Every Fritos Flavor Ranked From Worst To Best
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American snacks fall into many different categories: Sweet, savory, chewy, cheesy, and everything in between. Chips tend to be on the saltier side and are a commonly consumed as a snack in the middle of the day, at lunch, and even at parties. Corn chips, or more specifically, Fritos, are a salty, crunchy variety of chips that graces the pantries and cupboards of many kitchens.
Fritos are a classic American snack, and though there are many corn chip brands you can find in grocery stores, the Frito brand has made quite an impact on consumers. Fritos are a fan favorite among snackers. Fritos have a curved shape and a crunchy, crisp texture. It's hard to beat a classic bag of fresh Fritos.
Nothing can really compare to Fritos: Except, of course, more Fritos! Fritos are available in more than just the incredible original chips; there are so many flavors to choose from! You might be wondering which of these flavors is the best or which one is as iconic and delicious as the classic.
The next time you go shopping for Fritos, make sure you're fully prepared and aware of which chip is the crunchiest, most flavorful, and overall, the best.
Bar-B-Q
Ah, barbeque chips. A classic side to consume alongside a burger or hotdog, or just snack on when you're hangry and want that crisp, smoky flavor. If there's a potato or corn chip company that doesn't feature a barbeque flavor amongst their products, then clearly, that company is doing something wrong.
Fortunately, the Fritos brand does offer several barbeque products, and one of these is the Bar-B-Q Flavored Corn Chips. These chips are just like your typical serving of the original Fritos, except with a twist of BBQ flavor and a slightly darker, more fiery color to match that flavor.
These chips taste exactly how you'd expect them to taste: Delicious. They're corn chips with a delicious barbecue flavoring, and other than barbeque potato chips, you can't get much better than this. There's just one small issue: They're not easily available in the U.S. These chips were discontinued, and they only returned for a limited time (via Yahoo Life). So, if you really want these chips, you'll probably have to purchase them online.
These chips don't even appear on the American Fritos website, so unless you knew about this flavor prior to its discontinuation, you would likely not even know these existed. Fritos are available in other barbeque-flavored varieties, so while these do taste good, they might not be worth the hassle.
Lightly Salted
Fritos lightly salted corn chips are branded as being just like the original Fritos chips, but with less salt and overall 50% less sodium than a regular bag of the original snack. A regular serving of the original Fritos doesn't have too much sodium: It only contains about 7% of your daily sodium intake (via Fritos).
So, a bag of Fritos has less sodium than ramen or some soups, but if you're trying to keep an eye on how much sodium you're ingesting, it's definitely good to know that there's an option with less sodium available to you, especially if the snack (like Fritos) doesn't taste half bad.
You'd expect a lower sodium product to taste slightly off in comparison to the original, but when it comes to these Fritos, they taste pretty similar to a classic bag of Fritos chips. As some reviewers on Amazon describe, these don't taste quite as salty, but there's still a good amount of salt in this snack, so you still get that crunchy, savory flavor in each bite.
Unfortunately, these chips aren't as easy to find as some of the other flavors, and the online availability of this snack tends to be on the pricier side. Unless you're really serious about watching your sodium intake, it's probably safer to just go with a bag of the original Fritos.
Spicy Jalapeño Scoops
Regular ol' Fritos are good, but sometimes, you want your snack to have a little extra kick. While other Fritos flavors such as barbeque and chili cheese are quite flavorful, if you're looking for something with a little bit more heat, then the Spicy Jalapeño Scoops will satisfy your snack craving.
These chips take the flavor of jalapeño peppers and make nice, mildly spicy chips out of them. They're also shaped differently from your typical Fritos chips: The Scoops are curved, which allows you to scoop salsa, queso, or any sort of dip onto these chips.
The fact that you can dip and scoop with these chips is definitely a plus. They've got a light, spicy flavor, although the flavor tends to get a little bit buried under all that salt (via Amazon). You can still taste a mild spiciness to these chips despite the saltiness, so if you like the taste that jalapeño brings to snacks, then you'll likely enjoy these chips.
However, these are not as easy to find these chips as some other Fritos flavors. Consumers note that they struggle to find the jalapeño flavored chips in stores. While these Fritos are difficult to find, we can definitely see why these might appeal to snackers who like a little bit more spice in their life.
Flamin' Hot
Some like it hot, while others like it fiery hot. If you're of the latter group, then the Flamin' Hot Corn Chips that Fritos sells might be the chips you need in your life. These chips scream "hot," with a fiery, flaming graphic on each bag and bright red chips that remind you of fire.
