather forgettable.

CR's take. The tastiest snacks tended to have the most calories and fat, but some reduced-fat potato chips came close, and imperfections in even the lower-rated baked snacks could be hidden with a dip.

Other very good tortilla chips from past tests include Tostitos 100% White Corn Restaurant Style, Tostitos Natural Yellow Corn Restaurant Style, and Green Mountain Gringo.

Costs listed in the Ratings are based on approximate retail.

A MORE HEALTHFUL DIP Try salsa, which has little or no fat. Other options: guacamole, whose fat is the good kind; and bean dip or hummus, which offer protein and fiber. Substitute a fat-free version of the sour cream, cream cheese, or half-and-half in a homemade dip. In onion dip, use fresh green onions, not a high-sodium dry soup mix. Add chopped vegetables to any dip.