Lay’s Salsa Fresca, Pringles Cheesy Jalapeño Popper & Takis Buckin’ Ranch Review

Today, Kevin and I are excited to review three different chip items for you. We have the new non-spicy Takis Buckin’ Ranch, Lay’s Salsa Fresca, and Pringles Cheesy Jalapeño Pops. Here's our detailed review, including prices and our thoughts on each product.

Takis Buckin’ Ranch (Non-Spicy)

Price: $3.95 at Dollar General

These tortilla chips are a new, non-spicy addition to the Takis lineup. Each 9.9 oz (28.7g) bag offers about 10 servings, with each serving being 150 calories. Manufactured by Barcel, a subsidiary of Bimbo, these chips are made in Mexico.

Taste and Texture:

• The Takis Buckin’ Ranch chips have a distinctive ranch flavor with a hint of cheesiness, although no cheese is listed in the ingredients.
• The main ingredients include corn flour, tomato powder, onion powder, garlic powder, vinegar, and spices.
• They are rolled, providing a satisfying crunch without being too hard.

Comparison:

• They remind us of Doritos Cool Ranch but with a slightly different, almost cheesy flavor.
• We found them to be delicious and easy to eat, much more so than typical Takis, which are often too spicy for many.

Verdict:

• We highly recommend these for their unique flavor and perfect crunch. They’re a product we would buy again and again.

Lay’s Salsa Fresca

Price: $3.00 at Walmart

These chips are part of Lay’s limited summer flavor lineup, offering a salsa-inspired taste. Each 8-serving bag (28g per serving) contains 150 calories per serving.

Taste and Texture:

• The chips have a strong earthy and green flavor, reminiscent of an unripe potato.
• The ingredients include potatoes, spices, sour cream, dried garlic, corn syrup, and paprika.
• Despite the “salsa” branding, they lack the tomatoey and peppery flavors you’d expect from salsa.

Comparison:

• Compared to other salsa-flavored snacks, these chips fall short, delivering an overwhelming earthy taste rather than a vibrant, fresh salsa flavor.

Verdict:

• We would not recommend these. The flavor is not appealing, and there are better options out there, like the Cuban Sandwich flavor from Lay’s, which we previously enjoyed.

Pringles Cheesy Jalapeño Pops

Price: $2.25 at Walmart

These Pringles come in a 6-serving container (28g per serving) with 150 calories per serving. This limited-time flavor aims to combine the tastes of cheese and jalapeño.

Taste and Texture:

• The chips are softer than typical Pringles, with a decent amount of salt.
• They offer a prominent jalapeño flavor, though the cheese is not very noticeable.
• Compared to other jalapeño-flavored snacks, the Pringles are milder in heat.

Comparison:

• We prefer Herr’s Jalapeño Poppers, which offer a better balance of cheese and jalapeño flavors.

Verdict:

• While these Pringles are enjoyable, they wouldn't be a repeat purchase for us. There are other jalapeño snacks that offer a more satisfying flavor.

Conclusion

Of the three, the Takis Buckin’ Ranch stands out as the clear favorite. Its unique, non-spicy flavor and excellent texture make it a chip we’d recommend and buy again. The Lay’s Salsa Fresca and Pringles Cheesy Jalapeño Pops didn’t meet our expectations, but they might appeal to specific tastes. We hope you found this review helpful, and thanks for reading!