Pringles’ new line of potato crisps, Family Faves, are more family friendly than family favorites, because the line is made up of extremely safe flavors — Cheddar BBQ, White Cheddar Pop and Taco Night.
Nothing weird. Nothing exotic. Nothing crazy. Nothing a wee bit fucked up. They’re so safe, I’m surprised each can of Pringles Family Faves doesn’t come with a Trojan Magnum XL condom wrapped around it.
If I sound disappointed, I am, because I want Pringles flavors that blow my mind, like I’m reading through an issue of Mental Floss. They shouldn’t be hard to produce since they already make mind-blowing flavors in other countries, like Grilled Shrimp Pringles, Wasabi Pringles, Sausage Pringles, Grilled Shrimp and Pepper Pringles, Prawn Cocktail Pringles, Seaweed Pringles, Soft Shell Crab Pringles, Balsamic Vinegar Pringles, Bacon Caesar Salad Pringles, Spanish Salsa Pizza Pringles and Cream Cheese Pringles. Seriously, whose Pringles can do I have to stroke in order to get American Pringles factories to pump out flavors as unique as these?
Until then, or until I have enough disposable income to pay six dollars plus ten dollars shipping to purchase a foreign flavor of Pringles off of eBay, I’m going to have to settle for whatever lame ideas Pringles in America come up with to help me be the best couch potato I can be.
If I had to choose a fave between all the Pringles Family Faves, I’d pick the Cheddar BBQ. It smells like barbecue Lays potato chips, but its flavor is a bit different. There’s a tanginess with a little bite. The cheddar flavor is definitely noticeable, and when combined with the tanginess of the BBQ flavor, they make a decent Pringles.
As for the other two, the Taco Night version tastes like someone dumped a packet of taco seasoning in a can of Pringles, shook the can and then yelled “TA DA!” I thought the taco flavoring was a little too strong, making it not as once-you-pop-you-can’t-stoppable as most Pringles flavors. While the Taco Night flavor may be a bit too strong, the flavor of the White Cheddar Pop was a bit too light. At times the white cheddar flavor was so light, it was like I was eating regular Pringles. Despite its name, the White Cheddar Pop flavor didn’t taste like actual popcorn.
Although, if it did, that probably would’ve blown my mind.
(Nutrition Facts- 1 ounce/16 crisps – Cheddar BBQ – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of protein. White Cheddar Pop – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of protein. Taco Night – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 210 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of protein.)
Item: Pringles Family Faves (Cheddar BBQ, White Cheddar Pop, Taco Night)
Price: $1.49 each
Size: 6.38 ounces
Purchased at: Longs Drugs
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Cheddar BBQ)
Rating: 4 out of 10 (White Cheddar Pop)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Taco Night)
Pros: Comes in Super Stack cans. Cheddar BBQ was tasty. No trans fats. Nutrition facts and ingredients list are also in Spanish. Foreign Pringles flavors. Mental Floss.
Cons: Flavor choices aren’t exciting. Flavor of the Taco Night was a bit too strong. Flavor of the White Cheddar Pop was a bit too strong. The families that chose these faves. Having to stroke someone’s Pringles can in order to get stuff done.
Ahhhh that sucks about Taco Night!! Anyway, those exotic pringles sound way better. I mean who really woulnd’t want shrimp flavored pringles…imagine the smell when you open up that can?
Hey, at least we had those funky restaurant appetizer flavor Pringles. Not the same as Funky Soy Sauce, though. It seems like Doritos is popping out some interesting flavors, so I hope Pringles picks up the slack!
Some of those exotic flavors sound pretty cool. They say that America is the greatest country on the planet, yet we are denied extreme Pringles. I’m going to start writing letters to Congress about this. Here’s a template if you want to join in:
Dear Representative (Senator)_________:
I have recently been informed that America isn’t as great as it could be. Were you aware that in countries such as Japan and Germany, you can get flavors of Pringles besides the usual flavors available here? I’m talking Sausage, Bacon Caesar Salad and Grilled Shrimp. Please consider sponsoring a bill to bring these flavors to the United States. It might work out that no one would like it (kind of like New Coke), but at least we’d be giving it the old college try (see also the McDLT and Crystal Pepsi).
Thank you for your time,
________________________
My favorite when I was in Japan was the grilled chicken
I’m still waiting for habanero pringles. It may be a long shot, living in the US and all, but I refuse to give up hope.
I’ve never reviewed Japaense Pringles before because somehow the very act of making even a weird flavor into a uniform and processed chip seems to render it boring. That being said, most Pringles here are pretty mundane. Sometimes they have weird names, but the flavors are nothing to get worked up about.
I’m with you on those flavors! My favorite “extreme” is the Dill Pickle. So many snack foods have made my favorite flavors, only to become limited editions and taken away. Such sadness.
@amanda: I think it’s the only way I could eat shrimp since I’m allergic. Thank goodness for artificial flavors.
@Deb: Those were good, but I’d really love a Foreign Faves line. Oooh, I need to trademark that.
@Clevegal42: I forgot how a bill is made. Looks like I’m going to have to watch Schoohouse Rock again.
@JJ: I’d hit that grilled chicken.
@Chuck: I strongly believe you will get your wish someday. Or you could make it yourself. Habanero powder and a regular can of Pringles. Voila! If you do that, you are the man!
@Orchid64: US flavors are extremely mundane. I’m intrigued by the Pringles flavors in Japan, although they tend to produce flavors of American foods.
@Dana: That’s why I horde limited edition flavors.
If you mix the taco and white cheddar flavors, maybe you can get a perfect balance of flavor. White cheddar popcorn tacos, mmm.
@megatron: That sounds decent. I wish you commented 24 hours earlier because I already finished the can of White Cheddar Pop. All I have left is half a can of Taco Night, which will probably stay that way.