REVIEW: Lay’s Summer BLT, Chile Mango, and Wavy Jerk Chicken Potato Chips

Lay s Summer 2021 Flavors

Some industries are inherently more lighthearted than others. Not everyone can save lives every day; some people have to go to work and invent new potato chip flavors!

Okay, maybe “have to” isn’t the most accurate verbiage. But when I think of these industry professionals, specifically at Frito-Lay, my biggest hope and expectation is that somewhere within that company is a running list of EVERY variety they’ve ever commercialized. “The List” of everything from the all-star favorites like the day they stumbled upon Sour Cream & Onion perfection to the more recent cringe marketing stunts like Cappuccino…whuff.

Something about the idea of this compiled data set makes me grateful for humanity and our quirks. The latest additions to The List are the 2021 summer flavor line-up of Summer BLT, Chile Mango, and Wavy Jerk Chicken.

My first impression of this line is that the bags are gorgeous. Maybe a blend of food illustrations and actual images isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I thought they were vibrant. There were WAY more images of the ingredients on these bags than other Lay’s varieties which made me wonder if I should expect bolder flavor profiles overall.

Summer BLT

Lay s Summer BLT

I’m not sure a “summer” BLT is really a thing, but maybe this is Frito Lay’s attempt to designate between the Classic BLT chips of 2012, the BLT reboot of 2017, and this latest endeavor. Overall, I would categorize these as delicate. The flavor is light, and if I were eating anything else at the same time, I don’t think I’d taste much.

I was obviously expecting to taste bacon, but oddly there wasn’t really much of it or any smokiness. Actually, these chips tasted like mayonnaise and lettuce. There was a sweetness that might have been an attempt at tomato, but overall these were subtle and underwhelming.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 3/4 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Chile Mango

Lay s Chile Mango

These were certainly not lacking in flavor. The mango comes through bright and sweet, possibly too sweet for some, but definitely on the nose. These chips are TASTY. Usually, my biggest issue with spicy fruit combos is the heavy-handed use of lime, but that’s not the case with these chips. Could they be spicier? Definitely, but overall these are a fantastic blend of sweet mango and savory spice, and I intend to crush at least half the remaining bag while sipping a margarita in the sunshine.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 3/4 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Wavy Jerk Chicken

Lay s Wavy Jerk Chicken

Last but certainly not least is the Wavy Jerk Chicken chip, and let’s just say there’s A LOT going on here. I tasted brown sugar, a floral spice, heat, savory garlic, and that smoky and brothy flavor that Lay’s has used multiple times to deliver the taste of charred chicken. They didn’t really meld together so much as each one shows up in a flash before the next comes barreling in.

The aftertaste is like I just ate jerk chicken, but I’m not sure the chips taste that way. They are full of flavor, though. Possibly so much so that I wouldn’t want to eat much more than a serving.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 7 1/2 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Overall, I think these new flavors show a wide range of trendy complex flavors, but they each miss the mark by enough in their own way that I would be surprised if they stuck around longer than a single season. Not to worry, though, I’m sure Frito-Lay is already cookin’ up the next flavors to add to The List.

REVIEW: Chili Lime SunChips

Chile Lime SunChips Bag

Did you know SunChips are 30 years old? Did you know it’s supposed to be spelled “SunChips” and not “Sun Chips?” Did you even know they’re still around?

Perhaps to celebrate its birthday, the Frito-Lay brand has rolled out Chile Lime SunChips. Because let’s face it, a birthday cake flavor would be a horrible idea.

According to the packaging, the 100% whole grain snack feature a combination of red chili pepper and lime flavors. A dive into the ingredients list shows the chips are seasoned with chili powder, buttermilk, garlic powder, spices (including chili pepper), onion powder, natural flavors, paprika, vinegar, and lime juice.

Chile Lime SunChips Closeup

While they have all those ingredients, they taste like they’re seasoned with just chili powder and lime but leaning more towards the former. I’m not complaining that the chips aren’t as complex as the ingredients list makes them seem because they are enjoyable. Although, I have to admit there’s a bit of a celery-like aftertaste at times.

All the flames on the bag might be a subtle hint that these are spicy. They are, and it takes a few chips before the heat is really noticeable, but think of these being at 1/4 or 1/3 of how spicy Flamin’ Hot products are.

Speaking of which, why hasn’t Frito-Lay offered Flamin’ Hot SunChips in their own bag? It’s available as part of a spicy Frito-Lay Munchies Snack Mix that also comes with Doritos, Cheetos, and Rold Gold pretzels, but not in a standalone offering.

If you didn’t know SunChips are still around, this Chili Lime flavor would be a tasty way to reintroduce yourself to them. If you do pick it up, or whatever variety you choose, remember to wish it a Happy Birthday.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 7 oz bag
Purchased at: Received from Frito-Lay
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 14 chips/28 g) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, 2 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Tortilla Chips

Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Chips Bag

What are Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Tortilla Chips?

After years of simply giving us a “hint,” Frito Lay has decided to kick the lime flavor up a notch.

How are they?

Tostitos’ Hint of Lime are my favorite mass-produced tortilla chip. I eat them plain. I eat them with dips. I love em. They’re borderline perfection to me.

Guess what? Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Tostitos might actually be slightly better!?

Have you ever gotten a Hint of Lime chip that accumulated too much flavor dust? There are usually a few per bag, and it’s a nice surprise every time I get one. These are essentially that chip for an entire bag.

