Chips

Ruffles, Doritos, and Cheetos Flavor Swap 2026 Review

Tiffany / March 25, 2026 / Reviews / 5 Comments

You know when you eat food that tastes like other food that isn’t actually that food?

That’s the whole trip of Frito-Lay’s new limited edition Flavor Swaps featuring Ruffles Cool Ranch, Doritos Cheddar & Sour Cream, and Cheetos Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue. My brain felt like a whirring 2000s gaming PC pushed to overdrive, but ultimately settling into a happy, joyful hum. Frito-Lay delivers, but to varying degrees of success, and we’ll get into that.

The three bags each feature a different creator or group — and look to be honest, I had no idea who any of them were, but people in my household did, which makes me adjacently cool and hip, right?

There’s Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Madison Beer on the Cheetos Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue, trick-shot legends Dude Perfect on the Ruffles Cool Ranch, and marathon streamer IShowSpeed on the Doritos Cheddar & Sour Cream. Each has their signature on the bag, which feels very “I endorse this” — and per the press release, that’s mostly what it was. Maybe with the next Flavor Swap, they will actually get to design the mash-up themselves.

Ruffles Flavor Swap Doritos Cool Ranch

I started with the Ruffles Cool Ranch because I thought it would be my favorite. The vision: take the bold, tangy flavor of Cool Ranch Doritos and mash it up on the ridges of a Ruffle. The first thing I noticed was how perfect and intact the chips were – not a crushed one in the bag.

Second thing: the seasoning was generous. That Cool Ranch green and red dusting looked like Christmas came early, and y’all, I was here for it. The flavor delivered – tangy, herby, unmistakably Cool Ranch – but with that satisfying Ruffles crunch, which is crisper than Doritos.

Cheetos Flavor Swap Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue

Riding what I thought was the peak, I moved to the Cheetos Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue — and was even happier. The vision: take the iconic crunch of a Cheeto and mash it up with the sweet, smoky flavor of Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue. Fair warning, though: the smell is a little off-putting at first. Barbecue, yes, but also something I can only describe as…tofu? But, the flavor was a full evolution — it opens sweet, builds into spicy, with barbecue flavor as the through line.

The Ruffles Cool Ranch was great. This Cheeto, however, was a revelation. Though, I feel like a Flamin’ Hot variant would be an improvement.

Doritos Flavor Swap Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream

Last up, Doritos Cheddar & Sour Cream chips. The vision: take the legendary Doritos crunch and mash it up with Ruffles’ rich, velvety Cheddar & Sour Cream. These looked almost unseasoned at first glance, a uniform light orange that had me worried. But on closer inspection, they were actually well seasoned — the coating was just so even that it read as bare.

The bigger issue, though, is that swapping from a potato base to a corn base mutes everything — the cheddar comes through fine, but the sour cream tang gets swallowed by the corn and mostly disappears. After the Cheetos revelation, it was hard not to feel a little let down. Not bad, just the clear third-place finisher.

So, varying degrees of success as mentioned. The Cheetos surprised me most, the Ruffles delighted me as expected, and the Doritos taught us that corn and potato bases are not always interchangeable. Two out of three landing is impressive for the first year. I’d love to see this next year, but bigger and wilder (Cool Ranch Gatorade anyone?), and for the love of snacks, someone get Flamin’ Hot on speed dial!

Purchased Price: $3.97 each
Size: 9.25 oz (Doritos), 8 oz (Ruffles), 8.5 oz (Cheetos)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Doritos), 7 out of 10 (Ruffles), 9 out of 10 (Cheetos)
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/28 g) Doritos Cheddar & Sour Cream – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 150 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of total sugars, and 2 grams of protein. Ruffles Cool Ranch – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, and 2 grams of protein. Cheetos Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue – 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Tostitos Mexican Street Corn Tortilla Chips

Vin / February 12, 2026 / Reviews / 3 Comments

Ya know, I’ve never actually had Mexican Street Corn.

