PRODUCT REVIEW: Lay's Mango Salsa Potato Chips

I love trying out new flavor combinations, so when I heard that Lay's Potato Chips had some new varieties available, I went on the hunt to find them.  They're part of their annual "Do Us A Flavor" contest, where they present 4 finalists and ask the public to vote for their favorite. The winner gets mass-produced. Last year's winner, Cheesy Garlic Bread, has been available at my local grocery store on a regular basis, but it's been nearly impossible to find the Siracha-flavored ones (last year's runner-up, which was also released as a permanent flavor, along with the 3rd place finisher, Chicken & Waffles).


There are 4 new flavors competing for a top spot this year: Cappuccino, Mango Salsa, Cheddar Bacon Mac N Cheese, and Wasabi Ginger.  I fully expect that the Cappuccino will be awful (perhaps even worse than last year's Chicken & Waffles--bleh, too much maple syrup for my liking), but I'm willing to give them all a try in the name of science (or at least, to blog about it and save YOU from tasting it).  I have incredibluy high hopes for Cheddar Bacon Mac N Cheese (good lord...they had me at BACON) and the Wasabi Ginger, but I'll have to find them first.  So far, all I've found are Mango Salsa and Cappuccino.

First up: the Mango Salsa. And....

Eh. 

They were just okay. They weren't good enough to rave about, and they weren't weird enough to spit out. The mango flavor is definitely the most forward flavor note, and there's plenty of salt to keep chip lovers happy, along with a slight, lingering hint of red bell pepper.  I ate about a handful, but was able to stop pretty easily.  The verdict: Mango Salsa chips are not something I would seek out and purchase again.

One good thing about these "Do Us A Flavor" chips is that they come in smaller, snack-sized bags--perfect for sampling without paying too much.  I got them at Walgreen's, where they're on sale for $1.29 per bag, or 2 for $2.   The contest runs from July 28th through October 18th, and is open to U.S. residents 18 and over.  You can visit their website, www.DoUsAFlavor.com to vote via Facebook or Twitter, or you can text your vote (BaconMac, Cappuccino, Mango or Wasabi) to 24477. You get one vote per person, per day, per social media platform.  I'm not going to vote until I try all of them first.

Next up....Cappuccino.  Yikes.