Posted on by thechiefeats

Review: Lay’s Dill Pickle Flavored Potato Chips

And we’re back!

I have returned to hit ya’ll with another review to start this week off strong. You never know when I’ll strike next. Uh-oh!! You know I had to do it.

Quick story time:

At my school, we are just about to wrap up the semester, so things have been pretty busy lately. After this week we have final exams, so currently it seems like everyone is chugging away at their final assignments and projects of the semester. It makes for a pretty stressful environment, and is the biggest reason behind my somewhat unpredictable posting schedule. Fortunately I have this blog as a way to calm myself down. I hope you guys are enjoying these posts as much as I love writing them!

Moving on from that little update, I have an interesting one for you guys this evening. We are reviewing these pickle flavored chips from Lay’s, and I must say, I am quite intrigued. I have never had pickle-flavored anything before, so I simply had to grab these when I was at Target a few weeks back.

I would not exactly call myself a “pickle fan”, but I do like them on a burger every now and then. Bread & butter pickles are preferred. I mention this to say that I am not someone who can just reach into a pickle jar and eat them as if they are some regular ‘ole snack. Kudos to those of you who can, I am not on your level.

Depending on how accurate these are with their pickle flavoring, I could love them or hate them. We shall see. Let’s get into it.

Overview: 

In terms of the packaging and presentation of these, they are pretty… simple. Probably what most of you would expect when you think of a chip that is pickle flavored. The bag is green all around, but the color is more of a lighter “yellowish” green. This stays pretty true to how pickles look when they are in a pickle jar, with those hints of yellow throughout the liquid.

The green packaging certainly calls at you a bit, but I think it is more the kind of looking where you are curious about what the flavor could possibly be when you see them at the store. Not ostentatious or loud by any means. These spark your curiosity more than anything else. The close-up image of the chips does very little to point out any major differences between these and regular chips. They just look like crispy, ordinary chips.

Going along with that, one thing that I have to mention is that the chips themselves are SUPER unassuming. When I look at them, they look virtually no different than how a regular potato chip looks. The same yellow, salty, crispy appearance. I guess it’s probably silly of me to think that these would be some kind of crazy forest green color, but nonetheless, an interesting fact. Lay’s is keeping it subtle with these chips, you pickle lovers.

Of course, here are some shots of the packaging and chips in a bowl for your use. Enjoy:

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Review: Lay’s Pickle-Flavored Chips

On to the review. I am in my chair, and am going in for the first bite. Here goes nothing.

WHOA.

Forgive me for underestimating the appearance of these. I am taken aback by how potent the pickle flavoring is; these don’t mess around. If you are a (dill) pickle lover, you are going to LOVE these chips.

Immediately, you are just body-slammed with the sharp, sour flavor of the pickle seasoning. I almost coughed when I ate the first chip. These do a really good job at encapsulating the combined aspects of how an actual pickle tastes, and how the liquid also tastes. It is hovering right around 50-50, so it’s good that Lay’s has chosen to make these chips inclusive to all the different nuances of pickle flavoring.

My use of the word “body-slammed” is pretty powerful. And it is definitely true at first, but you acclimate pretty quickly to the flavor after your first few handfuls. They still don’t play around, but instead of hitting you with that slam dunk, the flavor switches to a layup. More finesse, but equally impressive-OH BABY!!!

The pickle seasoning dominates every moment of these being in your mouth, and the typical potato chip flavoring comes through with the aftertaste. Depending on where you stand in the pickle debate, this could be good news or bad news. Bottom line–if you want PICKLE, you should go with these.

The texture? Fine. They are just ordinary Lay’s chips, no ridges or kettle-cooking involved. They have a nice enough crunch, but they don’t offer the same oomph as something like a kettle-cooked chip would. I feel like Lay’s should have decided to make these kettle-cooked, because pickles do have a solid crunch to them in most cases. If accuracy is their priority, then the added crunch would have gone a long way to replicate that experience.

I like these. I would say that they fall into the category of something that you buy at the store “every now and then” with enough of a break in between. Even as someone who doesn’t particularly love pickles, these were solid. I would get them again in a couple months. However, these are not something that I could see myself eating an entire bag of in one sitting (at least not without getting sick).