That might sound extreme, but don’t get too scared off by the word “sweet.” These aren’t cookies.

Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Chips Closeup

There’s a nice balance between the sweet and salty, but they’re definitely fruitier than Hint. I honestly think they could have gotten away with just calling these “Lime and Sea Salt,” but it’s probably better that they gave everyone a heads-up.

If Hint of Lime taste like 3/4 salt and 1/4 lime, these are just that recipe flipped. You might lose a bit of that overall “salt” flavor, if that makes sense, but they’re still equally great.

Anything else you need to know?

Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Chips Single

One of the key reasons these might have a leg up is the shape. Bite Size rounds are better chips than normal Tostitos. If I’m eating chips, I wanna be able to eat them in one bite. I’m not nibbling or breaking it beforehand. I take it as a challenge, and I feel like there’s always a risk of turning my lips into Heath Ledger Joker’s when I cram a giant triangle Tostito into my mouth.

I also find Bite Size better for dipping. Despite being smaller, they seem more structurally sound. These chips don’t even need a dip, but I tried them with salsa, and no shock, they work great.

Conclusion:

Tostitos Sweet Lime and Sea Salt Chips

All told, Sweet Lime and Sea Salt aren’t super different from Hint of Lime, so I’m curious what Frito Lay’s long-term plans are. They seem a bit redundant, but Frito has never been afraid of redundancies. How much different is a Classic Lay’s chip and Lightly Salted?

I hope these are a mainstay, and I look forward to switching between them and Hint of Lime all summer.

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 11 oz bag
Purchased at: Acme
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (20 Chips) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 190 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips

Lay s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips Bags

What are Lay’s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips?

Two new additions have been released within the Lay’s Kettle Cooked chip line: Extra in Honey Habanero flavor and Extreme Cheddar flavor. Not a lot of information exists other than they are supposed to be EXTRA crunchy and have EXTRA flavor.

How are they?

Kettle chips are already crunchier than your average chip due to their thickness and cooking process, so I was curious about how much more crunchy they could be.

Spoiler alert: a pretty unperceivable amount.

They seemed pretty much the same level of crunch as the non-EXTRA branded chips. They are still fairly crunchy, but I would advise you to set your expectations low as to them being more crunchy than standard kettle chips.

Lay s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips Honey Habanero

Of the two flavors, the Honey Habanero was the one I was most excited about. I really enjoy the mixture of sweetness (honey in particular) to spicy things. It usually adds such a richness to the spicy peppers. The initial spicy pepper flavor is followed by a very subtle sweetness. That vivid honey flavor I had hoped for just wasn’t there.

Compared to the Flamin’ Hot flavored items, these are fairly tame. They certainly have a kick, but not burn your face off level. A perfectly fine spicy chip on its own, but with the lack of honey flavor standing out, it just wasn’t what I had hoped for.

Lay s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips Extreme Cheddar

Even though I had lower expectations for the Extreme Cheddar one (What makes it extreme? Does it skateboard? Is that still considered extreme?!), it ended up being the better of the two. Eating it, I was immediately reminded of another item. I realize this might be extremely niche, but if you’ve ever had the TGI Fridays Potato Skins Snacks, these were EXACTLY how I remember them. A robust cheesy flavor with a sour cream finish, these are a solid chip.

Anything else you need to know?

Kettle chips weren’t created until 1982. Well, chances are they were around, but they became a more mass-produced product in 1982.

Conclusion:

If these had been presented as two new flavors under the regular Lay’s Kettle line, I might’ve given them a higher rating as they are perfectly fine kettle chips. But they fail to deliver as the advertised EXTRA: no real extra crunch or extra flavor.

Purchased Price: $2.98 each
Size: 7 3/4 oz bags
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Honey Habanero), 6 out of 10 (Extreme Cheddar)
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips) Honey Habanero – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Extreme Cheddar – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 1 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Tostitos Habanero Tortilla Chips

Tostitos Habanero Tortilla Chips Bag

What are Tostitos Habanero?

Following up on last year’s super delicious Hint of Spicy Queso and the just-okay Hint of Guacamole, the latest crispy circle from Tostitos drops the “Hint” and brings the heat with habanero-flavored bite-size rounds.

How are they?

Tostitos Habanero Tortilla Chips Closeup

Continuing along the path of Spicy Queso’s cheesy footsteps, these Habanero rounds are excellent. The immediate comparison that jumped at me is Salsa Verde Doritos. They have the same authentic and richly deep pepper taste as that Doritos variety, but with a sweeter and more tomato-y flavor that gives them their own unique presence in the Frito-Lay spicy chip hierarchy. It’s that extra layer of acidity, like the difference between white rice and orange Mexican rice, that really makes the flavor stand out.

Anything else you need to know?

For a chip claiming to be habanero-flavored, they aren’t nearly as hot as I was expecting, but that doesn’t take away from how delicious they are. Their heat is a far cry from the brand’s Flamin’ Hot staple, but I find it even more impressive that they taste great and peppery in a way that isn’t just heat.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking to set your mouth on fire in the way eating a raw habanero would, this may let you down, but I’m hooked. I’ll take flavor over fire any day and these still have just enough heat to make my tongue tingle with an authentic peppery sweetness that makes them undeniable.

Purchased Price: $3.50 (on sale)
Size: 11 oz bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (20 chips/28 grams) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of protein.