REVIEW: Lay’s Do Us a Flavor Valentina & Lime Potato Chips

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Do Us A Flavor is back! If you missed the previous years of this Lay’s flavor contest, it’s a crowd-sourced chip challenge where the winning idea earns its creator $1 million. I was completely locked in when it first started – tracking down every. Single. Flavor. Shoutout to the fever dream that was Lay’s Cappuccino.

Valentina & Lime by Araceli Huerta from San Jose, California, is one of 2025’s flavor finalists. The inspo was her favorite childhood snack made by her mom: a bag of Lay’s Classic potato chips tossed with Valentina hot sauce and fresh lime.

If you’ve never had Valentina, it’s a mellow, chili pepper-forward Mexican hot sauce. Compared to Tapatío, which is spicier, Valentina leans into depth. Honestly, they’re pretty interchangeable to me, but I know people who are ride-or-die. I mean, I always have a bottle of Valentina in my pantry. Tapatío? Not so much. So, do with that info what you will.

Out of the bag, the chips look like Lay’s Barbecue – reddish-brown and familiar – but the taste definitely hits differently. That tangy Valentina heat comes through first, and then the lime sneaks in for a clean slam dunk. Paired with Lay’s signature thin, salty crunch, it’s the kind of chip you keep reaching for. I didn’t even realize I’d nearly polished off the bag until my eyes started watering from the heat.

Naturally, I tried recreating the original snack at home. And honestly, I preferred the Lay’s version. The seasoning is just more consistent – every chip delivers that same punchy combo of heat and citrus.

I haven’t gotten to the other finalists yet (Lay’s Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken is calling my name), but this one is absolutely worth a try. Vote by June 13 if you want it to stick around too!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 7.75 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (28g – about 16 chips) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of total sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 5/27/2025

/ / Spotted on Shelves / 1 Comment

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Jack’s Jr Personal Size Pepperoni Pizza
Jack’s Jr Personal Size Cheese Pizza
(Spotted by James H at Target.)
Jimmy Dean Delights Cauliflower Breakfast Sandwiches
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Sam’s Club.)
Bettergoods Southern Style Savory Peppered Drop Biscuit Mix
Bettergoods Southern Style Hatch Chile Cheddar Cornbread Mix
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
Bibigo Spicy Sauced Dumplings
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)
Marketside Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Peppers Stuffed With Cream Cheese
Marketside Hatch Chili Chicken Thighs
Marketside Shaved Pork Al Pastor
Marketside Chicken Breast Satay Strips
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
Sprouts Herb Tuna Salad Snack Cup
Sprouts Chicken Salad Snack Cup
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Utz Mike’s Hot Honey Cheese Pizza Cheese Balls

/ / Spotted on Shelves / 3 Comments

Utz Mike's Hot Honey Cheese Pizza Cheese Balls.

At this point, I can’t name another hot honey brand other than Mike’s Hot Honey. (Spotted by Phil at Redner’s.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Little Debbie Nutty Buddy Cakes

/ / Spotted on Shelves

Little Debbie Nutty Buddy Cakes.

I wonder what other products Little Debbie plans to Nutty Buddy-ify. (Spotted by DJ at Redner’s.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Loaded Steak and Jalapeno Fries

/ / Reviews / 1 Comment

Taco Bell’s latest topped fries du saison are the Loaded Steak and Jalapeno Fries. It features marinated steak, nacho cheese sauce, jalapeno peppers, and creamy jalapeno sauce on a bed of nacho fries. With the twin jalapeno toppings, maybe this should’ve been called the Loaded Jalapeno and Steak Fries. Or perhaps it should’ve kept the name Taco Bell gave it in 2019 — Steak Rattlesnake Fries.

If you want to read our review of those fries, click here. Read on if you want to live in the present.

Some of you might be wondering what the bleep is with that white bloop of reduced-fat sour cream. It’s not supposed to come with this, and I didn’t customize my order to get it. So, um, a bonus? But I transplanted the white topping to a taco so that I could experience the fries as the Taco Bell Gods intended.

Although it’s a previous product with a new, less cool name, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s savory and tasty for the most part, which I’ll get to in a moment. The double strike of jalapeno ingredients brings the peppery flavor to the forefront, but both bring less heat than one might expect. I don’t know if the nacho cheese sauce had anything to do with the lack of spiciness, but if you’re looking to singe your taste buds, you won’t get that feeling from this unless you’re very sensitive to spiciness. The pickled pepper slices also have a satisfying crunch that the seasoned Nacho Fries wished they had.

The bites I enjoyed most were those where the meat took a back seat to the fries and sauces. I’ve had Taco Bell’s steak over a dozen times by now since it comes standard with every loaded fries, but the more I eat it, the less I like it. I know I shouldn’t expect much from Taco Bell, but I feel as if the meat tasted much better when the chain first updated it years ago. Now, it has a flavor that doesn’t excite my taste buds, and I’d rather eat Taco Bell’s seasoned beef than the steak.

Taco Bell’s Loaded Steak and Jalapeno Fries are a mixed bag of yum and meh. I enjoyed dipping my fangs into the fries, jalapenos, and sauces. But if I order this again, I’ll probably substitute the meat to create the Loaded Chicken and Jalapeno Fries or Loaded Black Beans and Jalapeno Fries.

Purchased Price: $5.49*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts:470 calories, 27 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 1420 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

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