All in all, Lay’s does quite the job of putting pickle-flavored chips on the map with these. Despite the mellow packaging, these don’t disappoint with their pickle punch (yes, I said pickle punch).

The Verdict:

For being a flavor that I would not normally gravitate toward, I am impressed with these chips. I could see them being really good on an actual sandwich, because the flavor is just so pungent and concentrated. If you like pickles, these are an absolute go.

Favor the occasional pickle? Still give these a go. They will satisfy your craving.

Not a fan of pickles? Avoid these. They are the real deal. 

All of that said, I would give these chips a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars for being an admirable attempt at fusing the worlds of pickles and chips together in harmony. Really solid, but not something that you need to go out and get right now.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Quick turnaround, I know! Have a great rest of your week.

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional information for Lay’s Pickle-Flavored Potato Chips:

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Posted on by thechiefeats

Review: Chewy Chips Ahoy “Fudge-Filled” Cookies

Ahoy there matey,

Today might be yer favorite review, if ye fancy the chocolate shipmate. Board the vessel, and set the masts!

Okay. Enough pirate talk. Let’s talk about these. So Chips Ahoy is a brand that I am… unfamiliar with. Growing up, these were snacks that I simply did not follow, and did not frequently consume. Every now and then I would find myself having a small pack of them in my lunch, but it was quite infrequent.

Even then, I didn’t really put them in the same light as I did something like an Oreo or girl scout cookie. They were good, respectable, but nothing to write home about. The two I just mentioned are some of the best cookies around, with little debate.

My dad would periodically have the basic “chewy” variety of Chips Ahoy at his house, which my brother and I seemed to prefer. Something about the way they are able to make these chewy (without exactly being “fresh-baked” cookies)… was both unnerving and delicious.

Fast forward to my last snack haul at the grocery store, and I saw these bad boys on the shelf. I couldn’t miss out on them. I have actually had the “brownie filled” flavor, which seems quite similar to these. Let’s hope the fudge does something instead of nothing.

Overview:

On to the packaging and overall appearance of these. The regular chewy cookies use a red packaging that is quite loud and obnoxious, very attention-grabbing. In comparison, this fudge-filled variety really goes all-in on the chocolate idea, with a deep brown color throughout the box. Perhaps Nabisco is confident that these cookies will deliver the chocolate bomb that so many of us seek.

Whereas the regular cookies simply include a close-up shot of the top of the cookie to show texture, these really zoom in on the creamy fudge filling. Although I have my doubts that the fudge will be super authentic, this is interesting because the brownie-filled has a more crumby texture, without the whipped appearance of the fudge. Maybe that is the biggest difference between them? I feel like they are dangerously similar. We will see.

Aside from these observations, the packaging largely stays true to the fun-loving brand of Chips Ahoy. I can see why kids love these, because everything about the branding and text is fun and energetic. At any rate, take a look for yourself; here is a picture of the packaging and cookie filling. Enjoy the shots.

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Chips Ahoy Fudge-Filled Review:

Much like the Oreo review, this will be pretty scientific. I have 4 cookies total, and will be trying 2 with milk and 2 without milk. The addition of milk is a vital component to any comprehensive review of cookies, so I will continue to include that in my reviews.

Going in for the first bite. No milk first.

Okay so here’s the deal. These are interesting, because although they are chewy, they actually have a solid “cookie” flavor to them. Almost like a crispiness? They don’t have a super processed, doughy flavor. The cookie flavor is what you are hit with first, which is followed by the fudge as it slowly becomes more and more present.

The fudge actually does have more of a whipped texture to it, which I appreciate in this case. The feeling of the fudge is definitely unique from what I’ve experienced with the brownie-filled flavor, so good news on that front.

The fudge filling reminds me of an ever-so-slightly solidified form of Jell-O pudding. If you imagined placing that into a cookie and compressing it into a semi-solid form, that’s what it tastes like. The chocolate chips on the actual cookie combine with this fudge filling to deliver a pretty powerful chocolate experience. If you have a sweet tooth, you are going to love these.