Growing up near NYC, I’ve eaten many street pretzels, various street meats, street nuts… and while I’m talking about the literal gutter, I’d kindly ask to keep your mind out of it. Street gum is another big one! There’s a veritable rainbow of delicious street gum on every block, and it’s there for the picking, Buddy the Elf buffet-style.

However, Elote eludes me. I just never WANT corn on the cob, especially if I don’t have floss nearby. All that said, I’ll absolutely demolish some Elote-flavored snacks. I love Mexican food, and I love that Elote flavor profile, so when I saw Tostitos dropped a Mexican Street Corn chip, I hit the streets in search of them.

These chips probably mark the seventh or eighth “Mexican Street Corn” flavored snack I’ve tried, and they’ve all been good. If I had to choose the best, it would be Trader Joe’s “Organic Elote” Corn Chip Dippers. I’d rank these Tostitos just below those.

What you get here are restaurant-style tortilla chips made with whole corn kernel masa, the “traditional way.” I don’t know the exact Aztecan process, but I can tell you that these are larger and denser than a typical Tostito. You get some “thiccc boys,” as no one still says.

I wanted to guess the ingredients before reading the label and landed on a hint of “Hint of Lime,” mixed with a soft cheese/queso-adjacent flavor (representing the cotija), mixed with maybe some sour cream, and a chili-like powder providing a flash of heat. In the end, I almost nailed it.

Seriously, you can envision a little bit of every flavored Tostito that came before this while chomping down on one of these massive triangles – Hint of Lime, Queso, Salsa Verde, Black Bean and Garlic – their spirits live in these chips. If I had to describe the flavor, I would call these Tostitos All Dressed.

These pack so much flavor that they’re almost a Dorito. You get savory, tangy, and spicy all in one. It’s everything you’d want from Mexican Street Corn without the strings of the cob stuck in your teeth.

I had a stack with turkey chili, and they were money. I’d imagine they’d be versatile enough to work with literally any of the Mexican-style dips on the shelf.

All that said, there is one thing that bugged me a bit.

I don’t usually harp on the nutrition of the snacks I review because it’s junk food, no one’s under the impression it’s healthy… but I gotta say, these things are highly caloric. Six chips are 140 calories. For context, Nacho Cheese Doritos are twelve for 150, so while six of these chips are basically the size of a taco shell, try not to indulge too much.

The “big game” is over. If it weren’t, I would tell you to grab a bag along with every dip you can find. But ya know what? There will be more big games that call for big chips. Hit the streets.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 11 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (6 Chips) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of total sugars, 1 gram of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Chips Frito-Lay Tostitos

OTHER THINGS I CONSUMED: 1/16/26

Marvo / January 16, 2026 / Other Things I Consumed, Reviews / 1 Comment

Unwell Cherry Lime Energy Drink

This energy drink is um, well, unawesome. While it has a strong cherry aroma, its cherry lime flavor doesn’t pop. Its flavor is muted, which is surprising because that wasn’t the case when I tried Unwell’s Frosted Cranberry Energy Drink several weeks ago.

But that’s not all that’s disappointing. There’s something mid-sip that I can only describe as a somewhat thick texture that’s similar to what I experience with protein beverages. That would be fine if this had protein, but it has none. It’s not a deal breaker, but again, I don’t recall Unwell’s Frosted Cranberry having it.

The beverage has 150 milligrams of caffeine from natural sources, 745 milligrams of electrolytes, doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners, and is made with real fruit juice (although the can says just 4 percent). Also, the can brings Airheads candy to mind.

Barebells Wild Strawberry Protein Soda

While Barebells, known for its protein bars, calls this a “soda” with 200 milligrams of caffeine, the can should really say “Protein Energy Drink.” Along with Wild Strawberry, there are also Sweet Cherry and Pineapple Sunrise varieties.

The “soda” has a pleasant strawberry aroma and a mild strawberry flavor. There’s also a slight creaminess, which I guess could be from the whey protein isolate, which provides 10 grams of protein. It contains no strawberry juice but does have artificial sweeteners. Not surprisingly, because it’s a protein “soda” with whey protein isolate, it has the same slightly thick texture as other protein beverages.

It’s an okay-tasting drink with a high caffeine content and a decent amount of protein. It’s tasty and caffeinated enough that I might try the other flavors.

