REVIEW: Lay’s Do Us a Flavor Valentina & Lime Potato Chips

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Do Us A Flavor is back! If you missed the previous years of this Lay’s flavor contest, it’s a crowd-sourced chip challenge where the winning idea earns its creator $1 million. I was completely locked in when it first started – tracking down every. Single. Flavor. Shoutout to the fever dream that was Lay’s Cappuccino.

Valentina & Lime by Araceli Huerta from San Jose, California, is one of 2025’s flavor finalists. The inspo was her favorite childhood snack made by her mom: a bag of Lay’s Classic potato chips tossed with Valentina hot sauce and fresh lime.

If you’ve never had Valentina, it’s a mellow, chili pepper-forward Mexican hot sauce. Compared to Tapatío, which is spicier, Valentina leans into depth. Honestly, they’re pretty interchangeable to me, but I know people who are ride-or-die. I mean, I always have a bottle of Valentina in my pantry. Tapatío? Not so much. So, do with that info what you will.

Out of the bag, the chips look like Lay’s Barbecue – reddish-brown and familiar – but the taste definitely hits differently. That tangy Valentina heat comes through first, and then the lime sneaks in for a clean slam dunk. Paired with Lay’s signature thin, salty crunch, it’s the kind of chip you keep reaching for. I didn’t even realize I’d nearly polished off the bag until my eyes started watering from the heat.

Naturally, I tried recreating the original snack at home. And honestly, I preferred the Lay’s version. The seasoning is just more consistent – every chip delivers that same punchy combo of heat and citrus.

I haven’t gotten to the other finalists yet (Lay’s Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken is calling my name), but this one is absolutely worth a try. Vote by June 13 if you want it to stick around too!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 7.75 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (28g – about 16 chips) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of total sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Popeyes Fried Pickles

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On April Fools’ Day, Popeyes introduced “A Popeyes Pickles Menu for Pickle People.” I was pleasantly surprised to discover it wasn’t just another April 1st prank but a genuinely well-thought-out menu featuring five limited-time items. Among them? Fried pickles!

Let me preface this by admitting that I’m a pickle person, so much so that I’m currently brushing my teeth with Grillo’s Pickles-flavored toothpaste. You might say, “That’s gross.” I say, “Mmm…dill-icious!”

Even as a pickle enthusiast, I’ve tasted both the good and the bad when it comes to fried pickles. After many disappointing orders, I’ve come to prefer chip- or coin-shaped pickles over spears. Why? Better crispy-to-cuke ratio.

And speaking of crispy, that is critical. I’ve had too many soggy fried pickles with breading that either falls off or never stuck in the first place. Of course, I still ate them. No pickle should go to waste!

When I received my order, I was concerned about what I saw. It was a little pale looking, rather than golden brown fried-to-perfection.

But, visual aside, I’m thrilled to report that Popeyes nailed it. Its signature Cajun-style seasoning added great flavor and just enough heat. While it was super flavorful on its own, when paired with the tangy buttermilk ranch dipping sauce, it was perfection. I really liked the buttermilk’s complementary tang with the pickle’s tanginess. The coin-cut shape also delivered on that aforementioned ideal crunch-to-pickle ratio.

I inhaled these, and I’ll definitely be back to try more of the pickle menu before it’s gone on May 5th. And if you’re a fellow pickle person? You absolutely should head to Popeyes too!

Purchased Price: $3.69
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 23 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 1080 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai Latte

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Spring isn’t here yet, at least not in the Midwest. But Starbucks’ spring menu has us manifesting! This year’s lineup brings back the delicious Lavender beverages – the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and the Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

But, the new kid on the menu block is Starbucks’ first springtime chai drink—the Iced Cherry Chai. It’s made with black tea infused with cinnamon, clove, and other warming spices, combined with milk and ice, then topped with cherry cream cold foam and a sprinkle of cherry crunch topping.

Starbucks’ overseas locations create stunning cherry blossom beverages, so I had high hopes for this one. That said, cherry-flavored food and drinks in the U.S. can be hit or miss.

As I took my first sip, I kept repeating in my head like a mantra, “Please don’t taste like cough syrup. Please don’t taste like cough syrup.”

The first thing I noticed was how creamy it was. The light pink color made my brain want to expect strawberries and cream, but the flavor was distinctly cherry. Not tart cherry, but the kind you’d find in a baked good – sweet with no sourness at all. So, I can confirm that it does NOT taste like Robitussin cherry-flavored cough syrup.

The chai complemented it perfectly. It wasn’t overly spicy or strong enough to completely wash out the cherry flavor. I also didn’t find it too sweet, which is a compliment! Usually, I have to cut back on syrup pumps, but this one was perfect as-is.