Despite how skeptical I was at first, these really do manage to incorporate a (somewhat) accurate depiction of how a fudge-filled cookie would taste and feel. Obviously, this is not going to be the same as your grandma’s homemade batch from last Christmas, but Nabisco does a good job here.

The chocolate flavor is good and sweet, and definitely has a thickness to it as well. I don’t know how they do it, but they did. The fudge filling is a GO.

In terms of the aftertaste, the fudge flavor tapers off quite a bit, and you are left mostly with just a general “chocolate chip cookie” flavor. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind if you are concerned with the longevity of the fudge flavor.

Okay. That covers the no-milk component. Let’s try them with milk. I am going in my friends.

Let this be another example of how much milk can add to store bought cookies. Interestingly, the milk doesn’t create any new “layers” to the flavor, however the coldness of the milk combined with that fudge filling create a REALLY nice contrasting texture in your mouth. When adding the milk, the texture is able to mimic the “fresh fudge” concept that much more.

Of course, it can only be so close. The fudge filling is not fresh out of an oven, but again, the milk really accentuates the texture of the fudge and makes it feel more authentic. You have to give Nabisco props for this, because I certainly was worried that these cookies would not be able to differentiate themselves. That’s a lot of chocolate going on, but they manage to incorporate it in a way that is not overwhelming or stale.

The Verdict:

Whether you have milk on hand or not, these are very good both ways. I would certainly go back to buy these again–I am impressed.

The fudge adds a dimension of flavor and texture to an already sweet chocolate chip cookie. Bravo, Nabisco.

With that being said, I would give the no-milk version 4 out of 5 stars for being about as close as you can get to having a fudge spin on a store-bought cookie. You don’t see it often, and for good reason; it is hard to do.

When you add the milk? Oh boy. These are big time. I would give them 5 out of 5 stars when you add milk–they are that good. Go out and get them NOW.

I hope you enjoyed the review. Take it easy on this lovely Sunday.

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional info for Chips Ahoy Chewy Fudge-Filled Cookies:

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Posted on by thechiefeats

Review: Sharp White Cheddar Cheez-IT Grooves

Howdy ya’ll,

We’re adding this review to the list of stuff Liam has not tried. So this should be fun to talk about. I am indeed familiar with most products in the Cheez-IT family, but this is not one of them. Quick background before we get into the overview.

Over the years, Kellogg has introduced many different varieties of the standard Cheez-IT, incorporating lots of unique flavors into the mix to switch things up. Over time, this process is what seems to have created the grooves, which are advertised as a sort of union between a potato chip and a Cheez-IT cracker; the crispiness and crunch of a potato chip meeting the flavor profile of a Cheez-IT. An interesting experiment indeed, blending two snack worlds together.

I have had the original Cheez-IT grooves (plain cheddar) when they were first released, and I remember them being quite good. The flavor was more pungent than what you find in the comparatively tame Cheez-IT cracker, more seasoned. With that said, this white cheddar variety is completely new to me. Let’s see how good these are, and if they can stack up to the “ordinary” white cheddar Cheez-ITs shall we?

Overview: 

Up front, there’s not much of a difference between the packaging used on the grooves and what you’ll find on the regular crackers. Cheez-IT seems to stick to their guns here, and for good reason: they have one of the best snack crackers that you can find on store shelves. The logo is the same, the colors are the same, everything is uniform.

The grooved crackers are made quite large to show texture and seasonings, which is one key difference between the two types. The Cheez-IT grooves are made so extremely large to exaggerate their texture and to call your name on the shelf. I think this is a conscious design choice by Cheez-IT; they realize their brand holds enough weight on its own, but they want to entice snackers who live on the edge to try their fancy new grooved crackers. In the words of Miley Cyrus, you get the best of both worlds.

They do advertise “BOLD Flavor, BIG Crunch” on the front of the groove box as well, another clear difference. You can take a look at the packaging and crackers for yourself below:

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These are made for people who want Cheez-ITs on steroids. I am one of them. You are one of them. Let’s get into the review.

White Cheddar Cheez-IT Grooves Review:

Time to give these a go.