A&W Ice Cream Sundae Soda

Yes, this came out more than half a year ago, but I came across it during a visit to 7-Eleven. Actually, I passed by it a few times during previous 7-Eleven visits. However, I finally decided to pick it up because of FOMO and YOLO, and because the bottle and soda colors reminded me of Chewbacca and Han Solo.

Back in August, our reviewer, Amber, gave it a 5 rating because of its artificial chocolate aroma and the way it mostly tasted like a cream soda, with no chocolate flavor. While I could definitely smell its artificial chocolate aroma, I thought it had a pronounced chocolate syrup flavor with a bit of cream soda behind it. That artificial chocolate flavor is not for everyone, but I liked it a lot. Since it’s a limited edition flavor, I might have to pick it up again the next time I’m at 7-Eleven.

H-E-B Limited Edition Bread and Butter Pickle Sweet & Spicy Wavy Potato Chips

Reigning Spotted Photo Champion, Robbie, sent me a box of stuff from H-E-B to try because he knows I’m so enamored with the grocery store. He asked me what I would like to try, and I told him H-E-B’s limited edition potato chips. So he delivered with this flavor and a Korean BBQ, which unfortunately did not survive the USPS.

Having tried those Lay’s Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle chips from a few years ago, I expected these to be as potent and fiery as those. However, I was surprised to find that these chips were neither potent nor fiery. They have a pleasant pickle flavor that’s not overpowering and a “spiciness” that’s almost nonexistent. I loved them so much that I ate more than half the bag while watching a Korean drama episode on Netflix.

A&W Barebells Chips Energy Drink H-E-B Potato Chips Soda Unwell

REVIEW: Cheetos Simply NKD Puffs

Vin / December 29, 2025 / Reviews / 8 Comments

Allow me to get political for a second…

Don’t worry, I’ll try to toe (tow?) the line like a spineless coward.

Where are we at with the health administration discourse? Are these food dyes we devour every day really a crisis, or is eliminating them just a gimmicky distraction? Shocking to no one, I’ve heard both arguments.

I’m a little cynical. On one hand, it feels like an absolute bare minimum the food industry can do to pretend they’re feeding us “healthier” food. However, I also see no reason why synthetic food dyes and artificial flavors should exist if there’s even a 1% chance they’re harming us.

No matter your stance, Frito Lay has started the process for you. It’s begun phasing out synthetic food dyes and artificial flavors with a new Simply “NKD” line of snacks, because no one, and I mean NO ONE, likes Cheeto fingers.

That is my nonpartisan way of interpreting this.

Let’s stop arguing about things we should all agree on and focus our energy on real debates, like whether it’s “toe the line” or “tow the line,” because I’ve never been confident and couldn’t commit to either one. I’m sorry, I’m just a moderate on this issue.

“Chee-to the line.” There it is.

Do you like Cheetos Puffs? Well, hopefully you liked them for their flavor and not their color, because “NKD” might be the wave of the future.

Warning: nudity ahead, this review may be NSFW!

Cheetos are good and will remain good. I can’t say it any more simply … as these are technically “Simply” Cheetos, which I didn’t even know still existed. I thought that was the discontinued line that gave people gastrointestinal issues.

I reviewed the “NKD” Cheetos against regular old classic puffs, and honestly didn’t taste much of a difference. It was minor, and that was comparing a regular Cheeto vs. a “Simply,” which is marketed as a “cleaner” cheese puff that uses “real” ingredients.

These are devoid of color but still have plenty of flavor. If anyone tells you there’s a big discrepancy, they’re just outraged by change. I think the NKD puffs taste just a little blander, and that’s the “Simply” of it all, as I don’t believe the orange dust was a flavor enhancer, but classics do “pop” with a tiny bit more long-lasting flavor.

If this is how we have to enjoy Cheetos moving forward, we’re gonna be fine. We’ll heal, hopefully together.

I like the puffs, but I don’t love the branding. I can’t help but feel like the bag is designed to trick people into thinking they’re a fancy health food. Don’t slack off on your diet, just because they un-dye it.

