REVIEW: Pringles Mingles

Years ago, Pringles attempted to convince us to flavor stack, combining different flavors to create new ones. I don’t know how successful that campaign was, but I don’t recall ever doing it. But now Pringles is doing the flavor mixing for us with the cornmeal-based Pringles Mingles, a new line of crunchy puffy snacks with four fused flavors: Sharp White Cheddar & Ranch, Cheddar & Sour Cream, BBQ & Pizza, and Dill Pickle & Ranch. However, I could only procure three of the four at Walmart.

First off, let me say how much I love this product’s name because it’s incredibly clever, it’s fun to say, and I’m a sucker for rhyming. Saying Pringles Mingles gives me the giggles and tingles. The puffs come in a curved bow tie shape, and they have a texture that’s not as airy as Cheetos Puffs but also not as dense as Cheetos Crunchy. Also, a serving is frickin’ 56 PIECES!!!

The Cheddar & Sour Cream one is the tastiest of the three I tried, but I’m not surprised. Numerous other crunchy snacks have shown us that the two flavors work exceptionally well when paired. For example, Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream is the best Ruffles variety. Heck, even regular Pringles has a tasty Cheddar & Sour Cream flavor. There’s a pleasant tanginess from the sour cream and a sharp bite from the cheddar flavoring. Also, my taste buds sometimes got a Cheetos Puffs vibe from them. I could eat these light orange puffs all day, every day.

When I first tried the Sharp White Cheddar & Ranch one, I instantly thought it tasted familiar. At first, my mind leaned towards a White Cheddar Cheetos, but that didn’t seem right in my head. Its flavor starts with a sharp cheesiness, and then the ranch kicks in the background. It’s got a great savory flavor, but it’s not as addictive as the Cheddar & Sour Cream one. After eating one-third of the bag, I finally realized why this tasted so familiar. The aftertaste reminded me of Chicken in a Biskit crackers. I could eat these white speckled puffs some of the time.

Finally, there’s the BBQ & Pizza, which I found to taste odd initially. The pizza seasoning is the most dominant of the two. Its cheese, herb, and tomato flavor is common with most pizza-flavored snacks, and the smoky, sweet taste similar to other barbecue-flavored snacks is right underneath it. While I did think the combination was weird at first, the more I ate it, the more I enjoyed it. I think it helps that pizza is the dominant flavor because I love me some pizza-flavored snacks. I could see myself eating these dark orange puffs every so often.

While I enjoy the three flavors, the one slight downside to them is that the seasoning left on my fingers isn’t as flavorful as what I’d taste after eating a Cheetos or Doritos. Also, I totally forgot to mingle the Pringles Mingles to stack even more flavors. I’m such a dingle…berry.

Purchased Price: $4.24 each
Size: 5.5 oz bags
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cheddar & Sour Cream), 7 out of 10 (Sharp White Cheddar & Ranch), 7 out of 10 (BBQ & Pizza)
Nutrition Facts: (56 pieces/1 oz) Cheddar & Sour Cream – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Sharp White Cheddar & Ranch – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. BBQ & Pizza – 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 2 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.