I’m not sure how to feel after the first bite. There’s a notable crunch, which certainly stays true to what is advertised. This is good news. The grooved texture must be what is responsible for the satisfying crunch that you get with these.

Perhaps it is just the nature of the beast with these white cheddar flavors, but I find it to be a little…underwhelming? I don’t get a super tangy “white cheddar” flavor when I eat these. As you put it into your mouth, you are hit with more of a general salty flavor as opposed to a white cheddar bomb. They do feel more seasoned than a regular Cheez-IT cracker, however it stops there- they feel saltier, not necessarily more flavorful. This is to say that to me, it doesn’t feel like this flavor of the grooves brings a heavy-handed dose of the white cheddar flavor into the mix.

I will mention that in every handful, there are 1 or 2 groove crackers that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Clearly your mileage may vary, with a box that is super well-seasoned or a box that is not so well-seasoned. Regardless, there seems to be some flavor inconsistency here, which is unfortunate. I want every groove cracker (chip?) to have the big and bold flavor that is advertised.

Why did I mention the flavor being inconsistent? Well, in my experience, that is not the case with the regular white cheddar Cheez-ITs. Those feel quite well-seasoned throughout the box, making each cracker enjoyable. Oddly enough, I feel like you get more of a distinct white cheddar flavor with those too. I do not have those side-by-side to compare, but I am definitely interested in doing that on my own time and writing a comparison with my findings. Maybe stay tuned for that.

I do like the aftertaste of the grooves more than the regular crackers. The Cheez-IT grooves have a…. toastier aftertaste than the regular Cheez-ITs. It definitely does remind me more of a potato chip, which seems to be what Kellogg is going for. Mission accomplished with that, because the toasty/”chip like” aftertaste is something that I really like.

Beyond that, the initial flavor really fades away after the first second of chewing. With the aftertaste, you really have no sense that you ate something that was white cheddar flavored. It just tastes like you ate some kind of cracker chip combo hybrid. Depending on your preferences, this may be a good thing or a bad thing. For you to decide.

These reviews have been off to a strong start, with most products getting really high marks from me. I feel like this is probably the first snack that has its fair share of issues. Let’s get onto the verdict.

The Verdict 

These are not horrible. I would not go out and get them again, but if you are a close follower of the white cheddar community, you may feel differently. And that is perfectly okay.

The regular Cheez-IT crackers and the basic grooves set the bar pretty high for these, so I can see how easy it is to crack a bit under the spotlight. I think I let my past experiences with the brand influence me too much into buying these at the store.

At any rate, I would give these a 2 out of 5 stars for being pretty nondescript and a little disappointing given the marketing, but not horrible. I personally would reach for a different flavor.

Despite the turnout of these, I hope you all enjoyed the review, and hopefully I helped you in deciding whether or not to buy these!

Thanks for tuning in… take care.

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional info for White Cheddar Cheez-IT Grooves:

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Posted on by thechiefeats

Halloween Review: The (Big) Kit Kat Bar

It’s the spookiest time of the year. You know what time it is, my friends. I couldn’t leave my snackheads on Halloween without a proper review. This one? An instant classic. One of the absolute best candy bars out there. Quick story time below.

Think of this one as “Take 5 lite.” The Take 5 is probably the most criminally underrated candy bar of all time, but I’ve always found that KitKat is a close second. For some incomprehensible reason, the people I’ve been around always sleep on the KitKat bar. That ends tonight.

This review, for all intents and purposes, will be short and sweet. Given the time of year, it wouldn’t surprise me if many of you have been enjoying the candy in your (or your child’s) pillowcases. Or maybe you just went to the store and bought some candy–that works too. Feel free to enjoy a KitKat with me.

The only catch with this review? We’re reviewing the “jumbo sized” KitKat. This is going to be the real deal. I am hoping it will translate to even more insight compared to the (already awesome) regular KitKat bars. Let’s dive in.

