Spicy Snack Roundup: Chester’s Jalapeno Cheese Popcorn, Quaker Sweet & Spicy Chili Rice Crisps, and Simply Lays Hot & Spicy Ruffles

There are some snacks out there that lean to the healthy side and also bring a little heat in case you are trying to keep an eye on your figure as we are in the middle of bikini season. Here’s a rundown of three that I tried recently for my latest spicy snack roundup:

Chester’s Jalapeno Cheese Popcorn: This popcorn shares a spokesperson with Cheetos, and not surprisingly, it offers plenty of cheesy goodness. The cheese flavor dominates with this one, with some similarities to Chester’s other snacks, but in addition, you get a good taste of jalapeños to pair with that. As a bonus, these are decent-sized pieces of popcorn (none of that wimpy stuff that quickly falls apart), and they deliver a good crunch. But I certainly would have liked more heat, as they barely get to Mild on my scale.

The good news is that a rather plentiful serving of two and a half cups of these is only 160 calories. So you get a tasty snack that will fill you up while bringing a touch of heat. And while I would have preferred more fire from these, they are rather addicting, and I found myself sneaking into the bag for more. These are available at Target and Walmart, and some of the larger grocery chains carry them as well.

Quaker Sweet & Spicy Chili Rice Crisps: Rice cakes are typically one of the go-to snacks when looking for a healthy option, but they’re also usually one of the least satisfying. Quaker’s Rice Crisps buck that trend, though, as they have some grittiness to them and a good crunch, and you don’t feel like you’re eating styrofoam. This particular variety brings some good taste with a nice blend of sweet and savory. There’s a little bit of a tang that seems like it comes from tomatoes (even though that’s not part of the ingredients), along with a bit of a peppery kick. These are actually quite similar in taste to other salsa-flavored snacks I’ve tried, though they have very little heat, barely approaching Mild on my scale.

But one serving includes sixteen of these “crisps” and totals to 130 calories, which proves quite satisfying. I certainly would have liked more heat—at least enough to solidly hit the Mild level—but I still rather enjoyed these and will definitely get them again. Walmart indicates that they carry them, but I haven’t found any bags on the shelves at the store near me. I actually stumbled upon these at a roadside convenience store, so if you do see them, I suggest grabbing a few bags.

Simply Lays Hot & Spicy Ruffles: The “Simply” variation of snacks from Lay’s has no artificial flavors or colors and fewer ingredients you can’t pronounce like Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate (yum!). The Hot & Spicy Ruffles variety delivers really good flavor, with a nice sweetness hitting right away, followed by a solid peppery kick. They also seem to have a fair amount of potato flavor, more so than regular Ruffles (maybe because there is less of that Disodium stuff to mask the taste). And they have a really good crunch to them. Still, they barely reach Mild on my scale, but they leave a nice tingle in your mouth and are quite tasty.

One serving tallies up to 150 calories and comprises thirteen chips. That’s somewhat filling, though these are quite addicting and you may find yourself reaching into the bag for more. Target and Walmart carry them, and you may also find them in the health food section of your local grocery store. And while this and the other two snacks covered above fall short on heat, it’s nice to know that there are some relatively healthy snacks out there delivering good taste and at least a bit of a kick.

Nutrition Info:

Chester’s Jalapeno Cheese Popcorn

Ingredients: Popcorn, Vegetable Oil (Canola, Corn, And/Or Sunflower Oil), Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), And Less Than 2% Of Corn Maltodextrin, Salt, Whey, Potassium Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Onion Powder, Buttermilk, Corn Starch, Romano Cheese (Cow’s Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Whey Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Garlic Powder, Lactose, Artificial Color (Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 1, Red 40), Dextrose, Skim Milk, Spices, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Jalapeño Peppers, Disodium Inosinate, And Disodium Guanylate.

Serving Size: 28g (About 2.5 Cups)
Calories: 160
Fat: 10g (1.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 15g
Sodium: 180mg

Quaker Sweet & Spicy Chili Rice Crisps

Ingredients: Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Corn Grits, Vegetable Oil (Canola and/or Sunflower Oil), Sugar, Salt, Corn Maltodextrin, Fructose, Dried Soy Sauce (Soybean, Salt), Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Vinegar Solids, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices, Natural Flavor, Paprika Extract (Color), Yeast Extract, Tocopherols (to Preserve Freshness).

Serving Size: 28g (About 16 pieces)
Calories: 130
Fat: 10g (4.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 20g
Sodium: 250mg

Simply Lays Hot & Spicy Ruffles:

Ingredients: Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Corn Maltodextrin, And Less Than 2% Of Sugar, Brown Sugar, Salt, Yeast Extract, Spices (Including Chili Pepper), Garlic Powder, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Onion Powder, And Tomato Powder

Serving Size: 28g (About 13 pieces)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (1g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 135mg