The Impulsive Buy

Tag: Doritos

  • REVIEW: Doritos Screamin’ Sriracha

    Doritos Screamin Sriracha

    A sriracha-flavored Doritos is something that should’ve come out years ago when the hot sauce was all the culinary rage back in 2013 to 2016. It seemed as if everyone was jumping into the pool of sriracha products like the flavor was a year-round pumpkin spice. But the brand that once brought us Mountain Dew-flavored tortilla chips didn’t offer anything at the time.

    But Doritos Screamin’ Sriracha is finally here, and you know what they say, “Better late than getting lost in the glut of other sriracha products.” I believe a wise rooster crowed that.

    Doritos Screamin Sriracha Closeup

    The word “screamin’” gives a hint that these chips might be spicy. They certainly do appear to be angry with all the red seasoning that looks as if they’re waiting to pop a capsaicin in yo’ mouth’s nerves. The chips smell like a smoldering spicy fire that could ignite at any moment.

    And the first few chips do bring the heat, but before I reach the serving size, my mouth gets numb to the spices. So I don’t feel compelled to douse my oral cavity with a cold beverage or cry “mommy” as I wish the tiny devils on my tongue would stop poking it with their pitchforks. But if you’re even the slightest spice adverse, stay far away from these chips. Don’t even pretend like you’re going to lick them for your Instagram.

    As for their flavor, even though my mouth gets used to the burn enough that I could stuff my face with more of them, getting past the spiciness didn’t encourage me to shovel these into my mouth. Instead, now that I wasn’t thinking of the heat, my mind was clear enough to realize that I wouldn’t buy another bag of these chips.

    They’re a little sweet, slightly garlicky, a tad oniony, and really peppery. On paper, that looks like a tasty chip, and it has all the appropriate ingredients you’d find in sriracha sauce, but the combination doesn’t appeal to my taste buds. Also, they do remind me of Doritos Blaze, which I did not care for, but I do think these are a little more tolerable.

    Look, I like sriracha. It’s my go-to addition to pho. I’ve put it on burgers. I’ve dipped fries into it. But the flavor on these chips doesn’t do it for me. Maybe if the seasoning on Doritos Screamin’ Sriracha was a tad sweeter and the garlic was more pronounced, I would’ve enjoyed them more.

    Purchased Price: Too much on eBay
    Size: 9 3/4 oz. bag
    Purchased at: ???
    Rating: 5 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: (about 12 chips) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

  • REVIEW: Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos

    Doritos Flamin Hot Nacho

    What are Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos?

    The new Flamin’ Hot Nacho Doritos are when “Nacho Cheese Gets Lit,” as denoted by the back of the pack. But really, it’s Chester the Cheetah lending his creds for Doritos’ latest spicy flavor.

    How are they?

    Doritos Flamin Hot Nacho In Bag

    They’re spicy, salty nirvana!

    They smell like regular nacho flavored Doritos, but when you eat them, they’re seriously LIT. There are two hits of heat; the first hits your throat with some tolerable fire and the second is the afterburn on your taste buds. This compounding of hot is what will get ya.

    Doritos Flamin Hot Nacho Fingers

    After a few chips, your nose will definitely be running and your eyes a-waterin’. But, don’t touch your face with your hands because you’ll get the thick Flamin’ Hot residue everywhere. I am amazed that it’s not just blind, overpowering heat. The nacho flavor is still somehow prominent as well.

    Is there anything else you need to know?

    Doritos Flamin Hot Nacho with Cheetos

    I don’t think it’s the same Flamin’ Hot seasoning that’s on Cheetos. Even though the red color looks very similar, it’s much spicier. However, it’s still complementary, so I’ve been eating them together like a Flamin’ mix.

    Conclusion:

    Doritos Flamin Hot Nacho Closeup

    These are so fuego that it caught me by surprise and I almost feel the need to defend my spicy tolerance (I can eat spicy foods, I swear!). This new flavor is the hero in Frito-Lay’s new multi-million-dollar Super Bowl ad, so you best believe that it knows this is a winner too! Takis better watch out!

    Purchased Price: $2.50
    Size: 9.76 oz. bag
    Purchased at: Walmart
    Rating: 10 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: (about 12 chips) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

  • REVIEW: Doritos Crunch Nuts

    Doritos Crunch Nuts Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch

    Doritos has two new products — the Crunch Mix and Crunch Nuts. Not since Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos have I ever been so excited for a new Doritos-branded product to hit the market.

