by The snack makers keep putting out spicy munchies, some of which hit on the heat and some which don’t quite measure up. Here is the latest roundup of the ones I have tried:
Late July Hawaiian Habanero Chips: This company makes its tortilla chips from all-natural ingredients, and the Scorchin’ Sauce flavor that I tried not long ago (more on that here) really brings some burn. And while you might think the Hawaiian Habanero delivers on the heat because of the chili in the title, they end up falling a little short. Taste-wise, these offer a tropical flavor with an immediate fruitiness followed by a peppery kick from the seasonings. Basically, imagine a fruit salsa chip, and you have a good idea of what to expect.
There is not much heat from these at first, but it does build up as you continue to munch on them. Still, it does not quite get to Medium on my scale, even though they do leave a tingle in your mouth. Consider these a nice tropical vacation from the usual chips, but not necessarily something you will crave all the time. I bought these at my local Sprouts, and I believe Whole Foods and Kroger carry them as well.
Cretors Hot Honey Popcorn: Cretors are makers of hand-crafted, small-batch popcorn, and they have recently jumped on the hot honey bandwagon to add a flavor that offers a little bit of a kick. This new variety has the immediate sweetness you would expect from kettle corn, though it does not go overboard with the sweet. That is followed by a peppery kick, and it delivers that “swicy” combination of sweet and spicy (yeah, I’m using that trendy new term). You might think that kettle corn with some burn does not sound too appealing, but it works out pretty well, and these things are quite addictive.
The heat is not too high on my scale, maybe right around Mild. But they deliver a nice tingle to the tongue and a tempting snack. I would like these a little better if they were closer to Medium, but I still found myself going back for multiple servings. I stumbled upon these at my local Sam’s, and the brand is also sold in Walmart, Dollar General, Walgreens, and CVS.
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Cajun Cheddar: Cheetos has come out with their latest spin on the Flamin’ Hot flavor, and this one is a hit as far as I am concerned. I’m not a big fan of the standard version of these because they are more sour than hot to my taste buds. But the Cajun variety works out pretty well.
The cheese flavor comes through right away with a bit of sweetness to round it out. Then that Cajun seasoning shows up with a nice creole kick, and as a plus, there is no sourness to these at all.
Heat-wise these Cheetos go beyond Medium and they are approaching Hot on my scale. And since I am a lover of Cajun seasoning, that extra burst of flavor is a bonus for me. These won’t set your mouth on fire, but you will know you have eaten a snack with some heat. I found these at Walmart, and I believe they are on loan from Limited-Time-Only-Ville, so I would search them out soon if they sound tempting.
Nutrition Info:
Late July Hawaiian Habanero Chips
Ingredients: Organic Whole Ground Yellow Corn, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Safflower, Canola And/Or Soybean), Pineapple Habanero Seasoning (Sugar, Sea Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Dried Red Bell Pepper, Organic Vinegar Powder, Organic Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor [Includes Cumin, Habanero Pepper Extractive, Acetic Acid], Pineapple Juice Concentrate).
Serving Size: 28g (12 Chips)
Calories: 140
Fat: 7g (1g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 19g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 180mg
Cretors Hot Honey Popcorn
Ingredients: Popcorn, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Safflower, Corn And/Or Canola), Hot Honey Seasoning [Powdered Sugar (Sugar, Corn Starch), Sugar, Chili Pepper, Molasses Powder (Molasses, Maltodextrin), Salt, Honey Powder (Maltodextrin, Honey), Spice, Natural Flavors, Yeast Extract], Cane Sugar.
Serving Size: 28g (1 ¼ Cups)
Calories: 160
Fat: 11g (1g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 15g
Carbs: 1g
Sodium: 80mg
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Cajun Cheddar
Ingredients: Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/Or Sunflower Oil), And Less Than 2% Of Corn Maltodextrin, Whey, Salt, Spices, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavors, Onion Powder, Potassium Salt, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Yeast Extract, Red Bell Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Skim Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Lactic Acid, Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake), Disodium Guanylate, And Disodium Inosinate. Contains Milk Ingredients
Serving Size: 28g (About 21 Pieces)
Calories: 150
Fat: 10g (1.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 16g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 150mg
