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.

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.

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?

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:

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.

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?

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.

What are Tostitos Hint of Guacamole Tortilla Chips?

The next evolution of Frito-Lay’s “Hint of” Tostitos is good ol’ guac.

How are they?

Tostitos Hint of Guacamole pack a big flavor for a chip that only promises a little. They’re essentially “Hint of Doritos,” and for that reason, I loved them.

There’s a fresh avocado taste despite no avocado in the ingredient list, which was a bit weird. I guess that’s an expense thing? Either way, the taste came through.

There’s a nice “hint of” heat that I was able to decipher, and then confirm, as jalapeno. The flavor reminded me a bit of Jalapeno Fritos, which I can absolutely demolish in one or two sittings.

I also noticed a – I guess the name really fits – a “hint of” cheese, which the ingredients confirmed as cheddar and Swiss. I wasn’t expecting that, but it definitely enhanced the overall flavor.

These have all the elements of a great guacamole. Except for peas, which everyone knows is the key ingredient to a great guacamole dip. (Relax internet, I’m just kidding… although I would try that with zero remorse.)

Anything else you need to know?

Tostitos Hint of Lime might be my favorite tortilla chip, but the size and shape are annoying. You can easily break them into pieces, but let’s be real, we all try to shove the entire massive triangle into our mouths in one bite.

Hint of Guac are the ideal size. I don’t dip flavored chips, so I want them to be snackable, and I gotta give Frito-Lay credit for opting to make these “bite sized rounds.”

As I mentioned above, some chips are so caked in flavor, they might as well be guacamole-flavored Doritos – a variety I know exists, but has somehow eluded me my entire life. Maybe if enough people like these, Frito-Lay will take the hint and make those a year-round release.

Conclusion:

Despite the mild spice and an overload of sodium, I found these deliciously snackable.

I think I’ve had most of the “Hint of” line, and would probably slot these just under Lime. I’d actually really like to try mixing these, Queso, and Lime together for a big “Hint of” Mexican dinner flavored mix. Someone test that out and get back to me.

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: 12 oz
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, 150 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.