Overview 

If you’ve ever had a KitKat bar, you pretty much know what to expect here. It uses the typical red KitKat wrapper, which is quite nice looking. Very recognizable, due to both the colors and the shape of the bars themselves. I’ve always appreciated the packaging. The bars have a really nice and symmetrical look. I like the logo too–it is simple, fun, and bold without being ostentatious. It has a very “retro candy bar” look and feel, which definitely gives it some street cred.

As for the bar when it’s unwrapped? The nice design continues. These KitKat bars remind me of blocks of solid gold, except in chocolate form. I dig the vision, KitKat. In terms of making the candy bar look really nice and desirable, I feel like these are pretty much second to none.

The Big KitKat differs from the original bars in that it no longer has the longer, side-by-side style that you can break in half. These bars look more like traditional candy bars, and are quite blocky.

Still solid though, right? Here’s the packaging and a few candy bar close-ups for your viewing pleasure:

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Big KitKat Bar Review

On to the review. Let’s give it a taste.

After the first bite, I was immediately reminded of how complex the flavor is of KitKat bars. They feel a little more involved than your usual candy bar, almost like a ritzy Mercedes G-Wagon compared to most other candy bars (think Toyota).

Despite the chocolate coating being on the outside, the first flavor that you get is actually of the wafer inside the bar, which is quite brittle and messy. There’s an amazing crunch with KitKat bars that cannot be denied. The closest thing I can compare a KitKat wafer to would be those cookie straws that you sometimes get in a milkshake or at the grocery store.

The wafer is crisp and flaky, with an almost buttery like flavor. This serves as a really nice way to lead into the sweetness of the chocolate, which is quite sweet without being overkill. There is a big contrast in texture here, because as you progress through the wafer (and into the chocolate), the KitKat leaves this smooth residue in your mouth.

The chocolate is insanely thick, impressively so for a candy bar that doesn’t claim to be Fannie-May grade. This is something that I think really differentiates the KitKat as well, because the chocolate is very authentic. It doesn’t have a thin “shell” texture like so many other candy bars do. It really sticks around and makes its presence felt throughout your bite. Big time flavor, and very consistent.

What I’ve said about the chocolate’s substance and the crispy wafer may have you thinking that the KitKat is some kind of monstrous “hunk” of a bar–but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is extremely simple and well-executed, with a very airy texture and feel. You could eat a lot of KitKats without knowing what hit you. I find they don’t make me feel sick after eating more than a few, which is a dangerous quality to have.

KitKats are the glazed doughnuts of the candy bar world. Understated, sometimes underappreciated, but a staple nonetheless. The airiness of the candy bar also translates well toward my glazed doughnut analogy. The ingredients are simple, and they might even seem plain to some candy bar connoisseurs.

Perhaps. Maybe. But, KitKat does what it does so well. Maybe it’s not cutting edge; but it doesn’t have to be. Everything comes together here in a way that will always keep KitKat toward the top of my candy bar Hall of Fame.

The Verdict 

If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure you know where I stand with these. KitKats all day, baby. It was a real treat reviewing this for Halloween, and I hope all of my snackheads can agree that KitKats are a name to be reckoned with in the candy bar world.

I would give the (regular or jumbo) KitKats 5 out of 5 stars for being consistent, reliable, and very tasty. You know what you are getting with these bad boys.

Enjoy your trick-or-treating, and be sure to enjoy a KitKat!

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional info for the Big KitKat:

kitkatfacts

Posted on by thechiefeats

Review: Frito Honey BBQ Twists

I’ve gotta say, I’m super excited to be reviewing these. As a kid, my family would NEVER buy these chips from the store, and it is an event that has scarred me to this day. As a child, something about the shape of these snacks was oddly… compelling. I really liked pasta, and these chips reminded me of corkscrew noodles. Carb overload was obviously my friend back then, so bonus points there. Interestingly, however, I’ve never been the biggest fan of regular Fritos. I just always had chips that were a few notches above regular Fritos. Because of this, the BBQ Twists offered redeeming qualities that kept my attention over the years. The first time I tried them (relative to some of the other snacks I’m reviewing on this blog) was actually quite recent, taking place in the past 4-5 years when I was still in high school. I do not regularly have these snacks at my disposal, so it should provide for a very comprehensive review. Let’s get into it.

