REVIEW: Fritos Flavor Twists Queso

Sean 4 Comments

One of the biggest mysteries emanating from the chip aisle is why the hell aren’t there more Fritos Flavor Twists flavors? Originally released in 1992 in the now-beloved Honey BBQ, as well as two others I never had the pleasure to try — Cheddar Ranch and Jalapeño Cheddar — these twirly, crunchy corkscrew corn chips are inexplicably delicious to anyone who enjoys a sweet but smoky BBQ flavor. Yet for how excellent the form factor is, Frito Lay has sat on its hands for over TWENTY years without adding any new flavors aside from two limited regional drops in the early 2010s…until now! Fritos Flavor Twists Queso originally came out last year as a Dollar General exclusive (again, why the limited distribution?!), but are now making their way to most stores that carry the brand.

The reason why Flavor Twists are so fantastic is that fusilli-adjacent shape really does lock in a ton of flavor while delivering an exciting, crunchy, yet light and airy texture. This is coming from someone who loves regular Fritos, too, both the smaller and Scoop varieties. In fact, I think original Fritos are the most underrated “plain” chip in all of chips, but the Twist shape is better in every way aside from scooping. Frito Lay may have unlocked the ultimate cheat code in the early 90s and has criminally under-utilized it since, but this beautiful purple-accented bag of Queso Twists is a promising sign of things to come.

These new-ish Flavor Twists have a solid amount of seasoning that will leave your fingers decently caked after enjoying a couple handfuls. The flavor reminds me of Chili Cheese Fritos without the cumin-y funk. They have a solid cheese-forward burst in the front, followed by the classically strong and iconic Fritos corn taste, and then finish with just a teeny tiny bit of spice. I don’t think I would even call the finishing note “heat,” and it isn’t noticeable until you have eight or so in a row; it’s a nice round peppery spice that sits pleasantly beneath the salty cheese-prominence.

Queso Flavor Twists aren’t nearly as dynamic as their Honey BBQ sibling, but they are still a really tasty chip. They channel a big bowl of Fritos Scoops next to salsa con queso at a party, minus the mess. While they aren’t quite as good as getting a big scoop-full of meaty chili cheese on a thick salty chip, they are a fun new addition to the Fritos family that’s worth grabbing a bag in hopes that they stick around with more Twists to come.

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 3 1/2 ounces
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (23 pieces, 28g) 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 6/25/2024

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

Kirkland Signature Dark Chocolate Almond Creme Almonds.

(Spotted by Robbie at Costco.)

Copper Kettle Candy Co Milk Chocolate Drizzled Pecan Clusters.

(Spotted by Robbie at Costco.)

Marshmallow Chocolate Pb Brownie .

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Trader Joe's Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese.

(Spotted by Robbie at Trader Joe’s.)

Del Real Foods Chicken & 3 Cheese Mini Pupusas.

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Bettergoods Pineapple Upside Down Cake Greek Yogurt.

Bettergoods Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt.

Bettergoods Strawberries and Cream Greek Yogurt.

Bettergoods Plain Greek Yogurt.

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Volleman's Iced Green Tea.

Volleman's Raspberry Tea.

Volleman's Unsweetened Tea.

(Spotted by Deborah at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

BACK ON SHELVES: Lay’s Cheesy Garlic Bread Potato Chips (2024)

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Lay's Cheesy Garlic Bread Potato Chips (2024).

It’s back…AGAIN! Here’s our review from 11 years ago. (Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Hooters Chicken Wings in the Freezer Aisle

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Hooters Texas Style Smoked Wings .

Hooters Daytona Beach Style Smoked Wings.

Hooters Boneless Buffalo Style Wingz.

According to @markie_devo, besides these above, there’s also a Buffalo-style Popcorn Chicken variety. (Spotted by Jarred at Publix.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Papa Johns Bacon Cheesy Burger Papa Bites

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With the introduction of its Bacon Cheesy Burger Papa Bites, popular pizza purveyor Papa Johns now offers three ways to get the taste of a burger. The other two options are the returning Cheesy Burger Pizza and Cheesy Burger Papadia (which had different names in the past). With their small size, I kind of liken these Papa Bites to be the sliders of the three.

These limited-time-only savory noms feature beef, bacon bits, dill pickles, burger sauce, and cheese rolled up with the chain’s fresh, never-frozen original dough to create eight bites. They’re also served with a side of burger sauce for dipping. Besides presentation, another significant difference between these Papa Bites and the other two burger-flavored offerings is that these are the only ones that come with bacon bits by default. They’re paid add-ons for the others.

Beef was the dominant meat, but there was an underlying smokiness from the bacon. The only ingredient that was more potent was the pickle. Most pieces had one slice, and its tangy taste did a lot to convince me this was burger-flavored. The cheese, which looks like a combination of cheddar and mozzarella, added a mild cheesiness, but not one that I’d associate with burgers. I guess I’ve eaten too many processed cheese product slices on my fast food sandwiches. But for the most part its flavors did remind me of a burger.

The orange sauce added a pleasant tanginess to everything. But I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to dip the bites in it because a little bit of the sauce was added when they were being made. So, if you happen to not get a container or someone accidentally spills yours, all is not lost. However, having a copious amount of it on each piece makes everything a bit tastier.

If there’s one issue I had with my order, it is that the end pieces ended up being almost all dough, but thankfully, I still had some sauce left to make those a little more tolerable.

I don’t recall eating the pizza or the Papadia versions (although others here have reviewed them), but after eating these Papa Bites, I think Papa Johns does a better job of nailing down the flavors of a cheeseburger better than Pizza Hut’s Cheeseburger Melt I sampled several weeks ago. If you’re a fan of Papa Johns’ Cheesy Burger Pizza or Papadia, I’m certain you’ll find these Papa Bites as enjoyable.

Purchased Price: $8.99
Size: 8 pieces
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Papa Bites) 100 calories, 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.