Speaking of vibes, I hate the “we’re a hot new start-up” style name, “NKD!” Did they really need to remove the “a-e?” Maybe they’re just holding them back as an “i-o-u.” … and sometimes “y!”

It’s quite literally stripped down, unlike that very complex vowel joke.

Oh, and Chester Cheetah is nude on the bag. He goes by “Chest-hair Cheetah,” now.

Just kidding, that perv has always been naked.

These Cheetos may be a bit less dangerous, but they are, like my comedy stylings, still “dangerously cheesy.”

So, they’re a little less fun looking. Oh well. We’ll live… if the government lets us. Vote or Dye!

Purchased Price: $3.97
Size: 8 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (13 pieces) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of total sugars, 1 gram of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Cheetos Chips Frito-Lay

REVIEW: Pringles Mingles Cinnamon & Sugar

Marvo / December 10, 2025 / Reviews / 2 Comments

The chorus from the 1980s power ballad by the band Cinderella rings in my head about every time this year, “You don’t know what you got until it’s gone.” Am I thinking of a past love? A long lost pet? Mini USB cables that I thought I didn’t need anymore, but found an external hard drive that uses one? Or am I thinking of a decent potato-based snack that usually comes in savory flavors but, for a moment, came in sweet ones?

If you pick the last one, you’d be correct. But if you picked any of the others, you’d also be correct. But let’s not talk about past loves, pets, USB cables, or guessing my age from a 1980s reference. Let me remind )or introduce you) to sweet Pringles flavors from about a decade ago that have faded away like many casts from MTV’s Real World.

Some were mediocre. Others were good. But none were great. So why do I miss them? Well, because sweet Pringles was such a novel idea, and one I would like to taste again. Also, I’d like them to return from time to time so a new generation of snackers can experience them. Make it happen, Kellanova!

The varieties included Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, White Chocolate Peppermint, Salted Caramel, Pecan Pie, and Pumpkin Pie. However, one sweet flavor from that era has found its way onto the bowtie-shaped Pringles Mingles: Cinnamon & Sugar.

If you haven’t munched on Pringles Mingles, they are puffy corn-based snacks that have a crunch somewhere between Cheetos Puffs and Crunchy Cheetos. They debuted with savory flavors late last year, but now have come out with this sweet flavor for the holiday season. I enjoyed the savory varieties, and I like this one too.

There’s real cinnamon and sugar on these puffs, and they make this snack pleasing to my sweet tooth. Because they’re corn-based and not made from potatoes, there isn’t that naked potato flakes flavor I remember the original Pringles Cinnamon & Sugar Potato Crisps had once the seasoning had faded. The seasoning on some of these fades too, but that’s mainly because they weren’t well seasoned to begin with. However, when there’s a decent amount of cinnamon and sugar, the sweet flavor tends to have staying power, and there’s a slight butteriness to those pieces. With its taste and texture, it reminds me of a cinnamon-flavored breakfast cereal.

Time will tell whether or not we’ll see this again next year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a return in 2026. I enjoyed them more than the potato crisp version from a decade ago, and they were difficult to stop eating. But if they don’t come back, I’ll just miss them annually with the chorus from an 1980s hair band song playing in my head.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 5.5 oz bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 35 pieces/1 oz) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of sugar (including 3 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

Chips Pringles

Ruffles, Doritos, and Cheetos Flavor Swap 2026 Review

Ruffles Flavor Swap Doritos Cool Ranch

Cheetos Flavor Swap Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue

Doritos Flavor Swap Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream

Share this:

REVIEW: Tostitos Mexican Street Corn Tortilla Chips

Share this:

OTHER THINGS I CONSUMED: 1/16/26

Unwell Cherry Lime Energy Drink

Barebells Wild Strawberry Protein Soda

A&W Ice Cream Sundae Soda

H-E-B Limited Edition Bread and Butter Pickle Sweet & Spicy Wavy Potato Chips

Share this:

REVIEW: Cheetos Simply NKD Puffs

Share this:

REVIEW: Pringles Mingles Cinnamon & Sugar

Share this: