The IPL 2026 final will be held on May 31. As it is scheduled for a weekend, long hours of couch sitting and endless snacking are guaranteed. Honestly, match screenings seldom feel whole without something crunchy to nibble on, non-stop. While potato chips remain the go-to option for many, they also vanish too fast, leaving behind the extra oil, salt, and that heavy post-snacking feeling nobody really enjoys.
This is precisely why homemade crunchy snacks work so well during such days. They still meet the craving for having something crispy and addictive, but also feel fresher, lighter, and far more full of flavour than the packaged chips. Many of these snacks can also be made well in advance, so that you do not miss any catch, making them ideal for your in-house IPL screenings.
The best part is that healthy, crunchy snacks no longer need to taste bland or feel like“diet food”. These healthy, crunchy snacks can feel just as addictive during tense overs, particularly when paired with good masala seasoning and cold beverages.
Roasted Makhana Masala Mix
Makhana works perfectly for the match days as it remains light while still giving that perfect crunch people usually look for in potato chips. When roasted a bit in ghee or a little oil, they turn crisp and a bit nutty without feeling too oily.
A good seasoning on them, prepared by blending chaat masala, black pepper, smoked paprika, curry leaves, or peri-peri spice, makes them taste exciting rather than just bland. Unlike the packaged chips, makhana feels light on the stomach during long, late-night munching. They taste addictive when served warm in large bowls.
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Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas have the same addictive salty crunch, same like chips, but feel much more filling. Once they are roasted until they turn crisp, they have a nutty texture that works perfectly with spice coatings. You can spice them up with garlic powder, chilli flakes, cumin, black salt, or even tikka masala seasoning to make it more interesting, depending on how much spice tolerance is.
Another benefit is that roasted chickpeas remain crunchy for hours, making them perfect for house parties and gatherings. Not only this, but you can also pair it with cold summer drinks without leaving the oily heaviness that fried snacks usually have.
Air-Fried Sweet Potato Chips
Sweet potato chips feel far more enjoyable than the regular potato chips because they balance sweetness naturally, crispness, and earthy flavour altogether. Thin slices are tossed lightly in oil, and they turn crisp in an air fryer without having to be deep-fried. Sweet potato chips also carry spice blends genuinely well, such as smoked chilli, black pepper, cinnamon paprika, or even tangy chaat masala, which work well on this.
Sweet potato chips feel particularly pleasant because they satisfy the craving for junk food while still tasting homemade and also fresh. Their little caramelised edges also make them hard to resist, once the match tension begins to rise.
Crunchy Chana Chaat Cups
Rather than greasy packaged mixtures, crunchy roasted chana can be a far fresher snack when mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber, coriander, green chillies, and a bit of lemon juice. The texture remains crunchy while the fresh vegetables make the snack feel much lighter during hot weather. You can also add puffed rice or peanuts to it to get extra texture.
What makes this perfect is that it feels sufficient enough to stop you from constant mindless nibbling, without making you feel too heavy. Also, the spicy, tangy flavours somehow fit perfectly with the vibrant chaos of the close match finals.
(Image credit: Freepik)
Lotus Stem Chips
Lotus stem chips feel like the underrated icon of crunchy homemade snacks. Thinly sliced lotus stems turn extremely crisp once they are baked or air-fried, making a texture somewhere between chips and that of crackers. Their natural porous structure also soaks up the spices beautifully, making flavours such as black pepper, chilli-lime, or mint masala taste much stronger and sharper.
Unlike many fried snacks, lotus stem chips remain airy rather than turning greasy, making them perfect to snack. They also look visually attractive on snack platters, making them feel a bit more special than regular chips during watch parties.