Bonnie: I usually avoid foods that purportedly crisp in the microwave, as they usually have that telltale off odor and odd taste — and they’re not really crisp.

That is, until I tried these Kahiki EasyCrisp Vegetable Egg Rolls. These are low in fat and calories, have a clean label and taste good. One microwaved 3.25-ounce, 4-inch egg roll contains a modest 70 calories, 2 grams fat and 530 milligrams sodium. What I like even more is that these egg rolls contain no unpronounceable ingredients, no trans fats and no preservatives.

Each box contains three egg rolls, individually wrapped in its own cooking pouch. To prepare them, you cut off both ends of the pouch and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your oven wattage. The egg roll is crisp, although not as crisp as the greasy ones that come out of a deep fryer at Chinese restaurants.

The only thing I’m not wild about is the sauce included in the box. I suggest dipping it in Sweet Heat Addiction from The Art of Chipotle or your favorite duck or other sauce.

Bryan: This product is my surprise of the year! At first glance, there was nothing about a microwave egg roll that enticed me, nothing at all, though I am a huge fan of egg rolls, especially dripping in sweet duck sauce…. It was too hard to imagine this historically fried, crispy treat emerging from the sogginess-inducing microwave; something was severely wrong with this picture.

Everything changed in an instant when I tore open the package and got into the instructions. Each Kahiki EasyCrisp Vegetable Egg Roll comes wrapped in special paper; a microwave-safe foil that acts as a tiny oven for each roll, crisping it as it cooks. If you’re well-versed in microwave products (and we here at Bite of the Best are all too well-versed), think of a Hot Pockets’ wrapper with Steve Austin-like improvements having been made to it. The technologically advanced silver wrapper loosely fits the egg roll when removed from the freezer; directions then advise cutting off each end to allow the heating product to vent the inevitable steam created while cooking in the microwave. Two-minutes: This miracle of microwave technology is done, with wrapper tightly fitting the now crispy egg roll.

Don’t ask me how it works: I don’t know. But I do know that the resulting product is simply outstanding. Kahiki is actually crispier than the products I get from my local Chinese restaurants (which invariably steam themselves in my takeout bag on the way home), and at 70 calories apiece, the egg rolls are a great midday snack as well as a healthy addition to almost any diet (especially without the frying).

I was so pleasantly surprised by the egg rolls that I began mentally to go over some of the other products we’ve received here at Bite of the Best. I began to remember some of my visceral, initially negative reactions (generally based simply on bizarre concepts or outrageous flavor profiles). Though I still say that many of my first reactions are on the money, Kahiki has again taught me that sometimes we have to get past our first impressions and give a product (person, idea, etc.) a real chance. It’s funny how an egg roll can teach you a lesson — I thought that’s what the fortune cookies were for!

Eric: Two of my favorite things about eating: Asian cuisine and snacking. I am a strong advocate of “the snack,” and believe that small snacks throughout the day, along with proper meals, are the base for a healthy diet. Snacks are the cornerstone of my daily routine — and I’m not talking about a bag of chips or some cookies. A snack should satisfy your hunger and be nutritious. I always will opt for a handful of nuts, some chopped red pepper and hummus and recently, my new favorite, the Kahiki egg roll.

Although we’ve decided to feature the Kahiki EasyCrisp Vegetable Egg Roll as the Bite of the Best, Kahiki also produces both chicken and shrimp varieties in the same low-calorie and low-fat context. You’ll be surprised by both the flavor and texture of these wonderful snacks.