I will say that I didn’t really care for the sprinkle of cherry crunch topping. It only added visual interest and texture, not an additional cherry flavor for me, so it seemed gratuitous.

I typically think of chai as a fall drink (shoutout to my beloved Pumpkin Spice Chai —side note: if you haven’t had one, you must this fall). But they’ve made it work for spring. Kudos.

While I will definitely be drinking more of these in the future, I am excited to try the cherry cold foam itself on more things like a mocha (for cherry chocolate vibes) or even on a matcha.

Purchased Price: $5.45
Size: Tall (12 ounces)
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Tall – 12 oz) 370 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 49 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, and 70 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Midnight Drink

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Starbucks’ latest winter launch is all about cozy vibes—think mixology-inspired flavors with a touch of hygge. This new limited-time lineup includes the Blackberry Sage Refresher, Blackberry Sage Lemonade Refresher, and the Midnight Drink.

According to Starbucks’ development team, the inspiration came from customers looking for something refreshing and soothing during the colder months, as well as the growing mixology trend of pairing fruit and herbs together.

Visually, they designed the drink to have a deep violet hue with hints of red to evoke a winter sunset or the warmth of a cabin retreat.

I was all in on the concept, as I’m all about interesting flavor combinations and cozy winter vibes. So, I decided to try the Midnight Drink. I usually go for Refreshers with coconut milk, such as the Pink Drink or Dragon Drink. This one features the Blackberry Sage Refresher base with coconut milk and blackberry inclusions.

From the first sip, the flavor felt well-balanced—sweet but distinctly herbal, almost savory. The savory note might just be my brain associating sage with Thanksgiving turkey, but it definitely added depth. Unfortunately for me, it’s peak cold and flu season, and I’ve been eating a lot of elderberry-flavored lozenges, which have a similar flavor — fruity but herbal.

The more I sipped, the more I appreciated the flavors, but it definitely tasted medicinal. That might be some people’s jam, but it’s not mine. I can’t have orange-flavored things without thinking of liquid Motrin or most grape-flavored things without tasting Dimetapp.

Like all Refreshers, I love how the freeze-dried fruit rehydrates in the drink. It adds a nice texture, and I always enjoy eating the fruit pieces. It was my first time having blackberry like this, and it worked well!

I love the bold innovation and strongly believe Starbucks should keep it up. But this particular fruit-and-herb pairing isn’t for me.

Purchased Price: $5.75
Size: Grande (16 fl oz)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein, and 55mg caffeine.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Cap’n Crunch Arctic Crunch Vanilla Frost Cereal

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With arctic air blasting through the Midwest, it felt fitting to consume the new Limited Edition Cap’n Crunch Arctic Crunch Vanilla Frost Cereal. Unlike the real feel of a -20°F wind chill, this cereal was actually quite pleasant!

The box graphics took me back to childhood—sitting at the table, reading the box with interesting facts while munching away. I ate a lot of Cap’n Crunch as a kid because, for some reason, it was the only cereal my parents allowed. I remember getting so sick of it, but since my parents never threw anything out, I had to finish the stale boxes. And yet, I still have the fondest memories of the Cap’n!

After opening the box, I realized it was all Crunch Berries—just blue and cream-colored spheres. A sweet deal, since that’s the best part, amirite?!

The texture was as I remembered: slightly rough, with some slight roof-of-the-mouth scraping. It was as satisfying as I remember, like a harder Cheetos puff—a crunch leading to a slight squish and gumminess that gets stuck to your molars.

One thing that surprised me: I remember Crunchberries Cereal getting uber soggy as a kid, but this held up well. The milk did intensify the blue color, but that was about it.

Flavor-wise, it was straightforward vanilla. Nothing fancy—no Madagascar or Tahitian vanilla, just plain ol’ vanilla. For some reason, I wanted the blue pieces to taste different. It’s like when people think each color in Froot Loops has a unique flavor, but nope—it’s all the same. No surprise blueberry twist here!

I was slightly disappointed that my milk didn’t turn blue—though I guess this isn’t called “Star Wars Blue Milk Cereal.” It did impart a mild vanilla flavor to the milk, at least.

Overall, it was tasty, but honestly very safe and boring. If Quaker really wanted to lean into the “arctic” theme, it should have taken inspiration from Kellogg’s and and added a cooling effect.

Purchased Price: $4.93
Size: 15.5 oz (Family Size)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 ¼ cup (38g) – 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar (includes 15 grams of added sugar, 1 gram of sugar alcohol), and 2 grams of protein.
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