Blue Diamond Almonds, Roasted Salted, 6 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Love this ! Small boxes for convenience and eat on the go !

DESCRIPTION: > Blue Diamond Roasted-Salted Almonds are moderately roasted with canola, safflower, or sunflower oil (but not oily or greasy), and lightly salted. These are "heart healthy" oils which are actually good for you, as is the almond oil itself. Roasted Salted Almonds are available in bags or small cans small. > Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds are similar with wonderful smokey flavor. At this time Smokehouse Almonds are available from Amazon only in 16 oz (and smaller) bags. > I have not tried the "lightly salted" variety but I presume that they have almost no salt. CANS vs BAGS Various types of Blue Diamond Almonds are available in bags or small cans. The small cans (3 1/4" in diameter by 2 3/8" high) are very convenient and assure that the almonds stay fresh until openned, and afterward, because they don't stay "openned" long (it is easy to eat a whole can at one setting). Arguably the bags more environmentally friendly, but you don't get much of a price break for the much cheaper packaging. I prefer the convenience and freshness of the cans. EVALUATION: Excellent and flavorful. Well roasted and crunchy. I cannot decide which I like best: the Roasted Salted or the Smokehouse. Although not oily, the roasting oil does effect the flavor. Whether that's a good thing or not is a matter of individual tastes. I happen to like the roasted-in-oil flavor. LESS ROASTED ALMONDS If you prefer less-roasted almonds, roasted without added oil, consider Back To Nature California Almonds, Sea Salt Roasted, 11-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 3) UNROASTED ALMONDS Unroasted almonds are available Back To Nature California Almonds, Unroasted & Unsalted, 11-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 3) but beware that thorough roasting makes almonds more digestable. Unroasted almonds are susceptable to fungus which can be carcinogenic. While commercial domestic almonds sold in the US do not contain significant levels of cyanide, bitter almonds, (which have a much richer almond flavor, particular in baked goods). Indeed natural almond extract is made from bitter almonds---artificial almond extract is safer. Bitter almonds are sometimes illegally sold in the US and are often encountered in other countries, and do contain dangerous levels of cyanide when raw. 7-10 raw bitter almonds can kill a child. Moreover, a child raised on raw almonds may conclude that raw peach pits (essentially a variety of almonds) are safe to eat---they are NOT. The safest practice is NOT to eat unroasted almonds. . > Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

I was a loyal Blue Diamond customer for over 10 years, buying dozens of 12-can packs and bags. Sadly, most (70–90%) were stale right from opening. When I complained, the company suggested my “taste buds may have changed” and offered just two replacement cans. I’ve since switched to another brand that’s consistently fresh. Very disappointing to see such poor quality and dismissive customer service from a company I supported for so long.

I love almonds in general, and this particular brand is quite good. They taste great, with just the right amount of salt and oil (for me, anyway). They're individually packaged in 6 oz. cans, which makes them an easy and portable snack. Portion control is also easier with the small can size. I've ordered a few packs of these almonds, and while there is some slight variation in the taste from batch to batch (some are roasted a bit darker than others), I have always found them fresh and tasty. Almonds are relatively healthy too - high in protein, a good source of magnesium, calcium, and manganese, and full of unsaturated fats. I haven't seen organic roasted, salted almonds from this company, but I hope they offer them eventually at a decent price. One thing I would also like to see is some kind of assurance that the can liner is free of BPA.

Ouch !!!! Great deal on my first order, but a week later went to reorder and it’s $16 more a case. I can get it for less at Walmart, CVS and numerous other locations. Won’t be buying at this new price.