Considering the fact that these chips have such a spicy, hot-looking exterior, you'd expect these chips to taste equally as hot. If you're anticipating serious heat from these chips, then your expectations are correct: The Flamin' Hot Fritos are filled with a fiery flavor in each bite and they taste good enough to make you come back for more after your first helping.
These chips have a cheesy, salty taste to them, but aside from that, each chip is hot. It's not as spicy or hot as a hot sauce or spicy curry, but it's certainly up there, especially in comparison to other chips. Many reviewers admit that they cannot get enough of these chips:
One shopper claims that they can't typically find this flavor anywhere they shop and that they typically go through an order of Flamin' Hot Fritos in less than a week (via Amazon). While these aren't the spiciest chips on the market, they're a step up from your typical corn chips, and we recommend these to anyone who likes things hot.
Fritos Original
No discussion of Fritos is complete without mentioning the original flavor of the chips. If you walk down the chip and snack aisle of a grocery store, then there's a good chance you see these bad boys lined up with all of the other chip brands.
The original Fritos are pretty hard to beat, and not just because of how popular and iconic they are: These classic, crunchy, curved corn chips started it all. When you're planning the snacks for a party and you're considering serving Fritos, you really can't go wrong with the original.
Whether you're looking for a salty, savory snack or a side for a dinner of burgers, Fritos are a wonderful addition to any day. They're thin, crisp, and delicious: What more could you ask for in a corn chip? You could make a plate of nachos out of these chips, add them to a soup, make a Frito pie, or add them to any dish that calls for an extra crunch.
Some might argue that the original Fritos are a little "basic" in comparison to some of the other Fritos flavors, but basic does not mean bad in this case, and when you're looking for a reliable Fritos flavor, the original will always have your back.
Fritos Scoops
You might be wondering about the difference between the Fritos Scoops and the original Fritos, and you'd be right in guessing that flavor-wise, these two are exactly the same. However, the shape of the Fritos scoops does give them a slight edge over the original, as these snack-worthy chips are perfect for (as the name suggests) scooping dip, salsa, or whatever condiment you prefer onto your chips. This alone makes them better than original Fritos, especially since they have a similar, unforgettable crunch, as well as an impeccable flavor.
All good things that can be said about the original Fritos chips can be applied to the Fritos Scoops. They're salty and savory; just a handful of chips simply isn't enough to satisfy your needs. Whether you have a queso, chili, or pesto dip, these Frito chips are the perfect base chip to make your meal or snack that much better. While these chips don't really bring anything new to the table (besides their shape) they're perfect in any other way, so we definitely recommend Fritos Scoops to anyone who likes Fritos and dip.
Chili Cheese
A fresh chili cheese dip goes wonderfully well with a serving of salty chips. If you could combine chili and cheese into one chip flavor, then you'd be in for quite the snack. You can actually find this flavor combination among the Fritos offerings in the Chili Cheese Flavored Corn Chips.
These fantastic Fritos are embedded with the flavors of chili and cheese, all of which combine to make a flavorful and crispy snack. When it comes to Frito flavors, this one is definitely up there among some of the best. If these are your favorite chips, then you've definitely got good taste.
These chips taste outstanding: They're full of salty goodness with a tinge of spice that makes them oh-so-nice. They have the classic texture of a traditional serving of Fritos with a little something extra that makes your mouth water.
The first sighting of these chili cheese-flavored chips was in the late '80s, and ever since then, this flavor has been a fan favorite. Fritos lovers agree that these chips are incredible, describing them as having a nice, lightly spicy taste and a great, crunchy texture (as per Amazon). If you like Fritos, you'll love this flavor.
Flavor Twists: Honey BBQ
Fritos Flavor Twists Honey BBQ chips are truly the best that the Fritos brand has to offer. These aren't your typical Fritos chips. Unlike the scoops or the regular Fritos, the Honey BBQ twists are, as the name suggests, twisted into little spirals. Despite the different, fun shape, these Fritos pack all the flavor. The Honey BBQ twists are, as the name suggests, twisted into little spirals.
These Fritos have slightly sweet notes from the honey and a smoky, rich flavor from the barbecue. Overall, these Fritos chips are essentially impossible to beat. If you like Fritos and a sweet barbeque flavor, then there's a good chance you'll adore these chips.
The people love these chips: One reviewer on Amazon writes that they are practically the best chips ever since they're less salty than the original chips, which allows the barbeque and honey flavor to really shine through.
Others agree that the Honey BBQ flavored Fritos are a great snack and the top flavor among the various Fritos offerings (as per Amazon Reviews). Overall, there isn't really anything negative we can say about these chips. If you're digging into a pack of these Fritos, then you're in for a flavorful, crunchy, and delicious time.