REVIEW: Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips

Marvo Reviews

Thyme is an herb that adds flavor to the Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips and is loved by people who know how to cook and use cookbooks, which I personally know nothing about, since most of the food I consume comes from either drive-thru windows, is heated up in a microwave or is purchased from under a heating lamp at a convenience store.

Also, the combination of thyme and the Food Network makes for a decent drinking game. Go and get yourself a bottle of tequila, plop yourself in front of the television at nine in the morning and every time a Food Network personality says “thyme” you take a shot of tequila.

For some of you, drinking in the morning may seem weird, so to overcome that uncomfortableness just imagine you’re in an episode of Mad Men. By noon, you’ll be drunk enough that you’ll want to fight your television every time Bobby Flay or Guy Fieri appears on it. By two in the afternoon, you’ll think Paula Deen is frickin’ sexy and rub sticks of butter around your nipples. And by four in the afternoon, you’ll thankfully be passed out during Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals.

When I first tried the Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips, I thought they tasted earthy, like I dragged my tongue across a forest floor. While I thought they were a bit odd tasting at first, I slowly began to enjoy their herby, sweet onion flavor as I ate more of them and at times I swear the chip’s flavor reminded me of a Totino’s Pepperoni Party Pizza. But with that initial flavor, I can easily understand why someone might not enjoy these chips.

While not everyone will like the Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips, I have to give credit to Lay’s for having the brass potatoes to develop a snack that probably won’t have mass appeal. I’d expect a company like Kettle Foods to come up with a flavor like this, but not a big snack conglomerate like Lay’s. Although, if the Food Network/thyme drinking game turned into the Food Network/thyme bong hit game, the Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips may just sell out.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 ounce – 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 4.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 4.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 115 milligrams of potassium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, 2% calcium, 10% vitamin C and 4% iron.)

Item: Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips
Price: $2.99 (on sale)
Size: 10.5 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Unusual, but enjoyable herby, sweet onion flavor. At times the chips remind me of a Totino’s Pepperoni Party Pizza. Contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Being passed out during Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals. Rubbing sticks of butter around your nipples.
Cons: Not everyone will like it. Initial taste was like I dragged my tongue across a forest floor. My diet. 4 grams of trans fat in a serving of Totino’s Pepperoni Party Pizza. Being drunk enough that you want to fight your television.

14 thoughts to “REVIEW: Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion Potato Chips”

  1. I fail to see how being drunk enough that you want to fight your television is a bad thing. I worked night shift for a couple of years. Naturally, I would drink when I got off work at 7am. Combine that with the fact the I had no internet then and the regular Sunday morning line up on my non-cable t.v. and you’ll get someone who wants to fight their television. DAMN YOU “Meet the Press”! Come to think of it. Nevermind, Marvo. You are correct.

  2. Is it wrong that I think Rachel Ray should be a spokesperson for these chips? Weird I know, just a thought!

  3. Terra’s Yukon Gold Salt & Vinegar will always be my favorite chip, but these do sound interesting enough to try on a whim. Although I prefer extra spicy to weird tasting.

  4. @Gordon Shumway: Do not doubt the Marvo. Also, do not feed the Marvo shellfish. He will break out into hives.

    @Lord Wu Fak Fak: No, it isn’t wrong, as long as it’s a silent commercial.

    @Chuck: I have not had their salt and vinegar chips. I shall purchase a bag…or steal it.

  5. It’s almost unsettling, seeing someone who knows the Food Network’s daytime lineup as well as I do. Also, thank you for not liking Rachel Ray. What are your feelings on Alton Brown? I think they take your nerd license away if you are a nerd foodie and you’re not completely gay for Alton Brown.

    That aside, dragging your tongue across the forest floor potato chips are intriguing. I wonder how Hawaii got grouped with the Pacific Northwest? I might just go ask Snack Chat.

  6. I heard that ingesting balsamic vinegar makes you thinner.

    Marvo is marvelous with words.

    Peace Out.

  8. This was your best review EVER. Many, many laughs and forwardings — plus I actually think I might try the chips!

  9. @Kelley: Oh, I only watch Food Network for Good Eats and Giada’s cleavage, I only know everyone else because Food Network promos their shows like crazy.

    @Sarah Lynn: Why thank you. Word.

    @Amanda: I like Pizza Rolls too, except when I don’t let them cool and the molten innards squirt out, which makes me cry like a little boy.

    @Cookbot: Thank you. Eat them while watching the Food Network.

  10. These are the chips that are supposed to be available in Alaska, I haven’t looked for them in the store yet though. I don’t know why they passed up the opportunity to make a wild Alaskan Salmon chip though.

  12. @Marvo: I’d like to see a mooseknuckle-flavored chip. It would be the bee’s knees!

Comments are closed.