    My fellow reviewer was pleased with the new Doritos Crunch Mixes, but how does the star items in those, the Crunch Nuts, stand on their own? A Doritos Locos Taco home run? Or a Doritos Loaded strikeout?

    Regardless of how they are, they do have cool packaging. It’s futuristic looking with a unique shape that’s square at the bottom but then tapers to completely flat at the top. Its shape and design makes it perfect for snacking in the car.

    Upon opening up each container I got blasted with a strong peanut aroma. I could tell right off the bat both flavors have a significant amount of seasoning. The Nacho Cheese is intensely orange, while the Cool Ranch is a lighter tan with a few dark speckles. Each Crunch Nut has an outer crunchy coating that’s covered with seasoning and then an inner portion that’s a full peanut.

    Doritos Nacho Cheese Crunch Nuts

    With both varieties, they nailed the Doritos flavor as each one tastes exactly their chip counterpart. Also, the name Crunch Nuts isn’t a misnomer as the crunch on them is epic as well. I found the best way to eat these is to soak up the seasoning a bit on your tongue so you get the full flavor and then swing for the fences with your teeth to get the crunch.

    Doritos Cool Ranch Crunch Nuts

    Once you get to the peanut part, though, it starts striking out. It completely overpowers the shell. It’s as if the Doritos essence vanished and never happened. I mean, I love peanuts as much as anybody, but the flavors together for these aren’t working. The Cool Ranch ones fare a little bit better as the flavor lasts longer and seems to meld better with the peanut, but with Nacho Cheese, not so much. The more I ate, the stronger the peanut flavor got and so I could only eat a few before it bored me.

    Doritos Crunch Nuts are nowhere near a home run. They’re more of a line drive that looks like a double and you run past first base on your way to second but then have to quickly shuttle back to first as you realize your hit wasn’t as deep into the gap as you thought.

    (Nutrition Facts – about 3 Tbsp – Nacho Cheese – 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Cool Ranch – 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)

    Purchased Price: $1.99 each
    Size: 3 oz.
    Purchased at: 7-Eleven
    Rating: 4 out of 10 (Nacho Cheese)
    Rating: 5 out of 10 (Cool Ranch)
    Pros: Futuristic packaging. Plentiful seasoning and great crunch. Baseball analogies.
    Cons: Overpowering peanut flavor. Cheese flavor and peanuts not quite having a beautiful marriage. Not suited to be a solo act.

  • REVIEW: Doritos Crunch Mix (Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch)

    Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch

    I recently hit up 7-Eleven for a post-workout protein bar, because I’m super muscular and fit, and also extremely strong and powerful! While admiring my pythons in the drink case window’s reflection, something caught my eye — a stocked shelf of little Doritos branded cartons.

    Variety is, as they say, “the spice of life,” and that expression has never rung truer than when pertaining to snack mixes. Why eat a pretzel when you can eat a pretzel with a corn chip, an M&M, a cashew, cereal, and a peanut butter cup?

    Better question, why did it take so long for something like Doritos Crunch Mix to hit the market?

    Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch 2

    For a long time, Munchies was the only mix available with Doritos, but we live in wild snack concoction times and Frito-Lay is at the forefront.

    The “Crunch Nut” is what you think it is – a peanut inside of a Dorito. Picture a Peanut M&M, except instead of chocolate and candy shell, it’s a Dorito. That’s probably how this idea was initially pitched to a T.

    As you’d imagine, Crunch Nuts are pretty good. I found that the peanut flavor pushed through more with the Nacho mix than Cool Ranch. It somehow made itself known, almost making it too nutty. The cheese mixed with the creaminess of the chewed peanut had a different dynamic than with the Ranch, which was almost dulled by the peanut if anything.

    Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch 3

    I was pretty satisfied with the main attraction. How was the supporting cast?

    The triangles are basically mini versions of those Doritos Jacked 3D chips and thus are the closest in texture to a regular Dorito.

    The puffs are appropriately flavored, very light and airy cheese balls. They’re a stark contrast to the next two players in the mix.

    The pretzels are essentially Snyder’s Nacho Cheese/Ranch Pretzel Pieces, and the corn sticks only exist to make you nervous you’re gonna crack a tooth. Naturally, they were the most abundant.

    Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch 5

    I don’t understand why every snack mix insists on having that one ingredient that could break your molar on any given chew. Chex has the bagel chips and trail mixes have 25-year-old almonds.