Overview

Let’s dive in to the packaging that is found on these Fritos. In comparison to the packaging found on the original corn chips, the BBQ Twist variety implements a grey color scheme (as opposed to the red). An interesting design choice, being a chip that seems to be overloaded with the seasonings–you would almost think that these chips would implement a more “showy” look to appeal to all of the spicy folks out there. Alas, Frito decides to go with a more minimal approach in marketing these, but perhaps there’s more to it. Maybe the packaging doesn’t NEED to be showy; the chips might just speak for themselves. A bold claim, Frito-Lay…. a bold claim. I’ve always thought of these as the flavor-blasted equivalent to the ordinary Fritos, for those of you familiar with Goldfish lingo. There is a nice close up of the snacks themselves, which I do appreciate. The further enhanced texture really goes a long way to make you want to try these out.  At any rate, here’s a look at the packaging. Beyond the close up, not much to see here:

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And, of course, here is a picture of the chips themselves:

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Review: Honey BBQ Twists

Yeah yeah, chiefeats. Who cares about all of this crap anyway? Well WE do. We are the aristocrats of the snack world. Anyways… how do they taste? Here’s the scoop. The SECOND these enter your mouth, you are immediately smacked in the face with what I can only describe as an almost “chili” type seasoning. Think of a BBQ potato chip mixed with a Frito interpretation of a chili powder, and you have these bad boys. If you’ve ever tried the “Spicy Sweet Chili” Doritos, these have a remarkably close flavor at first. They are not as sweet, but they employ a similar first punch.

I feel like these are chips that someone think COULD be spicy grabbing them off the shelf, but they are not. I would not describe them as spicy, even though I just commented about how similar they are to their “spicy” Dorito counterparts. Contradictory, I know. It has more of a zesty, peppery flavor. You could eat plenty of these and not worry about any kind of spiciness. It’s almost like if you were to take a Frito and submerge it into some kind of dry rub, mixed with tomato puree. It’s an overwhelming flavor, one that is surely going to have any savory snack lovers grabbing more.

Progressing through the bite, that typical “corny” Frito flavor comes into the mix. As I mentioned previously, I am not the biggest fan of regular Fritos by themselves. The scoop version goes great with dips, but that corn chip flavor in Fritos is something that I get tired of very quickly. With that being said, the OG Frito flavoring is a bit more subtle here. You get it, but it doesn’t come through AS strongly, and it also doesn’t present itself until the end of your bite. If you are like me, then you will really prefer these BBQ Twists over the regular/old-fashioned Fritos.

No biggie if you are a fan of the regular Fritos; you will be pleased to know that their very unique flavor is preserved here. It is a bit more subtle, but these certainly will suffice if you are looking to satiate your Frito fix. These BBQ Twists are like, seriously addictive. Dangerous territory. Fortunately they don’t sell any family-sized bags of these, because if they did, I’d be in trouble. Really nice crunch and texture to these as well, pretty much akin to what you would find with the original. The spiral shape does a nice job at switching up the texture in your mouth. These are almost like BBQ curly fries in chip form.

I will also say that these chips are greasy and messy. Given the rather abundant amount of seasoning, this may not come as a surprise, but it is a chore to eat these. You’ve gotta bring napkins and wash your hands. The bottom of my bowl had a decent pool of grease, which may be a bad (or good) thing for you. Whichever works–just thought I’d mention it.

The Verdict

All things considered, I really dig these. By default, Fritos are not my favorite, but these BBQ Twists do a really nice job at switching it up and adding a new dimension of flavor to a chip that I find pretty stale. The seasoning is a lot, but it’s a lot in a good way. If you are watching a football game on a Sunday afternoon and want something to stuff your face with, look no further than these.

I would give these chips a 4 out of 5 star rating for adding a unique twist (pun intended) to a rather popular chip at the grocery store. My only gripe is that they are MESSY to eat, and also are quite greasy. Not to mention the funky breath that I’m getting right about now… Probably need to go brush my teeth. I’m gonna get on that.

Hope you enjoyed the review, and take it easy!

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional info for Frito’s Honey BBQ Twists:

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