REVIEW: Pringles Tortillas (Truly Original, Nacho Cheese, and Southwestern Ranch)

Pringles Tortillas (Truly Original, Nacho Cheese, and Southwestern Ranch)

I’d like to introduce you to the new Pringles Tortillas.

If you’re a junk food nerd, you’re probably pushing up your glasses with your pointer finger and saying, “TECHNICALLY, Pringles Tortillas aren’t the first tortilla Pringles…DUH!”

Yes, junk food nerd, you are correct. Torengos are the original tortilla Pringles, although they were their own brand and later brought under the Pringles label. They were triangular like most tortilla chips, concave to make them dip friendly, and had a uniform shape so they could be stacked, like Pringles.

Update: It turns out there were Pringles Tortilla Crisps before Torengos. Hat tip to commenter CulinaryZerg.

These new Pringles Tortillas aren’t triangular, but they are shaped like the potato crisps we all know and occasionally use to make it look like we have duck bills. They also come in the same cans some of us get our hands stuck in and are available in three flavors: Truly Original, Nacho Cheese, and Southwestern Ranch.

(Although, if you’re a junk food nerd, you might be saying, “TECHNICALLY, there are four, if you count the Walmart exclusive flavor, Zesty Salsa and they’re not the same cans since Pringles now come in taller cans…DUH!”)

Pringles Tortillas Truly Original

Truly Original Pringles Tortillas truly taste like triangular tortilla chips from a bag, although they’re not as crunchy and perhaps not as thick. If you truly stare at an individual crisp, you’ll see there are randomly scattered small holes. Because of them, you might be wondering if Truly Original Pringles Tortillas can truly handle something like truly chunky salsa. But don’t worry, much like my excessive use of the word “truly” in this paragraph, your concern in unnecessary because I was able to easily glide every crisp through a small bowl of salsa without any breakage.

Pringles Tortillas Truly Original Salsa

I liked Truly Original Pringles Tortillas, but I ate my way through the can slower than the other flavors. If I love a Pringles flavor, this is what happens: I’ll feel shame after realizing I ate half the can in one sitting, but then shake that off and eat more. I didn’t experience that with these plain tortilla crisps, not even when I ate them with salsa. By the way, the tortilla crisps’ shape does well as a salsa scooper.

Pringles Tortillas Nacho Cheese

As for the Nacho Cheese flavor, let me ask you the following question, “Do you love Doritos, but wish your tongue didn’t look like you’ve been licking Sesame Street’s Ernie every time you ate some?” If so, Nacho Cheese Pringles Tortillas might be perfect for you because they taste exactly like Nacho Cheese Doritos, but don’t turn any of your body parts into a different color. They have a flavor intensity that’s higher than a Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco shell, but noticeably lower than Nacho Cheese Doritos. This is due to the fact they’re seasoned on one side only.

Pringles Tortillas Southwestern Ranch

Since the Nacho Cheese Pringles Tortillas taste similar to Nacho Cheese Doritos, I wasn’t surprised to find out the Southwestern Ranch Pringles Tortillas taste like Cool Ranch Doritos. But just like the nacho cheese variety, they were less intense than the Doritos.

Unlike the Truly Original Pringles Tortillas, I found myself feeling shame after eating half the can of the Nacho Cheese Pringles Tortillas in one sitting and half the can of the Southwestern Ranch Pringles Tortillas in another sitting. And in both instances, I shook off the shame and ate more. So, yes, I very much enjoyed both varieties.

However, if I want a crunchy snack that tastes like Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos, I’m not going to buy these Pringles Tortillas, I’m going to purchase Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos. I like it when the seasoning accumulates on my fingertips, leaving sort of a savory digestif. Plus, the Doritos are healthier (I know. It’s weird seeing “Doritos” and “healthier” in the same sentence). They have half the saturated fat and lower sodium numbers than Pringles Tortillas.

But if you enjoy the possibility of getting your hand stuck in a Pringles can, demand snack shape uniformity, and want a nacho cheese tortilla snack that doesn’t make your tongue and fingers look like they stroked The Muppet Show’s Scooter, these Pringles Tortillas are for you.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 oz. – Truly Original – 150 calories, 80 calories from fat, 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Nacho Cheese – 150 calories, 70 calories from fat, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 240 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Southwestern Ranch – 150 calories, 70 calories from fat, 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 260 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Item: Pringles Tortillas (Truly Original, Nacho Cheese, and Southwestern Ranch)
Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 6.07 oz. (Truly Original)
Size: 6.42 oz. (Nacho Cheese & Southwestern Ranch)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Truly Original)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Nacho Cheese)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Southwestern Ranch)
Pros: Nacho Cheese and Southwestern Ranch taste like Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos. Truly Original is tough enough to handle chunky salsa. Healthier than Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos.
Cons: Truly Original is not as addictive as the other two flavor. Nacho Cheese and Southwestern Ranch taste like Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos. I miss the buildup of seasoning on my fingertips. Licking a Muppet. The shame of eating half a can of Pringles in one sitting.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – Stride Sour Patch Kids Gum (Lime and Red Berry)

Stride Sour Patch Kids Gum (Lime and Red Berry)

Update: Click here to read our Stride Sour Patch Kids Gum review

The flavor of Sour Patch Kids without cavities-causing sugar of Sour Patch Kids! (Spotted by John at Circle K.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

SPOTTED ON MENUS – Taco Bell Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast

Since it appears Taco Bell now has another exclusive Mountain Dew flavor, can we please buy Mountain Dew Baja Blast in cans and bottles. (Spotted by Aaron in Tigard, Oregon.)

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Closeup

If you’re out getting some fast food and see a new or test product on the menu board, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Menus post.

FAST FOOD FIVE – 12/20/2013

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Here are five recent fast food news bites:

Subway will be offering a new variety of bread next month. Great. That won’t help my indecisiveness whenever I’m ordering a Subway sandwich. (via Grub Grade)

Cheap and spicy is the way I like my fast food sandwiches…and insults. (via Grub Grade)

KFC and potato chips are combined once again in Japan. So the U.S. makes bad Godzilla movies and Japan makes possibly awesome KFC potato chips. (via Rocket News)

Half-price shakes at Sonic! So save some money AND make your body’s insides as cold as your body on the outside. (via Sonic’s Facebook Page)

Subway is testing pizza restaurants on college campuses. I’d eat a Subway Pizza if it has a jalapeño cheddar crust and is available as a footlong…radius. (via The Daily Nebraskan)

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 12/20/2013

Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.

Limited Edition Turkey Hill Key Lime Pie Premium Ice Cream

Maybe it’s just me but key lime pie seems like a summer flavor. Now some of you might be thinking that maybe this has been available since summer. Well, according to Turkey Hill, it was a November release. (Spotted by Stefanie at Giant.)

Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats Touch of Fruit in the Middle Raisin Cereal

Do you miss Kellogg’s Raisin Squares? Well, think of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats Touch of Fruit in the Middle Raisin Cereal as Kellogg’s Frosted Raisin Squares. (Spotted by Victor at Safeway.)

Kellogg's Special K Special Edition Chocolate Almond Cereal

Kellogg’s Special Edition Special K Chocolate Almond Cereal is definitely more interesting than Special K’s last limited edition cereal. Also, this time they used “chocolate” in its name and not “chocolatey.” Oh, this cereal might be good. (Spotted by Victor at Safeway.)

MorningStar Farms Pizza (Baja Black Bean and Mediterranean Chickpea)

With all the fake meat MorningStar Farms produces, I’m surprised there aren’t any on these personal-sized pizzas. (Spotted by Marvo at Safeway.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.