    This mix would have been fine with the pretzel pieces. The corn sticks, while tasty on their own, served very little purpose other than adding a rocky texture that wasn’t necessary to the enjoyment of the other pieces.

    In case you’re wondering, they sell packs of the Crunch Nuts alone, but why even bother when the mix exists?

    Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch 4

    I preferred the Cool Ranch one, but that’s always been my Doritos preference.

    So, if you don’t have any dental paranoia like me, you’ll enjoy the Doritos Crunch Mixes. Frito-Lay continues to go onward and upward with their selection. Hopefully, a Doritos 3Ds revival is in our future. Let’s make that happen.

    (Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – Nacho Cheese – 210 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Cool Ranch – 210 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)

    Purchased Price: $1.99 each
    Size: 3 oz. package
    Purchased at: 7-Eleven
    Rating: 7 out of 10 (Nacho Cheese)
    Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cool Ranch)
    Pros: Any new snack mix is a good thing. Doritos never fail. Resealable carton packaging. My impressive physique despite eating multiple cartons of Doritos Crunch Mix.
    Cons: Some pieces are rock hard. Corn sticks are just filler. Peanut taste is a bit too prominent in Nacho mix. Is a single Doritos chip technically called a “Dorito?” I miss Doritos 3Ds. I lie about my muscles a lot.

  • REVIEW: Doritos Mix Blazin’ Buffalo Explosion

    Doritos Mix Blazin Buffalo Explosion

    A good snack mix is like a finely tuned NFL offense. You’ve got a leading taste (quarterback), a solid foundation (that’s your offensive line), and a couple of dynamic flavors that actually make it worth eating (your wideouts and running backs).

    Mess up those components and you’ll find yourself with a paper bag over your head in Cleveland. But nail them and you’ve got yourself a snack that has staying power for years to come.

    At the very least, Doritos Mix Blazin’ Buffalo Explosion nails the eye test of a really good team. Aside from hitting us with some common football clichés in explosive and blazin’, there’s a lot going on beyond just Buffalo sauce flavor. Sure, you’ve got reliable veterans like Cool Ranch, but you’ve also got some intriguing flavors, like blue cheese and chipotle.

    Doritos Mix Blazin Buffalo Explosion 4

    And, for the most part, the flavors work really well together. Maybe it was because of the blue packaging, but I was expecting a pretty conservative playbook that added some cayenne spice to the ubiquitous Cool Ranch flavor. Instead, there’s a winning combination of textual and flavor variety that’s unique for even the over-saturated Doritos brand.

    Doritos Mix Blazin Buffalo Explosion 2

    The Blazin’ Buffalo & Ranch chips are definitely the quarterback here. Each chip has strong Buffalo sauce flavor and tingling back heat, followed by a buttermilk tang that gets some run after the catch action from the Cool Ranch triangles. Putting extra crunchy blue cheese and ranch pieces on the same team works surprisingly well.

    Doritos Mix Blazin Buffalo Explosion 3

    I like to think of the chipotle-flavored rolls as the offensive line in this metaphor. The unmistakable rising heat plays a role in every bite, and, even though the smoky aftertaste of a chipotle pepper never really comes through, the flavor hits you like a 300-pound offensive guard.

    While the flavors and textures are very good — let’s call it Wild Card caliber good — there are some weak points. In fact, I’d go so far to say that Doritos Mix Blazin’ Buffalo Explosion can’t quite seal the deal, much like their namesake city’s team from the early 1990s. The explosive heat is more three yards and a cloud of dust than big-play catch and run, meaning you’re going to want to put some of Cole Beasley’s sauce on the chips to actually make them really spicy.

    Also, if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like the overly buttery aftertaste that certain brands of Buffalo sauce have, you probably won’t like the Blazin’ Buffalo & Ranch chips too much.

    Flaws aside, Doritos Mix Blazin’ Buffalo Explosion is a serious cupboard space contender, and one I hope sticks around until the offseason.

    (Nutrition Facts – 28 grams – 140 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

    Purchased Price: $1.98
    Size: 9.5 oz. bag
    Purchased at: Walmart
    Rating: 7 out of 10
    Pros: Good variety of flavors, with distinguishable notes of ranch, blue cheese, and chipotle. Genuine Buffalo sauce flavor. Chipotle pieces have a solid crunch.
    Cons: Heat is mostly just back heat, with cayenne and chipotle blending into a single mild spiciness. Too much butter in the Buffalo sauce flavor. Aggressive use of football clichés not seen since the days of John Madden’s broadcasting career.