Are chips covered by Hamotzi?

Question

Desserts that are eaten for taste and not for satiation require their own brachos during a meal: http://berachot.org/halacha/18_devarim.html

When having a bread meal are chips (eaten at the end of a meal, by themselves) covered by Hamotzi? Are potato chips (thin fried slices in a bag - not french fries) covered? What about corn chips? What about popcorn? Cheetos/bambi (these probably go under the corn chips category)?

On the other hand vegetables (as in a salad) are covered by the Hamotzi, would that mean that potato chips (another vegetable) would also be covered?

Answer 1

Chips are covered by Hamotzi!

What is the central topic?

The scope of the Iqar veTafel (Basic vs. Accessory) principle

What is included into a Motsi meal? We will treat the problem of the first blessing (Bracha Rishona) only. First let's look Gemara

1. Massechet Brachot 41b

   אמר רב פפא הלכתא ‏‏ דברים הבאים מחמת הסעודה בתוך הסעודה ‏‏ אין טעונים ברכה ‏לא לפניהם ולא לאחריהם ושלא מחמת הסעודה בתוך הסעודה טעונים ברכה לפניהם ואין טעונים ברכה לאחריהם לאחר הסעודה טעונים ברכה בין לפניהם בין לאחריהם ‏
   R`Papa said: The rule is that things that are an integral part of the meal when they are eaten in the middle of the meal, require no blessing neither before nor after; things which aren't integral part of the meal, when they are eaten in the course of the meal require a blessing before but not after, and when they are eaten after the meal, require a blessing both before and after.

   Two important questions are: if the Chips are eaten with bread, if we eat chips currently in the meal, and if the nutritive apport of the cheeps is relevant in the meal.
   Soncino translate the words of Rav Papa as "things witch form an integrate part of the meal", this translation is congruent with the comment of Tosfot (See Maadaney Yom Tov on Rosh Brachot Chapter 6, Siman 26, letter Aleph). The literal translation is perhaps more "things witch come because of the meal". We will deal with these nuances after.
   

2. Rashi comments:

   דברים הבאים מחמת הסעודה. ללפת בהן את הפת: אין טעונין ברכה. ‏‏ ‏[1]‏דהוו להו טפלה ‏‏ הלכך כל מידי בין מזון בין פירות שהביאו ללפתן אין בו ברכה לא לפניו ולא לאחריו:‏
   Things witch are eaten with bread are accessory to the bread witch is the basic component of the meal.

3. But if we learn Tosfot (thus is ruled in S.A. 177, 1)

   we will discover additional parameters.

   ‏ פי' ר''י דברים הבאים מחמת הסעודה בתוך הסעודה כלומר הרגילים לבא מחמת הסעודה בפת שרגילים לאכלן עם הפת כגון בשר ודגים וכל מיני קדרה והביאן בתוך הסעודה ‏[2]‏ אין טעונין ברכה לפניהם ולאחריהם אפי' אכלן בתוך הסעודה בפני עצמן בלא פת דכיון דמשום פת הם באין הפת פוטרתן ‏

   [1] Rashi uses in its narrowed definition the concept of Iqar veTafel (basic vs. and accessory component). Tosfot agrees with the principle, but points that here the principle of accessory aliment is extended to an aliment consumed even alone, not with bread. The reasoning of Tosfot follows the fact that "bread" itself is an aliment-principle, the word is basically a METONYMY.
   [2] R.I. says that foods witch are a part of the meal as meat, fish, [legumes (added in Rosh)] and pastes (free translation according to a widely propagated Italian minhag) do not need Bracha even when we eat them without bread. Because they enter typically in a meal with bread.

4. Potatoes

   they are the paradigm of nutritious meal, so, anyway they are a part of the meal. Even at the end of the meal. (A big cake slice even at the end of the meal may be a substantial part of the meal and perhaps does not need bracha, and blessing Mezonot may be a problem of Bracha Levatala.)

5. Popcorn

   1. Obviously Popcorn are not a part of a meal. But there are usually consumed in large quantities.
   2. If they are the major component of the meal, although this is unusual, no bracha is needed. See Yerushalmi Brachot 6, 5

      ‏רב חונה אכל תמרין עם פיסתיה ‏[3]‏ א"ל רב חייא בר אשי פליג את על רבך שובקין בתר מזונך ואת מברך עליהן תחילה וסוף א"ל אינין אינין עיקר נגיסתי ‏

      [3] Rav Huna was eating dates with bread and Rav Chia Bar Ashi looked this as a strange attitude, as a stratagem to avoid blessing on fruits after a meal. Rav Huna told him that actually the dates where the main part of his meal.
      
   3. If the dates are not the main part of the meal, Bracha Rishona is needed, as for peanuts or almonds.
      
   4. If you eat them with bread, anyway no problem of Bracha, they become contingent to bread.

Answer 2

If you are eating it (kavono)

for the meal, to get full (or it is usual that a meal is based on it (fish, meat...) it is covered .

for pleasure or as a dessert (to clean the taste in your mouth/thought) then it is not covered (if not something that a meal is based on)

So by chips it depends on your kavono

Shulchan aruch harav 177